Hello I am new to the Forum, but sadly not new to Dementia. I am 72 now and have been a carer for over 20 years, first, for my dad who contracted Lewy Body, which turned a really gentle dad into someone who became dangerously aggressive. Next, (a few years later) my Maiden Aunt, who helped me with my dad, was eventually diagnosed with Alzheimer's. I was living in Scotland at the time so had to do a lot of travelling down to northern England meeting up with doctor's,social workers, taking her for hospital appointment etc, and had to deal with everything through The Court of Protection (quite an onerous task). Both had ignominious hospital deaths which I have never really recovered from.
A few years later my only child, a daughter, who is single, was eventually diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (a retired GP friend informed me that it is a name for a condition they have no idea what it is) and has been virtually bed bound for 7 years. I travel to her home (60 mile round trip) at least three times a week to do her housework change her bed, do cooking and bring away her washing. My husband and I have to pay almost all of her day to day living expenses. Finally, about four weeks ago after 12 years of badgering our GPs my husband was sent to the local Memory Clinic and after a battery of test was given a diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment. The Clinic had been informed that my husband is from a family of 4 boys and 4 girls. One girl died of Cancer in her 50s, two died from Alzheimer's related problems, and the other has been in a home for years, again with Alzheimer's. The eldest brother has had Alzheimers for a few years now, and after a stroke has been in a home for two years. Last year another brother was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer's, and now my husband has a diagnosis of MCI that "may or may not become some form of Dementia" which leaves only the youngest in the family (who we have no contact with) who may or may not be OK.
I felt completely excluded in the dealings with the Memory Clinic, being only allowed in the initial interview which was not the place to sit in front of my husband and tell them "how life with him really is" without causing him great stress and big problems for me, as his aggression can be quite frightening.
The diagnosis was a swift affair, he was told he didn't have Dementia, and could continue diving, the scan showed some damage to the blood vessels in his brain and that was it, my husband was given a photocopy leaflet prepared by Alzheimer's UK explaining what Mild Cognitive Impairment was.
I am really not happy with this diagnosis as I don't think he should be driving, he has had a couple of accidents where he eventually admitted he didn't see the cars, and in any case the accidents were all my fault (even though I was at home at the time!) I won't let him drive when undertaking longer car journeys. I rang the memory clinic and told them about a recent incident when he had drunk a lot of wine for lunch and went out and moved the car when we were at my daughters, but none of this seems to bother them. My husband and I never drink and drive, he had just completely forgotten.
I am angry, distressed and I suppose really feeling sorry for myself, and I am not coping very well with it all, I find myself weeping a lot of the time. My blood pressure is dangerously high it was 234 at one stage and they can't find a drug that doesn't cause me terrible side effects.
Last week my husband has had his exit interview from the Memory Clinic and that is it. We then went to the GP to ask if husband could try one of the drugs that may stave off the symptoms getting worse for a while and he was told because it was MCI he would not be prescribed them.
A few years later my only child, a daughter, who is single, was eventually diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (a retired GP friend informed me that it is a name for a condition they have no idea what it is) and has been virtually bed bound for 7 years. I travel to her home (60 mile round trip) at least three times a week to do her housework change her bed, do cooking and bring away her washing. My husband and I have to pay almost all of her day to day living expenses. Finally, about four weeks ago after 12 years of badgering our GPs my husband was sent to the local Memory Clinic and after a battery of test was given a diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment. The Clinic had been informed that my husband is from a family of 4 boys and 4 girls. One girl died of Cancer in her 50s, two died from Alzheimer's related problems, and the other has been in a home for years, again with Alzheimer's. The eldest brother has had Alzheimers for a few years now, and after a stroke has been in a home for two years. Last year another brother was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer's, and now my husband has a diagnosis of MCI that "may or may not become some form of Dementia" which leaves only the youngest in the family (who we have no contact with) who may or may not be OK.
I felt completely excluded in the dealings with the Memory Clinic, being only allowed in the initial interview which was not the place to sit in front of my husband and tell them "how life with him really is" without causing him great stress and big problems for me, as his aggression can be quite frightening.
The diagnosis was a swift affair, he was told he didn't have Dementia, and could continue diving, the scan showed some damage to the blood vessels in his brain and that was it, my husband was given a photocopy leaflet prepared by Alzheimer's UK explaining what Mild Cognitive Impairment was.
I am really not happy with this diagnosis as I don't think he should be driving, he has had a couple of accidents where he eventually admitted he didn't see the cars, and in any case the accidents were all my fault (even though I was at home at the time!) I won't let him drive when undertaking longer car journeys. I rang the memory clinic and told them about a recent incident when he had drunk a lot of wine for lunch and went out and moved the car when we were at my daughters, but none of this seems to bother them. My husband and I never drink and drive, he had just completely forgotten.
I am angry, distressed and I suppose really feeling sorry for myself, and I am not coping very well with it all, I find myself weeping a lot of the time. My blood pressure is dangerously high it was 234 at one stage and they can't find a drug that doesn't cause me terrible side effects.
Last week my husband has had his exit interview from the Memory Clinic and that is it. We then went to the GP to ask if husband could try one of the drugs that may stave off the symptoms getting worse for a while and he was told because it was MCI he would not be prescribed them.
