Just wanting anyone who has cared for a Vascular Dementia person to advise. 5 1/2 months into MIL living with us with VaD diagnosis. (like most of us - looking back, I'm sure she had this diagnosis for a couple of years before it was properly diagnosed) Once she's been with us, she has given us a steady decline. Mostly mobility. Some hallucinations. VERY weak. Sleeps or is in her bed an average of 22 hours a day. But believe it or not, still mostly lucid and able to talk intelligently mostly. She fills in "holes" in her memory with tall tales , but I've learned that is normal, too. And another unbelievable is her appetite is still good. It dipped a few weeks ago and I thought, 'well - here we go', but she rallied and started eating like a horse. Weird. And of course, no weight loss at this point.
What I'm seeing with this disease is physical - not really mental. She started complaining about a month ago of being dizzy all the time and having blurry vision. Then yesterday was the worst so far - SO SO SO dizzy, I didn't think we'd make it to the bathroom. Then she complained that just moving her head that the "room would spin". Kind of reminded me of a hang-over. (not that I have any idea what that is like....) Her words, "....the top of my head is spinning...." and "....it's spinning over my eye...." I naturally asked if she has a headache because it reminded me of one of my migraines. But no. And no nausea, either...
She has qualified for Hospice as of last week, so I have a resource to contact now, but I was frustrated when the nurse said it sounds like vertigo. Really? So, I gave her motions sickness meds with no results at all.
VaD is where the blood vessels are closing down in the brain, right? Doesn't it make sense that a blood vessel somewhere is causing this?
Please share with me any of your VaD experiences!! Thanks!
What I'm seeing with this disease is physical - not really mental. She started complaining about a month ago of being dizzy all the time and having blurry vision. Then yesterday was the worst so far - SO SO SO dizzy, I didn't think we'd make it to the bathroom. Then she complained that just moving her head that the "room would spin". Kind of reminded me of a hang-over. (not that I have any idea what that is like....) Her words, "....the top of my head is spinning...." and "....it's spinning over my eye...." I naturally asked if she has a headache because it reminded me of one of my migraines. But no. And no nausea, either...
She has qualified for Hospice as of last week, so I have a resource to contact now, but I was frustrated when the nurse said it sounds like vertigo. Really? So, I gave her motions sickness meds with no results at all.
VaD is where the blood vessels are closing down in the brain, right? Doesn't it make sense that a blood vessel somewhere is causing this?
Please share with me any of your VaD experiences!! Thanks!