Dementia Sucks

[OceanSoul]

Enough said. My Grandmother has it and I keep hoping for a cure to come in the future so other people don't have to go through it. Do you have any loved ones with Dementia or Alzheimer's?

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Not that I know of. My oldest sister has schizophrenia, though, but she's lucid and can remember people when she's on her meds. My mom passed away from cancer in January and her mind was basically gone towards the end of it. She was delusional and saying horrible things. So I kind of know what that's like.

*hugs*

 

[Vinayaka]

Enough said. My Grandmother has it and I keep hoping for a cure to come in the future so other people don't have to go through it. Do you have any loved ones with Dementia or Alzheimer's?

My mother passed, with it, maybe 15 years back now. Some of the current research is looking up. Hang in there.

 

[OceanSoul]

Not that I know of. My oldest sister has schizophrenia, though, but she's lucid and can remember people when she's on her meds. My mom passed away from cancer in January and her mind was basically gone towards the end of it. She was delusional and saying horrible things. So I kind of know what that's like.

*hugs*

I'm sorry for your loss! *Hugs back* Cancer sucks too, my Stepdad has been fighting his cancer for 4 years now with some success so far. I hope it loses.

Yeah my Grandmother suffers from delusions and often accuses people of stealing her stuff or gets mad easily.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

They tell me I'm not suffering from dementia...although the symptoms are pretty much the same as those listed...now that I've got my BiPAP unit, we'll see if I start getting better...We haven't seen much of it in our families...

 

[Vinayaka]

Yeah my Grandmother suffers from delusions and often accuses people of stealing her stuff or gets mad easily.

I'm no expert, but please read up as much as you can on it, or go to a seminar of the local Alzheimer's society. The beginning stages are the hardest on them, I think. Later ... on you. It's easier if you understand it. I wish I would have known then what I know now.

 

[OceanSoul]

My mother passed, with it, maybe 15 years back now. Some of the current research is looking up. Hang in there.

I'm trying, it's just hard to watch her decline especially the last few months and how to deal with it all, but I am keeping my eye on Alzheimer/Dementia research.

 

[Brickjectivity]

My mother went through something like it although not Alzheimer's specifically. I think what can help is to appreciate your loved one for who they are each moment, since they may not remember things from their past.

I am keeping my eye on Alzheimer/Dementia research.

I like to track fun articles about science mice, such as mice with super memory or glowing mice etc. They have made some amazing super mice in labs.

 

[Vinayaka]

I'm trying, it's just hard to watch her decline especially the last few months and how to deal with it all, but I am keeping my eye on Alzheimer/Dementia research.

Not to be a bearer of bad news, but generally it accelerates. We have a close friend with it now. We take her to the local Hindu temple, watch over her like a hawk, (wandering off) but try to give her some quality of life while its still possible. Her grandson and I estimate the attention span is less than 5 seconds now. I've been introduced to the grandson about 50 times now. At this point she still recognises us. Sounds like Grandma is about the same stage as our friend.

 

[OceanSoul]

I'm no expert, but please read up as much as you can on it, or go to a seminar of the local Alzheimer's society. The beginning stages are the hardest on them, I think. Later ... on you. It's easier if you understand it. I wish I would have known then what I know now.

I know that accusations are a common symptom, I usually try to reassure her that her stuff is safe and show her the stuff she is worried about. That along with keeping her calm, happy, etc as she has such a temper so I have to be careful not to do anything to tick her off.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I'm sorry for your loss! *Hugs back* Cancer sucks too, my Stepdad has been fighting his cancer for 4 years now with some success so far. I hope it loses.

Yeah my Grandmother suffers from delusions and often accuses people of stealing her stuff or gets mad easily.

God bless your stepdad and grandma in their health struggles. I hope they overcome and persevere.

 

[Demonslayer]

Yeah my Grandmother suffers from delusions and often accuses people of stealing her stuff or gets mad easily.

Both of my grandmothers went through this. It's heartbreaking. I'd say it's almost better when it gets really bad and they just don't know what's going on, because in the middle watching them realizing and struggling with it was just brutal. My grandmother would forget my name and then cry when I told it to her. Like, every time I saw her.

 

[OceanSoul]

They tell me I'm not suffering from dementia...although the symptoms are pretty much the same as those listed...now that I've got my BiPAP unit, we'll see if I start getting better...We haven't seen much of it in our families...

Hopefully you don't! If I got Dementia, I would be terrified.

 

[Vinayaka]

My mother went through something like it although not Alzheimer's specifically. I think what can help is to appreciate your loved one for who they are each moment, since they may not remember things from their past.

I like to track fun articles about science mice, such as mice with super memory or glowing mice etc. They have made some amazing super mice in labs.

They've given mice dementia, and then erased it, so that's where research is. As for memory, in Alzheimer's patients often the short term memory goes first. So they don't know the day of the week, etc., but will tell you stories about their childhood. Often stuff you've never heard. We're learning with my friend about her childhood in Sri Lanka, the friends she walked to school with. She remembers some of that vividly, like she was just there ... 60 years ago.

 

[OceanSoul]

God bless your stepdad and grandma in their health struggles. I hope they overcome and persevere.

Thank you!

 

[Demonslayer]

God bless your stepdad and grandma in their health struggles.

***rant begins***

Maybe God should do something about it if he gave a damn. But he clearly won't because either 1) there isn't a God or 2) he is a big fat arsehole who likes to let people watched their loved ones lose all memory of their lives, accuse their loved ones of crazy stuff, and die in a sad drooling mess with no dignity left.

***rant over***

 

[Vinayaka]

I know that accusations are a common symptom, I usually try to reassure her that her stuff is safe and show her the stuff she is worried about. That along with keeping her calm, happy, etc as she has such a temper so I have to be careful not to do anything to tick her off.

And never take it personally. My Dad struggled with. He had no way of knowing that his wonderful clear thinking spouse of 50 years was ill.

 

[Aštra’el]

I remember my grandmother saying that if she ever got dementia, we'd better put her out of her misery.

 

[Demonslayer]

They've given mice dementia

"I know I used to really like something...what was it...chimichanga...choo choo trains...chimpanzees...chalk...DAMN I CAN'T REMEMBER!"

"It was cheese, dementia mouse, you loved cheese."

"That's right cheese! I hated something too...catalogues...catfish...caterpillers...dammit can't remember..."

 

[Brickjectivity]

***rant begins***

Maybe God should do something about it if he gave a damn. But he clearly won't because either 1) there isn't a God or 2) he is a big fat arsehole who likes to let people watched their loved ones lose all memory of their lives, accuse their loved ones of crazy stuff, and die in a sad drooling mess with no dignity left.

***rant over***

That idea occurs to most people who go through something like this.