latest trip to the neuro

rummy

Registered User
Jul 15, 2005
700
0
Oklahoma,USA
Hi all,
I haven't written about my Mom's latest exploits in awhile. We took her to her six month check at the neurologist. It went pretty much like....

What year is it Mary? don't know
What month is it Mary? don't know
What day is it Mary ? don't know, haven't thought about it.
Who is our president, Clinton, Reagan or Bush? uhhh, Reagan
Do you have any memory problems? No, my memory is fine

He didn't need to do any furthur mmse testing.

After filing him in on how she really is, Mom started to clinch that jaw and cross those little arms. Sure sign that we are in big trouble. An of course she argued that she drives allt he time when its been three years.

I was able to stay after my folks left the room to fill the doc in on how it really is going with her. Incontenence, paranoid, anxious, etc. He said she is getting really frail but he could tell how obstinant she can get. Put her on a mild antianxiety drug to smooth out the rough spots and said she will be on the Aricept and Namenda until the end. And that she must get into a social day care. My Dad FINALLY is coming around and we will start her in day care next week and I'm arranging for a house keeper.

Sounds so little but those two things are going to help so much. Oh and the doc said we must have the patience of Job ( duh, didn't know that one )

My Dad was bracing himself for a night of hell since she seems to hang onto things like "that bad doctor said I can't drive and its all your fault" but , oh well.

So that is the latest on MOm. Not all bad, at least we are getting some outside help soon.

Otherwise, my daughter fell and broker her elbow, my brother needs surgery on his neck, shoulder, hip and knee, my step Dad is hacking and coughing his way through emphysema and my father in law has terminal lung cancer.

BUT , I will persevere and keep on smiling, it will sad enough down the road:)

Debbie
 

Brucie

Registered User
Jan 31, 2004
12,413
0
near London
Hi Debbie
thanks for your update. Things do appear to be progressing, if slower than you would hope.

How was Dr Who? diddle-e-dum-diddle-e-dum-diddle-e-dum-dum-dum...
 

rummy

Registered User
Jul 15, 2005
700
0
Oklahoma,USA
I have been meaing to talk to you about Dr Who but was waiting to get another episode under my belt.
I love it ! I was surprised at the political, social and religious undertones that were there. OR is that my misconception? I thought there were alot of messages tucked away in the content. But then you know Star Trek always tackled issues in an oblique way.
Can't wait for more :D
Debbie
ps, the episode I saw was about the end of the world and the last human had so much plastic surgery she was stretched skin and nothing else.:eek: that could happen!!
 

Brucie

Registered User
Jan 31, 2004
12,413
0
near London
I was surprised at the political, social and religious undertones that were there
Yes, they were there, but not excessively so.

That series of Dr Who probably had more overtones than the previous ones because it needed some edge to it. I expected to be hugely disappointed, but found myself riveted. Christopher Ecclestone was one of the best Dr Who characters there has been; again, I had expected really not to like him.

Wait til you meet the Daleks!
 

Lulu

Registered User
Nov 28, 2004
391
0
Hello Debbie.

My Mum has just started going to Day Care, and it is all working very nicely - much to my surprise. It seemed to be a big step at the time ...I hope things get a little easier for you soon.

I was a huge fan of Dr Who from being a little girl, right from the very first Dr. The Daleks were really scary -I used to hide behind the sofa! When Christopher Eccleston became the new Dr, I wasn't expecting to like him - in fact he was very good.
 

Sandy

Registered User
Mar 23, 2005
6,847
0
Hi Debbie,

Thanks for that update on your mom. Sounds like getting the day care and some help around the house will make a real difference.

On the more frivilous Dr. Who front, I was wondering when it would turn up in the US. Which network is it on? The series is too progressive for any of the main networks to carry. You think it's a bit radical now - just wait till you meet the charismatic and bisexual (and American) Captain Jack!!!

Take care,

Sandy
 

rummy

Registered User
Jul 15, 2005
700
0
Oklahoma,USA
I can't wait to see the next episodes ! Capt Jack sounds intriguing ! It is on the SciFi channel on Friday nights.
We had a ray of sunshine today. After other AD doctors visits my Mom has been loaded for bear and hammers her husband but good. Now because her recall is totally gone, she didn't remember going to the doctor so was in a good mood all last night and today.
Hard to believe there is an upside to the progression of AD !
Debbie
 

rummy

Registered User
Jul 15, 2005
700
0
Oklahoma,USA
Oh my goodness !

I had a pretty good day with Mom and my step Dad said she had been in a good mood. Then she called me tonight in tears. Seems she tried to call my brother, got the answering machine with his wifes recorded message. Mom could not understand that it was a message, she thought my sil was ignoring her and wouldn't let her talk to her son. No amount of explaining worked. Poor thing. Of course I called my brother and told him what happend and he called to smooth things out.
Never would have occured to me that she couldn't distinguish a recording from a real voice and that she would perceive it as someone being rude and not talking to her. Another one for the books!
Debbie
 

Brucie

Registered User
Jan 31, 2004
12,413
0
near London
Never would have occured to me that she couldn't distinguish a recording from a real voice and that she would perceive it as someone being rude and not talking to her
same thing happened to Jan with TV - she started to believe it was actually happening in the room. Perhaps why she stopped watching, in particular the news broadcasts.

re: Dr Who... I wasn't sure how to introduce Capt Jack!
 

Lynne

Registered User
Jun 3, 2005
3,433
0
Suffolk,England
rummy said:
... recorded message. Mom could not understand that it was a message, she thought my sil was ignoring her and wouldn't let her talk to her son. No amount of explaining worked.
Never would have occured to me that she couldn't distinguish a recording from a real voice and that she would perceive it as someone being rude and not talking to her. Another one for the books!
Debbie

It's weird how these 'similar symptoms' (or inability to understand things) seem to come in at random earlier or later stages for different people. Mum is quite early stage, but I have had to disable the answerphone on phone (which she used to be able to operate) because she now can't work it, and often ended up wiping the messages left. Even if she had managed to listen to them, she didn't remember who they were from, or what they said (or sometimes she thought she recalled one or the other,:confused: but never both!)
The reason I bought her that type of phone was because it has large buttons, and a Memory facility which means instead of keying in 15 digits (for Australia for example) she can just use 4 keys for the pre-set memory code. However, :( I keep having to remind her how to do that now, too.
 

Norman

Registered User
Oct 9, 2003
4,348
0
Birmingham Hades
My wife does not answer the telephone at all now,I don't think she remembers how.
Still says the TV is a load of rubish and often enquires" is it true"?
She cannot seem to separate the ads from the programmes,so it must be one mad jumble to her.
Norman
 

noelphobic

Registered User
Feb 24, 2006
3,452
0
Liverpool
I was watching TV in the nursing home with my mum tonight. She has a thing about reading signs etc and was really working hard trying to read all the words on the adverts. Some of them were going too fast for her and she was getting a bit irritated! I'm just pleased that she can still read, even though I know she wouldn't or couldn't sit and read a book or newspaper.

Her brother in law mentioned to my sister that he thought my mum might have cataracts. Apparently you can see a 'film' or something similar over the eyes? Anyway, if she has I'm not worrying too much as it must be in the early stages if she can still read a little, especially as she does not have glasses at the moment.
 

rummy

Registered User
Jul 15, 2005
700
0
Oklahoma,USA
Mom can read but doesn't comprehend a thing. She used to read music but can't make sense of it now. Don't you know that is one scarey fog they go around in!
 

Michael E

Registered User
Apr 14, 2005
619
0
Ronda Spain
rummy hi,

Just waiting to repeat you mums 'act' with a new neurologist in a couple of weeks time. Monique disliked and I was not mad about, her lady neurologist and it is so easy to change specialists here in France the GP suggested we go another who he clearly rates.

I feel concerned at what he will find when he does the mmse test which will be his opening move I think,

What year is it Mary? don't know
What month is it Monique? don't know
What day is it Monique? don't know, haven't thought about it.
Who is our president, Clinton, Reagan or Chirac? uhhh, Reagan!!!
Do you have any memory problems? No, my memory is fine

And then what - one Monique very distressed and dismayed - she is so proud of her education - and what?

Really do not know how she will cope with shame of failing - I feel so protective sometimes and quite unable to do anything!!

This illness is like the Tardis - bigger on the inside than the outside.....

Michael
 

rummy

Registered User
Jul 15, 2005
700
0
Oklahoma,USA
Hi Michael,
Even after failing all the questions, the neuro praised Mom and told her she was doing just great. He really is a gem. He told us it does no good to ever correct her of tell her she is wrong, which we knew but it was nice to have a doctor so intune with her feelings.
I would suggest you slip your doctor a note that says to please praise Monique even if she does badly, maybe that will help diffuse her feeling like she has failed.
On the upside with my Mom is that she is at the stage where she forgets everything five minutes after it has happened or has been said. So she was totally oblivious to any of it by the time we got home.
Yesterday was a banner day, I got a house keeper set up for my folks, they met her and liked her ( crossing fingers it sticks) and Wednesday Mom starts a day out.
My step sister is coming in today which will give me a break from the insane asylum too , whoohoo!
Take care and let me know how your appointment goes!
Debbie
 

May

Registered User
Oct 15, 2005
627
0
Yorkshire
Michael E said:
This illness is like the Tardis - bigger on the inside than the outside.....


Michael, what a spot on description that is!
Hope the appointment with the neuro goes Ok for you and Monique, and isn't to distressing for her.
 

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