My mum has received a diagnosis following a brain scan. She has vascular dementia but there is no sign of Alzheimer's.
If you've been following my posts here, then you know a little about us, bit for those who haven't, the situation is this:
My mum is 91. She has been showing symptoms of dementia for some time - memory issues, personality changes and anger issues, decrease in reasoning powers, unable to manage her affairs, confabulations and hallucinations. She has good days and bad days.
We live in France, her for 30 years, me since the start of the pandemic when I came to look after her. I am her sole carer.
Anyhow, after I was able to get her, by various subterfuges, to the local memory clinic the specialist doctor put her in for a brain scan. The scan found vascular dementia but without evidence of Alzheimer's. This is a better result that I'd anticipated. The doctor is of the opinion that it can be stabilised with daily aspirin plus ginko.
Now, there's a lot of medical literature around both of these and while aspirin is an obvious choice as a blood thinner and clot reducer, ginko has been more controversial. However, the most recent studies suggest that it can be effective and that other issues with its use may have been overstated. Whatever, she's an almost 92-year-old and we are not much concerned with what may happen 20 years down the line.
I have to say I'm somewhat sceptical that her condition can be stabilised, but I'm very keen to see if we can. That would be quite an outcome.
Her reaction has been fascinating. She is clearly very relieved that Alzheimer's is off the table (for now, at least) and for the first time has admitted that she has memory and cognitive issues. Whether this will last or she'll revert to denial remains to be seen.
Another change in our lives has been the arrival of a dog. We both love dogs and I've been without one for some time, so I've adopted a doggie in need. He's a darling - very well mannered and gentle, affectionate and easy-going Beauceron. Indeed, we couldn't have found better.
Since his arrival my mother has had a notable improvement in mood. She is much less likely now than she was before his arrival to moan and say nasty things. He seems to stimulate affection and empathy in her. Nelson, for that is his name, clearly gets that's she is vulnerable and fragile and likes to care for her. I see him check on her periodically during the day. If she's fretting, he slides in to comfort her, When she goes to bed he slips into her room to give her a goodnight kiss - a lick on the cheek - and does the same in the mornings to wake her up. She absolutely loves this.
He's made a huge difference to my life, too. I'm very much his number one human and he feels it is his job to look after me, which as a sole carer is something nobody else is around to do.
We really don't deserve dogs, do we?
If you've been following my posts here, then you know a little about us, bit for those who haven't, the situation is this:
My mum is 91. She has been showing symptoms of dementia for some time - memory issues, personality changes and anger issues, decrease in reasoning powers, unable to manage her affairs, confabulations and hallucinations. She has good days and bad days.
We live in France, her for 30 years, me since the start of the pandemic when I came to look after her. I am her sole carer.
Anyhow, after I was able to get her, by various subterfuges, to the local memory clinic the specialist doctor put her in for a brain scan. The scan found vascular dementia but without evidence of Alzheimer's. This is a better result that I'd anticipated. The doctor is of the opinion that it can be stabilised with daily aspirin plus ginko.
Now, there's a lot of medical literature around both of these and while aspirin is an obvious choice as a blood thinner and clot reducer, ginko has been more controversial. However, the most recent studies suggest that it can be effective and that other issues with its use may have been overstated. Whatever, she's an almost 92-year-old and we are not much concerned with what may happen 20 years down the line.
I have to say I'm somewhat sceptical that her condition can be stabilised, but I'm very keen to see if we can. That would be quite an outcome.
Her reaction has been fascinating. She is clearly very relieved that Alzheimer's is off the table (for now, at least) and for the first time has admitted that she has memory and cognitive issues. Whether this will last or she'll revert to denial remains to be seen.
Another change in our lives has been the arrival of a dog. We both love dogs and I've been without one for some time, so I've adopted a doggie in need. He's a darling - very well mannered and gentle, affectionate and easy-going Beauceron. Indeed, we couldn't have found better.
Since his arrival my mother has had a notable improvement in mood. She is much less likely now than she was before his arrival to moan and say nasty things. He seems to stimulate affection and empathy in her. Nelson, for that is his name, clearly gets that's she is vulnerable and fragile and likes to care for her. I see him check on her periodically during the day. If she's fretting, he slides in to comfort her, When she goes to bed he slips into her room to give her a goodnight kiss - a lick on the cheek - and does the same in the mornings to wake her up. She absolutely loves this.
He's made a huge difference to my life, too. I'm very much his number one human and he feels it is his job to look after me, which as a sole carer is something nobody else is around to do.
We really don't deserve dogs, do we?