16th July 2007
Hello,
My son just came down to visit my Mom. She is in a Assisted Living Facility. She does have dementia with Lewy Bodies. The first day that we went they visited while I did her laundry. She mentioned things to my son as to, I don't know why your Mom doesn't give me any money. I told my son that if she were to need anything, they will get it for her and add it to her bill at the end of the month. She forgets where she puts things anyway. I did give her $10. and she misplaced it. Maybe gave it to someone who knows, it doesn't really matter at this point. She also mentioned the fact that she never thought that she would be in a place like this. (ALF). My son understands her disease and he tried to explain to her that we never know what life is going to hand us. We just have to try to make the most of it. Then some other things that I won't go into.
Then we went up again yesterday. She was totally disoriented. The total opposite of the day prior. Nothing made sense when she was talking. She introduced my son to someone as her son. And when we left and she was saying goodbye to him she called him by another person name, but could not pick up on what it was. She also mention how dusty the baseboards are and she doesn't have baseboards not to mention that she is legally blind. Then she said, "And they need to come in and clean up that pile of dirt on the floor over there." Of course you don't question that. I will have to see how she is tomorrow, because she may have another UTI.
Today is his last day to go up for a visit before he heads back north. I am not going to go this time. He is having a hard time dealing with it also. I have told him about my visits with her, but he told me that he didn't fully understand until he saw it himself.
My stomach is getting more and more churned everytime I go see her. I just never expected to see her like this. I hate this disease. She is on an antidepressant and doesn't seem to have as many crying spells. So that is a good thing. They want to put her on Aricept as well, but she is a anti-meds person. She has had chronic A-Fib for 10 years without coumedin and she is still kicking.
I personally don't see her lasting much longer. I think that one night she will lie her head on her pillow and simply go to sleep and not wake up. I see such a drastic change in her in the past 3 months since she has changed her ALF's. Yes I know that change is very hard on the elderly. I hear that most people don't die of this disease but of something else like heart, stroke, or pneaumonia. She wants to go and be with my Dad who passed 4 years ago. I know that things are not getting any better and they won't and medicine won't bring her back to her old self again.
I just want her to have the diginity for however long she has. I have come to terms with her dying. Actually, she would be blessed if the lord took her. She knows she is not right and she can't change it and it drives her nuts.
Well, hope that all made sense to you. I really need a vacation. She used to tell me to go ahead and go away that she would be fine. When I told her the other day that I was going to be going north to see my grandchildren she didn't say anything, because I don't think that she wants me to go. Although, she didn't say don't go. I don't know, she has just really gone downhill and all I know is that I hate this disease as I am sure everyone else going through the same thing feels.
Thanks for the venting.
My son just came down to visit my Mom. She is in a Assisted Living Facility. She does have dementia with Lewy Bodies. The first day that we went they visited while I did her laundry. She mentioned things to my son as to, I don't know why your Mom doesn't give me any money. I told my son that if she were to need anything, they will get it for her and add it to her bill at the end of the month. She forgets where she puts things anyway. I did give her $10. and she misplaced it. Maybe gave it to someone who knows, it doesn't really matter at this point. She also mentioned the fact that she never thought that she would be in a place like this. (ALF). My son understands her disease and he tried to explain to her that we never know what life is going to hand us. We just have to try to make the most of it. Then some other things that I won't go into.
Then we went up again yesterday. She was totally disoriented. The total opposite of the day prior. Nothing made sense when she was talking. She introduced my son to someone as her son. And when we left and she was saying goodbye to him she called him by another person name, but could not pick up on what it was. She also mention how dusty the baseboards are and she doesn't have baseboards not to mention that she is legally blind. Then she said, "And they need to come in and clean up that pile of dirt on the floor over there." Of course you don't question that. I will have to see how she is tomorrow, because she may have another UTI.
Today is his last day to go up for a visit before he heads back north. I am not going to go this time. He is having a hard time dealing with it also. I have told him about my visits with her, but he told me that he didn't fully understand until he saw it himself.
My stomach is getting more and more churned everytime I go see her. I just never expected to see her like this. I hate this disease. She is on an antidepressant and doesn't seem to have as many crying spells. So that is a good thing. They want to put her on Aricept as well, but she is a anti-meds person. She has had chronic A-Fib for 10 years without coumedin and she is still kicking.
I personally don't see her lasting much longer. I think that one night she will lie her head on her pillow and simply go to sleep and not wake up. I see such a drastic change in her in the past 3 months since she has changed her ALF's. Yes I know that change is very hard on the elderly. I hear that most people don't die of this disease but of something else like heart, stroke, or pneaumonia. She wants to go and be with my Dad who passed 4 years ago. I know that things are not getting any better and they won't and medicine won't bring her back to her old self again.
I just want her to have the diginity for however long she has. I have come to terms with her dying. Actually, she would be blessed if the lord took her. She knows she is not right and she can't change it and it drives her nuts.
Well, hope that all made sense to you. I really need a vacation. She used to tell me to go ahead and go away that she would be fine. When I told her the other day that I was going to be going north to see my grandchildren she didn't say anything, because I don't think that she wants me to go. Although, she didn't say don't go. I don't know, she has just really gone downhill and all I know is that I hate this disease as I am sure everyone else going through the same thing feels.
Thanks for the venting.