Would you recognize the early signs of Alzheimer's?

[Nova]

On a lighter note, I just went into my bedroom to refill my wine glass, realized it and laughed, and proceeded into my pantry, lol, not there either...wine is in the fridge across from the pantry. Alzheimer's, or maybe just the wine???

Oops. I was going to make a joke about drinking so early in the day, but then I realized it is after 5 on the East Coast. I momentarily forgot the dictum that it is always 5 o'clock somewhere in the world. (My own early-onset Alzheimer's?)

Carry on.

 

[PMLsmom]

Oops. I was going to make a joke about drinking so early in the day, but then I realized it is after 5 on the East Coast. I momentarily forgot the dictum that it is always 5 o'clock somewhere in the world. (My own early-onset Alzheimer's?)

Carry on.

Lol, I am on the east coast (but belong on the west, long story). Have come to the conclusion it is all menopause and life cr@p. I am into my second year of this mind s@#t...

 

[michmi]

Here we go.
My father has Parkinsons and dementia and paranoia. And we are lost in this disease. He has recently been hospitalized and then developed pneumonia. We are between a rock and a hard place with his treatment. Do you try to aleviate his Parkinson's or his dementia? The medications are opposing each other. He believes everyone is trying to kill him. That is the dementia talking. If we go with that, his Parkinson's meds go by the wayside and he can't move or swallow. This is heart breaking. The doctors want the family to make decisions we are not medically equipped to make. I HATE THIS DISEASE!

Ohiogirl, Tobywong said what I would say. My mom doesn't have the Parkinson's, but she is in the last stage of dementia. I think with the 2 diseases and the treatments opposing each other, you treat the motor symptoms of Parkinson's first, then worry about symptoms of dementia that are distressing him to a big degree and try to treat those.

At this point in my mom's disease, we could "treat" a lot of things but what I've done instead is have her on hospice (and someone with dementia can qualify for hospice without having only 6 months of life left, so don't let that stop you from getting an evaluation) and treat her only to keep her as comfortable as possible physically and mentally until she dies-and I know people who aren't familiar with the disease will think it's horrible of me to say that. I also know people who are familiar know exactly what I mean.

 

[Nova]

Lol, I am on the east coast (but belong on the west, long story). Have come to the conclusion it is all menopause and life cr@p. I am into my second year of this mind s@#t...

Come home. All is forgiven!

In fact, we can't even remember why we were fighting with you.

Yours truly,
The West Coast

 

[Nova]

Ohiogirl, Tobywong said what I would say. My mom doesn't have the Parkinson's, but she is in the last stage of dementia. I think with the 2 diseases and the treatments opposing each other, you treat the motor symptoms of Parkinson's first, then worry about symptoms of dementia that are distressing him to a big degree and try to treat those.

At this point in my mom's disease, we could "treat" a lot of things but what I've done instead is have her on hospice (and someone with dementia can qualify for hospice without having only 6 months of life left, so don't let that stop you from getting an evaluation) and treat her only to keep her as comfortable as possible physically and mentally until she dies-and I know people who aren't familiar with the disease will think it's horrible of me to say that. I also know people who are familiar know exactly what I mean.

I don't pretend to understand the diseases, but you explain your options very well.

You don't sound the least bit "horrible" to me. On the contrary, your mother is lucky to have you.

 

[michmi]

I don't pretend to understand the diseases, but you explain your options very well.

You don't sound the least bit "horrible" to me. On the contrary, your mother is lucky to have you.

Thank you. End-of-life care is difficult to discuss sometimes because there are some people who believe everything humanly and technologically possible needs to be done to treat every illness, but frankly when someone can no longer talk, walk or move one side of her body, treating high cholesterol seems pointless to me, but if it were cancer it wouldn't be treated either.

 

[ohiogirl]

JUst stopping back to update: We moved my Dad to hospice on Friday, 3/16. We forced a meeting with his doctors and they finally admitted that they didn't have much hope since he had come down with pneumonia the previous weekend and they were not getting it under control. He passed away on Wednesday, 3/21. I really hate that his last days in the hospital were such a nightmare, I can't really say that he seemed like my dad. Thanks for all of you responding.

 

[Nova]

JUst stopping back to update: We moved my Dad to hospice on Friday, 3/16. We forced a meeting with his doctors and they finally admitted that they didn't have much hope since he had come down with pneumonia the previous weekend and they were not getting it under control. He passed away on Wednesday, 3/21. I really hate that his last days in the hospital were such a nightmare, I can't really say that he seemed like my dad. Thanks for all of you responding.

I am so sorry for your loss, but glad your father's suffering is over. I know there were times when the dementia prevented him from understanding what you were doing for him, but I'm sure there were other times when he appreciated you very much.