My beautiful, strong willed, vivacious and at times frustrating little Mum passed away in May 2007. Even with her odd ways, she was great company and I miss her terribly.
Dad spends 3 months at my other brother's place. This brother lives approx 900 miles away. I know that I'm coping now only because of this break. It did Dad the world of good too. It helped him with his grief. Plus at home my other brother was having major out bursts, violent ones.
My beautiful cat died 3 weeks after Mum.
Dad returns and I'm able then to focus on him, getting him to Dr's.
We have an appointment with the neuroscientist and she has in her notes the phone call to Mum. She had wondered why there was no follow up. It was an awkward situation for us all. My thinking at the time was still one of disbelief, how could Mum have lied. Dad has a MRI, blood tests etc.
(Dad had an MRI, blood tests etc done in 2005, part of neuroscientist's evaluation). He also sees a clinical psychologist. Still an Alzheimers diagnosis.
Another bombshell, she asks 'is Dad still having his B12 shots'? First I have heard of it. She says to get GP to begin them. I come home read about pernicious anemia and how a B12 deficiency can result in dementia. I take Dad to family GP he does further blood tests and says his levels are ok.
Dad has an appointment with a Geriatrician. This Dr was so thorough. It was she that diagnosed Lewy Body Dementia.
Dad had been acting out in his dreams for years, maybe 15 years. He would yell and punch. Once he landed out of bed under the dressing table. Mum sometimes made him sleep in the spare room. He could have really injured Mum. Mum was tiny and with her rheumatoid arthritis she needed all the rest she could get. I had chatted with Mum over the years saying he should have a sleep study done or at least see the local Dr about it. Mum controlled everything and everyone.
She also hated Drs with a passion, stemmed from her not being able to walk till she was 10.
Needless to say, Dad never saw a Dr about his sleep disorder. Concerning her own health it took me about 2 years to get her to a Dr's. The Dr actually said to me later, why did it take you so long to get her here. I had down loaded so much information for her, discussed with her the different forms of arthritis and that is was a matter of urgency to get a diagnosis. It could have been an infection in the joints and medication was needed. That the other types needed to be combatted with medication, too. Other relatives asked her to see a Dr, she still refused.
It needs to be mentioned that the neuroscientist was told of Dad's sleep disorder.
The Geriatrician asks:
Has Dad ever had concussion-yes (fell off a ladder, aged 69).
Has Dad ever had a fractured skull-yes (as a child from a swing).
Occupation- (electrician and many years as a TV technician-electro magnetic waves).
Depression-yes (hospitalised for 3 months in 1979) Mum never visited him and I later found out she threw out his medication).
Falls-yes (2, one whilst walking and one out of bed).
Sleep disorder-yes.
Lewy Body Dementia is the diagnosis.
She asks about B12 shots, (she has gathered all Dad's medical history). I told her GP did blood tests and said they were ok.
She orders more blood tests. No he also has pernicious anemia.
I take Dad back to GP, I am furious. He gets out Dad's history. He knew of deficiency from 2005 tests done by neuroscientist and Mum knew. Mum didn't tell me. After many tears in Dr's we resolve the chain of events, he admitted 'saying his clinic was part responsible for allowing Dad to slip through the cracks'. He also showed me the blood test results he had from his test. They showed that Dad's red blood cell count (if I remember correctly, the points involved) was just over and he explained that it was a progressive disorder. I had read so much info about pernicious anemia and that now literature showed that this reading/level could mask the underlying condition. (as I said this is from recall and if not correct it is something along those lines)
Dad begins his weekly B12 shots. He now has monthly shots.
The B12 episode was the hardest and saddest time of utter disbelief for me. I find it difficult to think of that time. I remember shutting down emotionally, numb, blank. This was too much to cope with.
Dad spends 3 months at my other brother's place. This brother lives approx 900 miles away. I know that I'm coping now only because of this break. It did Dad the world of good too. It helped him with his grief. Plus at home my other brother was having major out bursts, violent ones.
My beautiful cat died 3 weeks after Mum.
Dad returns and I'm able then to focus on him, getting him to Dr's.
We have an appointment with the neuroscientist and she has in her notes the phone call to Mum. She had wondered why there was no follow up. It was an awkward situation for us all. My thinking at the time was still one of disbelief, how could Mum have lied. Dad has a MRI, blood tests etc.
(Dad had an MRI, blood tests etc done in 2005, part of neuroscientist's evaluation). He also sees a clinical psychologist. Still an Alzheimers diagnosis.
Another bombshell, she asks 'is Dad still having his B12 shots'? First I have heard of it. She says to get GP to begin them. I come home read about pernicious anemia and how a B12 deficiency can result in dementia. I take Dad to family GP he does further blood tests and says his levels are ok.
Dad has an appointment with a Geriatrician. This Dr was so thorough. It was she that diagnosed Lewy Body Dementia.
Dad had been acting out in his dreams for years, maybe 15 years. He would yell and punch. Once he landed out of bed under the dressing table. Mum sometimes made him sleep in the spare room. He could have really injured Mum. Mum was tiny and with her rheumatoid arthritis she needed all the rest she could get. I had chatted with Mum over the years saying he should have a sleep study done or at least see the local Dr about it. Mum controlled everything and everyone.
She also hated Drs with a passion, stemmed from her not being able to walk till she was 10.
Needless to say, Dad never saw a Dr about his sleep disorder. Concerning her own health it took me about 2 years to get her to a Dr's. The Dr actually said to me later, why did it take you so long to get her here. I had down loaded so much information for her, discussed with her the different forms of arthritis and that is was a matter of urgency to get a diagnosis. It could have been an infection in the joints and medication was needed. That the other types needed to be combatted with medication, too. Other relatives asked her to see a Dr, she still refused.
It needs to be mentioned that the neuroscientist was told of Dad's sleep disorder.
The Geriatrician asks:
Has Dad ever had concussion-yes (fell off a ladder, aged 69).
Has Dad ever had a fractured skull-yes (as a child from a swing).
Occupation- (electrician and many years as a TV technician-electro magnetic waves).
Depression-yes (hospitalised for 3 months in 1979) Mum never visited him and I later found out she threw out his medication).
Falls-yes (2, one whilst walking and one out of bed).
Sleep disorder-yes.
Lewy Body Dementia is the diagnosis.
She asks about B12 shots, (she has gathered all Dad's medical history). I told her GP did blood tests and said they were ok.
She orders more blood tests. No he also has pernicious anemia.
I take Dad back to GP, I am furious. He gets out Dad's history. He knew of deficiency from 2005 tests done by neuroscientist and Mum knew. Mum didn't tell me. After many tears in Dr's we resolve the chain of events, he admitted 'saying his clinic was part responsible for allowing Dad to slip through the cracks'. He also showed me the blood test results he had from his test. They showed that Dad's red blood cell count (if I remember correctly, the points involved) was just over and he explained that it was a progressive disorder. I had read so much info about pernicious anemia and that now literature showed that this reading/level could mask the underlying condition. (as I said this is from recall and if not correct it is something along those lines)
Dad begins his weekly B12 shots. He now has monthly shots.
The B12 episode was the hardest and saddest time of utter disbelief for me. I find it difficult to think of that time. I remember shutting down emotionally, numb, blank. This was too much to cope with.
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