Three Legendary Men; One Shared Tragedy

by | Nov 9, 2020

What Do These Three Men Have in Common?

A Minnesota Congressman, the owner of a nightclub, and a baseball Hall of Famer – what could they have in common?  For one, they whole-heartedly pursued their individual passions.   Second, they all died within the past few months, in mid-to- late 2020.

There is something else they shared in common, a tragic connection.  But first let us first meet these three great men.

Jim Ramstad served in the U.S. Congress for 18 years. He is known for working across the aisle, and championed mental health and addiction issues.  (Couldn’t we use more of that now days!)  https://patch.com/minnesota/across-mn/longtime-minnesota-congressman-jim-ramstad-dies-74

Allan Fingerhut was the first owner of First Avenue, a Minneapolis nightclub made famous by the filming of Prince’s “Purple Rain”. First Avenue is world-renowned and has hosted many legendary artists. He was also a Vietnam Vet. https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-lifestyle/allan-fingerhut-first-avenues-original-owner-dies

Tom Seaver was one of baseball’s greatest right-hand power pitchers. He won 311 games for four major league teams, primarily the Mets.  (He had COVID-19 when he passed away).  https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/02/obituaries/tom-seaver-dead-coronavirus.html

What tragedy did these three men share?   All three suffered from some form of Lewy body dementia (LBD).

What is LBD?  It is the second most common form of dementia, after Alzheimer’s. (Think of “dementia” as the umbrella term; Alzheimer’s, LBD, Vascular dementia, and certain other degenerative brain diseases are types of dementia.)  Some people with LBD have symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease, and many of the brain changes are the same.  Jim Ramstad was said to have “Parkinson’s with Lewy”.  However, LBD can also take its own path.

The most common symptoms of LBD include:

  • Changes in thinking or executive function (planning, processing information), memory, or the ability to understand visual information.
  • Changes in cognition, attention, or alertness
  • Problems with movement such as tremors, stiffness, slowness, and difficulty walking
  • Visual hallucinations
  • Sleep disorders
  • Mood changes such as depression, apathy, anxiety, agitation, delusions, or paranoia
  • Bodily changes such as blood pressure control, temperature regulation, bladder, and bowel function https://www.lbda.org/10-things-you-should-know-about-lbd/

Why is this noteworthy?   Recognizing symptoms will help family members know when they need to seek medical intervention.  A physician may order a neuropsychological evaluation be performed; however they will count on family members to report specific behaviors.  While there is no cure for LBD, you may be able to help a family member or friend by understanding this and other dementias.

Part of the reason I wrote “Dancing With Lewy:  A Father Daughter Dance Before and After Lewy Body Dementia Came to Live With Us” was to educate people about dementia.  My dad was first diagnosed with vascular dementia, then six years later, several months before he died, we were told he had LBD.  (He likely had both diseases).  Without knowing he had LBD, we had little idea what to expect as his dementia progressed.

You can educate yourself by visiting websites such as Alz.org, lbda.org, or other ones specific to the diagnosis.  Be an informed caretaker; visit https://nancyrpoland.com/caregiver-resources/ for ideas and links to many other websites.

If you would like to obtain a copy of “Dancing With Lewy”, there are three ways to do so:

  • Order it off my website, https://nancyrpoland.com, and I will ship it to you.
  • Buy the E-book off Amazon.com.
  • It will be officially released on February 16, 2021.  You will be able to buy it in on-line bookstores.

I hope you will never need this information, but chances are you will have a loved one suffering from dementia at some point.  Learn all you can, be patient with those who dementia-related symptoms, and find ways to advocate and support research.

Can Bad Teeth Lead to Dementia?

by | Jul 15, 2020

The Experts Answer

While there are various findings on the effect of poor oral mouth care, experts do agree seeing the dentist regularly and taking care of your teeth is critical to overall health.  In “Dancing with Lewy”, you will read:

“Bacteria from the mouth can easily get into the bloodstream and cause infection and inflammation wherever it spreads. Substances that are released from gums inflamed by infection can actually kill brain cells and lead to memory loss. Dementia and possibly even Alzheimer’s disease can result from gingivitis when the bacteria in the mouth spreads to the nerve channels or enters the bloodstream. Taking care to prevent oral health problems like gingivitis and periodontal disease can go a long way toward decreasing the risk for more serious health problems throughout the body.   “10 Health Issues Caused by Poor Oral Health”.  Absolute Dental, January 26, 2017

I also received an endorsement from Dr. Eugene G Dvoracek DDS, a retired family practice dentist:

“My mother was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia with symptoms starting in early 2008, ending with her passing in early 2015.  My family had the same type of experiences with my mother that Nancy had with her father.  Additionally, I have had the experience of helping during the Parkinson’s disease progression of one my closest friends who passed after a 20 year battle.

Nancy clearly stated the importance of maintaining the oral hygiene of patients suffering from diseases such as Lewy Body Dementia and Parkinson’s.  As a dentist who has treated patients suffering from dementia and Parkinson’s, I totally agree.  Actually, a healthy, disease free oral cavity is an important component of optimal whole-body wellbeing.  Untreated dental decay leads to painful bacterial infections in the bone above the tooth root tip.  Untreated gum disease leads to tooth loss and debilitating bacterial infection that can spread throughout the body and affect multiple body organs. The medical community realizes the importance of the relationship between optimal oral health and overall body health and counsel their patients accordingly.

“Dancing with Lewy” offers practical advice to caregivers, who have to deal with myriad of personal, medical, financial, and legal issues.  Also, she stresses the importance that the caregivers have to take care of themselves to be effective.”

Thank you Dr. Dvoracek for your recommendation.  And as the dentist says, “Brush and floss your teeth!”

For more information on  “Dancing with Lewy”, or to order a copy of this brand new book, go to nancyrpoland.com.

 

“Dancing with Lewy” Available for Purchase

by | Jun 28, 2020

How to Buy a Copy

When asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, the answer was “a writer”.  My dream has come true!  In July 2020 I will have copies of “Dancing with Lewy”.  While it will be released to bookstores and Amazon in early 2021, I am allowed copies for personal distribution.  I will have a limited supply, so order yours today.

How to obtain your copy of “Dancing with Lewy”?

  • Purchase it at my website, www.nancyrpoland.com. The book will be shipped to you.
  • If you are near me and can pick up the book or arrange to meet, you can save the shipping costs. Please order through my website so I can track the tax. To make arrangements contact me by phone or email [email protected].
  • If you prefer an e-book or audio book, they will be available at the end of 2020 off Amazon.

Presentations

If your community group, church, book club, or other organization would like to hear about our story, I can meet with your virtually. (Hopefully when COVID-19 has run its course I will be able to visit in person, as travel permits.)

Thank you for sharing in our story.  My hope is “Dancing with Lewy” will speak to your heart and give hope to caregivers, past, present and future.

“Dancing with Lewy” – A Beacon to Families

by | Jun 10, 2020

Lee was the type of dad you could call day or night with a flat tire, and he would come running.  If a neighbor needed groceries, he would appear at the door with grocery bags.  He was a U.S. Navy veteran, an entrepreneur, and a father of four daughters. So imagine how it rocked the family dynamics when he could no longer balance his checkbook or assemble a flashlight.

“Dancing with Lewy” is a story of this man, my dad. You will get to know him both through stories from his early life, and via his poetry wound throughout the book.  This is the story of how we “danced” around his Lewy body dementia.  There were times of frustration, anger, and desperation. There were also times of humor and kindness.  It was a push-pull, a “dance” that sometimes went well and sometimes went horribly.

Dads and moms, this is a story of how your actions affect your children, even when they are adults. Sons and daughters, see if you identify with my personal struggles as a caretaker.  “Dancing with Lewy” is a book of life-lessons.  It has been described as “A beacon to families” (D. Carr) and “A must read for every caretaker” (M. Foscarini).  https://nancyrpoland.com/?page_id=108

I am looking forward to sharing this book with you.  Subscribe to updates on the release of “Dancing With Lewy” at nancyrpoland.com.

Dancing With Lewy – A Book for Caregivers

by | May 30, 2020

Caregivers

“Dancing With Lewy” is a book with a variety of messages.  The main message, however, is for caregivers.  I talk about  how being a caretaker brought me love, appreciation and taught me much about forgiveness.

Being a caregiver also led me down the path of depression. I cried, way too much.  Anger and denial were my companions. I put aside my own health for the sake of those I loved.

I hope you can learn from my experiences.  

“Dancing With Lewy” also offers practical suggestions for caregivers with a focus on aging and dementia.  

I am looking forward to sharing this book with you.  Subscribe to updates on the release of “Dancing With Lewy” at nancyrpoland.com.

 

Welcome to my Author Website

by | May 13, 2020

Welcome to my author website, nancyrpoland.com.  Follow along on my journey as a writer, speaker and trainer.

I am excited to announce my upcoming book, “Dancing With Lewy”.  Publishing a book is a dream come true for me.  I wrote this book for several reasons, to tell the story about my dad and me, and our father-daughter relationship. I also wrote it to educate people about what a family goes through when a member has dementia.  It is also a faith story.

“Dancing With Lewy” will be published in ebook format in late 2020, and in hard cover format in early 2021.  Subscribe to my newsletter for more information.