Hi
My mum (73) had a stroke last year, thankfully it was treated within an hour and mostly we got her back. Her balance is still an issue and some numbness, which means she has been stuck indoors. I don't have a car to take her around but I do as much as I can via taxis etc.
Anyway the last couple of weeks I have noticed some real memory issues. I don't know if I was blind before or not paying close enough attention. The shock moment was we were talking and she had completely forgotten about a family cat. I know it sounds like no big deal but we had that cat for over ten years and it was like it never happened, it broke me or made me wise up I don't know which. I said to her I was concerned that she would forget and so I have been asking her questions when we are together. We looked at old pictures and some she was perfectly fine with but others she really struggled to name, these were family members and she struggled to remember the name of my dog and he is like her baby too. Also she does repeat herself but only a little.
She is still really sharp she recalls her hospital appointments and she remembers things I tell her so if this is memory issues it is extremely early days. But she seems completely blase about the fact she couldn't remember things, if it were me I would be freaking out a little but perhaps she is downplaying it.
I know this could be 100 things she is on tons of meds for lots of health issues she is diabetic, high blood pressure, stroke meds etc maybe they are interacting badly, maybe her stroke did leave some brain damage we hadn't picked up on, it could even be just brain boredom from being stuck indoors not getting enough stimulation. Equally this could be the begining of something serious that I am gonna have to face like losing my mum in the most evil way possible.
Her GPs are useless it's like someone gets to a certain age and they just can't be bothered, getting an appointment is shocking and they won't do homework visits even though like I say she struggles to get out. But she has a stroke team appointment in May and I am going to go to the appointment and bring it up then. Hopefully they will order a scan check for brain damage and get us started on this journey to find out if dementia is what we are going to face. Is there anything else I'm supposed to be doing ?
I'm kind of lost and truly terrified. I have an older sister and brother but they don't care they have their own lives and so caring for our mum will be mine to face alone. My mum is married to a selfish man so he won't be very much use. My husband begged me to try some place like this to seek advice and talk to others who might understand what the steps are because I'm so broken. My mum is my best friend, biggest champion and hero and to lose her might actually kill me.
Any advice or even your own stories on what I might face no matter how awful will help at least prepare me for the future
Thanks
My mum (73) had a stroke last year, thankfully it was treated within an hour and mostly we got her back. Her balance is still an issue and some numbness, which means she has been stuck indoors. I don't have a car to take her around but I do as much as I can via taxis etc.
Anyway the last couple of weeks I have noticed some real memory issues. I don't know if I was blind before or not paying close enough attention. The shock moment was we were talking and she had completely forgotten about a family cat. I know it sounds like no big deal but we had that cat for over ten years and it was like it never happened, it broke me or made me wise up I don't know which. I said to her I was concerned that she would forget and so I have been asking her questions when we are together. We looked at old pictures and some she was perfectly fine with but others she really struggled to name, these were family members and she struggled to remember the name of my dog and he is like her baby too. Also she does repeat herself but only a little.
She is still really sharp she recalls her hospital appointments and she remembers things I tell her so if this is memory issues it is extremely early days. But she seems completely blase about the fact she couldn't remember things, if it were me I would be freaking out a little but perhaps she is downplaying it.
I know this could be 100 things she is on tons of meds for lots of health issues she is diabetic, high blood pressure, stroke meds etc maybe they are interacting badly, maybe her stroke did leave some brain damage we hadn't picked up on, it could even be just brain boredom from being stuck indoors not getting enough stimulation. Equally this could be the begining of something serious that I am gonna have to face like losing my mum in the most evil way possible.
Her GPs are useless it's like someone gets to a certain age and they just can't be bothered, getting an appointment is shocking and they won't do homework visits even though like I say she struggles to get out. But she has a stroke team appointment in May and I am going to go to the appointment and bring it up then. Hopefully they will order a scan check for brain damage and get us started on this journey to find out if dementia is what we are going to face. Is there anything else I'm supposed to be doing ?
I'm kind of lost and truly terrified. I have an older sister and brother but they don't care they have their own lives and so caring for our mum will be mine to face alone. My mum is married to a selfish man so he won't be very much use. My husband begged me to try some place like this to seek advice and talk to others who might understand what the steps are because I'm so broken. My mum is my best friend, biggest champion and hero and to lose her might actually kill me.
Any advice or even your own stories on what I might face no matter how awful will help at least prepare me for the future
Thanks