At the age of 63 my beautiful mum started forgetting so much worse than before. Her memory had always been bad. Birthdays were a standard joke in our family because she always forgot cousins and aunts etc. However living 400 miles away, on the occasions I saw her, it became more noticeable and my sister finally pursuaded my father to get a second opinion. He never forgave my sister and tried to blot it out.
This year my father cried buckets for the first time and I was heartbroken for him and for me, but mostly for the mum who was slipping away and there was nothing we could do about it.
The woman he had fallen in love with whislt on leave in his early twenties was still beautiful and still the love of his life but there was a distance in her eyes.
To top it all my uncomplaining mother had developed an appauling bowel disorder and my father was told she had Celiacs disease. He put her and himself on a gluten free diet after he was told my mother had had it ten years and noone had told them. There was no improvement and her problem has got progressively worse. He has now been informed that she does not have Celiacs desease and ten years ago it had'nt been verified. So my poor father is running around feeling that he is going mad and not knowing which way to turn.
Last week the specialist who has not tested the small intestine or taken a biopsy, told my father that the Alzheimers is probably the cause of the bowel problem. My mother has constant Diarhea and is losing weight. She is able to hold her bladder and knows she need the toilet. The problem with her bowel means my father can not take her out for a coffee or visit relatives and friends because of the smell, which is so bad. I am convinced that it is more than Alzheimers.
It is hard enough coping with the alzheimers but due to such long waiting lists on the NHS my father is beginning to dispair.
My partner has suggested we move closer and I can then help my father cope with the mum who was always there for me and would be now if this awful illness hadn't robbed her of her much deserved latter years.
I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has an experience of the sort my family and I are going through.
Any information would be greatly appreciated as we know that the worse is yet to come.
Best wishes to you all.
This year my father cried buckets for the first time and I was heartbroken for him and for me, but mostly for the mum who was slipping away and there was nothing we could do about it.
The woman he had fallen in love with whislt on leave in his early twenties was still beautiful and still the love of his life but there was a distance in her eyes.
To top it all my uncomplaining mother had developed an appauling bowel disorder and my father was told she had Celiacs disease. He put her and himself on a gluten free diet after he was told my mother had had it ten years and noone had told them. There was no improvement and her problem has got progressively worse. He has now been informed that she does not have Celiacs desease and ten years ago it had'nt been verified. So my poor father is running around feeling that he is going mad and not knowing which way to turn.
Last week the specialist who has not tested the small intestine or taken a biopsy, told my father that the Alzheimers is probably the cause of the bowel problem. My mother has constant Diarhea and is losing weight. She is able to hold her bladder and knows she need the toilet. The problem with her bowel means my father can not take her out for a coffee or visit relatives and friends because of the smell, which is so bad. I am convinced that it is more than Alzheimers.
It is hard enough coping with the alzheimers but due to such long waiting lists on the NHS my father is beginning to dispair.
My partner has suggested we move closer and I can then help my father cope with the mum who was always there for me and would be now if this awful illness hadn't robbed her of her much deserved latter years.
I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has an experience of the sort my family and I are going through.
Any information would be greatly appreciated as we know that the worse is yet to come.
Best wishes to you all.