Hello, this is my first post. My Dad has just been diagnosed with a 'degenerative brain disease like Alzheimers'. He went into hospital for tests and this is what he was told. We are still waiting to hear the exact details of what it is they have found. My Dad is only 68.
I'm feeling so confused. On the one hand I had suspected this. For about three or four years now my Dad has been deteriorating increasingly with severe loss of memory, loss of manual dexterity, confusion, inability to remember dates and events, anger, depression and just this past year he has started to do very strange things, such as put on clothes in the wrong order, and get lost in familiar surroundings. In some ways it is a relief to have a diagnosis of any sort.
But I am also devastated. My Dad looks so much older than his years, and I'm so worried that his bad physical state alongside his deteriorating mental state spells something very bad. I didn't think it would affect his physical ability so much. Is this common? He finds it hard walking long distances, he stumbles, can't cut up food etc. perhaps I should also point out that he is an epileptic, and is of course on very strong drugs for this. We wondered if this was all due to the drugs.
I just don't know what to expect. And I'm so worried for my Mum, as she is the sole caregiver at this point. It's already a 24-hour a day job.
I feel rather lost and don't know what I can do to help. I live a long way away from them, so the most I have done so far is to plan several trips up to be with them. I want to be there more, but I know it's also important to them both that they maintain as normal a life as possible right now and I don't want to make things worse.
I'm feeling so confused. On the one hand I had suspected this. For about three or four years now my Dad has been deteriorating increasingly with severe loss of memory, loss of manual dexterity, confusion, inability to remember dates and events, anger, depression and just this past year he has started to do very strange things, such as put on clothes in the wrong order, and get lost in familiar surroundings. In some ways it is a relief to have a diagnosis of any sort.
But I am also devastated. My Dad looks so much older than his years, and I'm so worried that his bad physical state alongside his deteriorating mental state spells something very bad. I didn't think it would affect his physical ability so much. Is this common? He finds it hard walking long distances, he stumbles, can't cut up food etc. perhaps I should also point out that he is an epileptic, and is of course on very strong drugs for this. We wondered if this was all due to the drugs.
I just don't know what to expect. And I'm so worried for my Mum, as she is the sole caregiver at this point. It's already a 24-hour a day job.
I feel rather lost and don't know what I can do to help. I live a long way away from them, so the most I have done so far is to plan several trips up to be with them. I want to be there more, but I know it's also important to them both that they maintain as normal a life as possible right now and I don't want to make things worse.