Evening all,
This is my first post on here, though in the last few months I have dropped past to read others experiences and get more insight to my father-in-law's condition.
He was diagnosed with Altzheimers approximately 18 months ago now - though I believe he was suffering from it some time before. Both my father and aunt died of progressive dementia - and I became concerned that my father-in-law was displaying many of the early symptoms, forgetfulness - withdrawing and confusion etc.
In the last year he has been prescribed medication from his doctor to help alleviate/slow the illnesses progression - and their has been a marked improvement to the confusion, although in the last month I and my partner have been concerned that he has been withdrawing from people more. Not wanting to leave the confines of his house, and having less interaction with the family.
On tuesday of this week, he was taken to hospital with a suspected heart attack (on a scale of 1-10, the doctor advised his is was a 3-4).
He was initially dazed with the situation, having been moved from home - ambulance - a&e to a ward bed) - but was able to mostly hold a conversation, not in discomfort/anguish and recognised my partner/I and his wife.
On wednesday he was deamed to be making a good recovery and moved from the CCU ward to a heart ward for further lower key monitoring. They are happy with his heart now, and that he is making a good recovery.
However since late wednesday evening he has been in rapid decline. During that night he became very angry and aggressive in wanting to return home - threatening a nurse, attempting to climb out of window, spitting out his tablets etc. To say these actions are out of character is an understatement. Despite all his previous confusions when at home he has 'never' behaved/reacted at all like this.
On thursday when we visited, spending some 6hrs with him - he was very tired after having had such a restless night - could not recognise his surroundings but did recognise us and was able to hold lucid conversations for a few minutes at a time. He was with encouragement eating and drinking and taking medication.
I return last night and sat with his for a couple of hours, and as they evening wore on he became very agitated again. And began talking, but in a gibberish and incomprehensable manner. Spending long periods of time staring in to space, and making lots of involuntary motions/movements and seemed to be hallucinating.
Today he was unrecognisable. Unaware of his visitors, surroundings - impossoble to engage with - and frequently talking to himself in an unintelligible way. He's now refusing to eat/take medication (he spits both across the floor of the ward), and no longer requests assistance to the toilet/seems unaware of when i needs to go etc.
We have spoken with the sister in charge and the doctor who have said this though extreme is quite normal as the stress of the heart attack can enduce a severe bout of dementia, that should regress in a week or two.
I suppose what I was hoping for was some reassurance and insight from others who have been through this scenario or similar?? It all feels very bleak at the moment - and its heart breaking to see how quickly things can go. My partner has no experience of dementia and finding it very hard to deal with as is family.
What I think we all hoping for its for this nightmare to end, and get back the man we all love and care about so much. But if this is how things will stay then its best to know now as false hope I think is worse and harder to cope with.
Sorry this post is soo very long - I've found it difficult to condense it and also I needed to somewhere to talk about this without fear of distressing my partner/his family etc.
Many thanks,
Jane
This is my first post on here, though in the last few months I have dropped past to read others experiences and get more insight to my father-in-law's condition.
He was diagnosed with Altzheimers approximately 18 months ago now - though I believe he was suffering from it some time before. Both my father and aunt died of progressive dementia - and I became concerned that my father-in-law was displaying many of the early symptoms, forgetfulness - withdrawing and confusion etc.
In the last year he has been prescribed medication from his doctor to help alleviate/slow the illnesses progression - and their has been a marked improvement to the confusion, although in the last month I and my partner have been concerned that he has been withdrawing from people more. Not wanting to leave the confines of his house, and having less interaction with the family.
On tuesday of this week, he was taken to hospital with a suspected heart attack (on a scale of 1-10, the doctor advised his is was a 3-4).
He was initially dazed with the situation, having been moved from home - ambulance - a&e to a ward bed) - but was able to mostly hold a conversation, not in discomfort/anguish and recognised my partner/I and his wife.
On wednesday he was deamed to be making a good recovery and moved from the CCU ward to a heart ward for further lower key monitoring. They are happy with his heart now, and that he is making a good recovery.
However since late wednesday evening he has been in rapid decline. During that night he became very angry and aggressive in wanting to return home - threatening a nurse, attempting to climb out of window, spitting out his tablets etc. To say these actions are out of character is an understatement. Despite all his previous confusions when at home he has 'never' behaved/reacted at all like this.
On thursday when we visited, spending some 6hrs with him - he was very tired after having had such a restless night - could not recognise his surroundings but did recognise us and was able to hold lucid conversations for a few minutes at a time. He was with encouragement eating and drinking and taking medication.
I return last night and sat with his for a couple of hours, and as they evening wore on he became very agitated again. And began talking, but in a gibberish and incomprehensable manner. Spending long periods of time staring in to space, and making lots of involuntary motions/movements and seemed to be hallucinating.
Today he was unrecognisable. Unaware of his visitors, surroundings - impossoble to engage with - and frequently talking to himself in an unintelligible way. He's now refusing to eat/take medication (he spits both across the floor of the ward), and no longer requests assistance to the toilet/seems unaware of when i needs to go etc.
We have spoken with the sister in charge and the doctor who have said this though extreme is quite normal as the stress of the heart attack can enduce a severe bout of dementia, that should regress in a week or two.
I suppose what I was hoping for was some reassurance and insight from others who have been through this scenario or similar?? It all feels very bleak at the moment - and its heart breaking to see how quickly things can go. My partner has no experience of dementia and finding it very hard to deal with as is family.
What I think we all hoping for its for this nightmare to end, and get back the man we all love and care about so much. But if this is how things will stay then its best to know now as false hope I think is worse and harder to cope with.
Sorry this post is soo very long - I've found it difficult to condense it and also I needed to somewhere to talk about this without fear of distressing my partner/his family etc.
Many thanks,
Jane