Hi I am new here. My Mum has dementia and was diagnosed with it in 2001. She is now in an EMI residential care home. Since she's been in the home she has stayed stable and looked really well, something everyone who knows her has commented on.
Then last month she had a TIA (small stroke) which really upset me as its the first one she's had (I have been told older people can have these regularly), and then last weekend she developed a chest infection which turned into pneumonia and she is now in hospital. Thankfully she is now clear of the pneumonia but is still unsteady on her feet and needs physio for this. But a week before she started with the pneumonia she was asleep for about three hours and the staff couldn't wake her. They got the doctor to her who couldn't find anything amiss but this happened again once she's started with the pneumonia. At the hospital they think it could have been the onset of the pneumonia making her have these mini blackouts but she's had a CT scan and we'll get the results on Monday.
I feel so wound up and on edge about this. I am very very close to my Mum and its hard accepting the fact that she has dementia and I can't share the things with her I used to do, I have always been able to go to her with my problems but now I have to make believe everything is fine to her as she lives in a world where everything is fine.
I suffer from depression anyway, I live alone as I am divorced. I have one brother who is OK but I can't talk to him like I can Mum. Thankfully I have plenty of friends. But now I am struggling with wondering if Mum's dementia has moved onto another stage.
Does anyone else here have relatives with dementia who has these mini blackouts and/or TIAs? I had just about started to cope with the dementia once Mum got on an even keel but now these problems are starting I am just unable to get a grip at all. Mum is 80 by the way.
Grateful for any advice.
Then last month she had a TIA (small stroke) which really upset me as its the first one she's had (I have been told older people can have these regularly), and then last weekend she developed a chest infection which turned into pneumonia and she is now in hospital. Thankfully she is now clear of the pneumonia but is still unsteady on her feet and needs physio for this. But a week before she started with the pneumonia she was asleep for about three hours and the staff couldn't wake her. They got the doctor to her who couldn't find anything amiss but this happened again once she's started with the pneumonia. At the hospital they think it could have been the onset of the pneumonia making her have these mini blackouts but she's had a CT scan and we'll get the results on Monday.
I feel so wound up and on edge about this. I am very very close to my Mum and its hard accepting the fact that she has dementia and I can't share the things with her I used to do, I have always been able to go to her with my problems but now I have to make believe everything is fine to her as she lives in a world where everything is fine.
I suffer from depression anyway, I live alone as I am divorced. I have one brother who is OK but I can't talk to him like I can Mum. Thankfully I have plenty of friends. But now I am struggling with wondering if Mum's dementia has moved onto another stage.
Does anyone else here have relatives with dementia who has these mini blackouts and/or TIAs? I had just about started to cope with the dementia once Mum got on an even keel but now these problems are starting I am just unable to get a grip at all. Mum is 80 by the way.
Grateful for any advice.