I wasnt quite sure where (or even whether) to post this as my husband doesnt actually have dementia although he has cognitive/memory problems from a traumatic brain injury. If the mods wish to move/remove it I understand
Some background:
Mum has AD, but my main caree is my husband who was involved in a road accident 20 yrs ago and has been left with cognitive/memory problems. These problems are quite unlike the ones that mum has. My husband knows exactly where he is, who everyone is, what day and date it is, has no trouble with numbers, etc BUT he cant remember events. He can remember that he has done something, but cant remember why. He can remember that he has met someone or been somewhere, but cant remember when or any of the details. He can remember that he has done a particular task before, but cant remember how to do it. He has no problem with his short term memory, but after a day or so it starts to fade, so that by the time it gets to two or three weeks all he has is fragments. He has very little insight and confabulates to try and join up all the fragments and as he is still a very cleaver man his stories (unlike mums) are extremely plausible and unless you knew the truth, would be entirely taken in.
After the accident I was told that he had memory problems, but, as was the norm in those days, had nothing in writing. All was well until the dreaded ESA came along and I had to appeal to get benefits back for him. As part of the appeal I had to get documentation so he was sent for lots of tests for his memory. As you can imagine, he passed all of these tests with flying colours and he was diagnosed as having depression. It was strongly insinuated that I was the cause of the problems and it was recommended that we had couples counseling I persuaded my husband to go to see his GP to request that he could be referred back to the hospital that made the original diagnosis and I went with him. Unfortunately, because he has little insight (and had forgotten why we were there) he accused me infront of the GP of taking him over and preventing him from doing things The long and short of this is that I have now been labeled as having Munchhausens by Proxy
Question
I have managed to get him referred back to the original specialist hospital through his neurologist and he has had lots of neuropsychology testing. We have received a letter which is a copy of a letter sent to his GP saying that there is "anterior brain damage" and asking the GP to "point him in the direction of the memory clinic"
So, my question is - is it worth going to the memory clinic?
We wont be going back to see the specialist hospital until April, so I cant ask about anything until then. Im not sure whether the letter means that his memory loss has been found or not. If it has, then Im not sure what the purpose of the clinic is - Ive been to the memory clinic with mum and all they did was make the diagnosis of AD, start her off on meds and discharge her back to her GP. If they havent found the memory loss, then Im sure that the memory clinic wont find it as he passes all the tests.
Im unwilling to go there if they are not likely to help as if they also turn round and say they cant find any problems then this will just reinforce the idea that I have MBP and wont do anything to help my husband.
Im so stressed.
Some background:
Mum has AD, but my main caree is my husband who was involved in a road accident 20 yrs ago and has been left with cognitive/memory problems. These problems are quite unlike the ones that mum has. My husband knows exactly where he is, who everyone is, what day and date it is, has no trouble with numbers, etc BUT he cant remember events. He can remember that he has done something, but cant remember why. He can remember that he has met someone or been somewhere, but cant remember when or any of the details. He can remember that he has done a particular task before, but cant remember how to do it. He has no problem with his short term memory, but after a day or so it starts to fade, so that by the time it gets to two or three weeks all he has is fragments. He has very little insight and confabulates to try and join up all the fragments and as he is still a very cleaver man his stories (unlike mums) are extremely plausible and unless you knew the truth, would be entirely taken in.
After the accident I was told that he had memory problems, but, as was the norm in those days, had nothing in writing. All was well until the dreaded ESA came along and I had to appeal to get benefits back for him. As part of the appeal I had to get documentation so he was sent for lots of tests for his memory. As you can imagine, he passed all of these tests with flying colours and he was diagnosed as having depression. It was strongly insinuated that I was the cause of the problems and it was recommended that we had couples counseling I persuaded my husband to go to see his GP to request that he could be referred back to the hospital that made the original diagnosis and I went with him. Unfortunately, because he has little insight (and had forgotten why we were there) he accused me infront of the GP of taking him over and preventing him from doing things The long and short of this is that I have now been labeled as having Munchhausens by Proxy
Question
I have managed to get him referred back to the original specialist hospital through his neurologist and he has had lots of neuropsychology testing. We have received a letter which is a copy of a letter sent to his GP saying that there is "anterior brain damage" and asking the GP to "point him in the direction of the memory clinic"
So, my question is - is it worth going to the memory clinic?
We wont be going back to see the specialist hospital until April, so I cant ask about anything until then. Im not sure whether the letter means that his memory loss has been found or not. If it has, then Im not sure what the purpose of the clinic is - Ive been to the memory clinic with mum and all they did was make the diagnosis of AD, start her off on meds and discharge her back to her GP. If they havent found the memory loss, then Im sure that the memory clinic wont find it as he passes all the tests.
Im unwilling to go there if they are not likely to help as if they also turn round and say they cant find any problems then this will just reinforce the idea that I have MBP and wont do anything to help my husband.
Im so stressed.