Dad is becoming more vague

One daughter is home from Japan, gearing up to begin her law degree. My other daughter comes home Monday. Having my daughter who lives at home, back home certainly helps me with my state of mind. Just having someone to have a chat with or someone here so I can duck up the street makes an enormous difference. So will see how things pan out over the next couple of weeks and re-evaluate the need for respite.

Dad continues to wake me up from about 3 am, every half hour to hour. He wants to know if he should start to get ready to go to the 'old boys' (day centre group which he goes to of a tues). I mumble, not today, you go of a tues, today is fri, sat, sun etc. Dad is certainly becoming more confused and anxious. Earlier, today, my daughter was getting ready to go out and in that process she went from her room to lounge, to bathroom, doing things and gathering her things, all quite normal behaviour and Dad came to me and asked me 'what is she doing, she goes into her room and out and gets something and goes back', going from room to room. Oh dear! When Dad first asks that type of question I at first think in real terms...she is getting ready...mmm...oh, that has confused you. It's hard to imagine being that confused. It would be so very awful to have your world all topsy-turvy and unfamiliar.

I have also noticed that Dad at times can not partake when a few people are having a conversation. He introduces new topics at inappropriate times and can not follow what is being chatted about. This is very disturbing because my Dad loves to have a chat. Some people are talkative and others more quiet, well Dad is a chatty person. He has always been the chatty, jolly one, making people feel at ease with his endearing nature. It's sad to see a strong personality trait fade away. I feel like he is on a precipice of some kind again.

Time for Respite

Dad sparked up after his B12 shot. He was more chatty, cheery and for the first 2 nights slept better. But for the past few nights he has woken up and then comes and asks me if I'm awake or what day it is. He may do this 4-7 times a night. Broken sleep is not good. Last night he woke me up thinking we had been evacuated. My brain feels hazy.
He asks me continuously if he is going to go to the 'big boys', his day centre group, he can ask every 30 mins. He talks of going to Uni to get a degree and gives me a running commentary on what the cats are doing. As soon as I'm sleep deprived my patience leaves me.
I have tried to take Dad out but he became extremely anxious, asking me over and over again what was happening to the point I was so pleased to get home.
I think it's time for respite.

Victoria's Bush Fires.

It has been an awful, awful week. The bush fires in my state of Victoria have been beyond comprehension. The town of Marysville, gone. So many small townships, gone. So much devastation.

The day of the fires Dad wanted to go help fight the fires. When I told him he couldn't go...he cried.

No major changes with Dad. He is a bit depressed, sleepy and slightly more confused but that's understandable this awful week. This afternoon Dad has an appointment to get his B12 shot. I find that he gets a lift from the B12.

Let's hope that next week with hotter weather and stronger winds on the way that the bush fires that are still burning don't threaten any more lives.

Appointments with the Geriatrician and Neuroscientist

Thursday morning Dad saw the Geriatrician and the Neuroscientist and my daughters left for a month in Japan.

The Geriatrician was concerned when I explained about Dad's pre-xmas flare up of his Parkinson's symptoms. He said he may have admitted Dad to hospital. Knowing, from when Dad stayed overnight in hospital for his sleep study and observation due to chest pains, he becomes very disorientated and agitated. Plus that the Neuroscientist said that the Parkinson's medication can increase the confusion, disorientation and hallucinations (which Dad doesn't have). I understand that getting the balance is the desired outcome. To maintain mobility and pain management, on one hand with the least increase of the confusion etc on the other.
The Neuroscientist commented that Dad's mobility at present is good. To be honest, I am pleased Dad wasn't hospitalised at this stage. It is only in hindsight that I can say it was fluctuation. I wonder if Dad had have been hospitalised, and disorientated and confused with the stay plus if he was given medication, would he be doing as well as he is. Do dr's medicate too early?

Late last year Dad had a PET scan and the Neuroscientist had the results. It confirmed her diagnosis of Lewy Body Dementia and Alzheimers and she mentioned that he doesn't metabolise the glucose in his brain. She also asked if Dad would participate in a trial of an ALZHEIMERS VACCINE! I only have an overview of the trial as I will be contacted soon with the details. What I do know is that the trial will go for 18 months and requires Dad to have a monthly injection. Let's hope that one day there is a break through in prevention.

Also found out that Dad's overnight stay in hospital for a trial of a CPAP mask to help with his severe sleep apnea is to happen soon. I will be staying with him. If Dad can handle the CPAP the Geriatrician is hoping that Dad will sleep better and have less confusion. I hope so too but hope that Lewy isn't too far advanced for Dad to gain any benefits.

Dad is doing ok but again we are gearing up for 44 degrees plus extreme wind so we are house bound. Boredom, I'm sure increases Dad's confusion. Last night he awoke and was rambling how he had to find something and sell it. And some of the time, he has no idea if it's morning or night.
The coming week's forecast is for in the 20's so will get Dad out and about.

A little more slips away.

Is it the heat or part of the Lewy progression? Dad can't shampoo his hair anymore. The more I think about it as I write I think it's Lewy. For awhile, Dad has occasionally been putting the shampoo on his dry hair or getting out with dry hair and shampoo in it. I have ended up just saying hop back in and rinse your hair, trying to leave taking over life's functions until totally necessary. This morning he was too befuddled so I washed his hair for him, leaving him to soap up and wash himself. Eventually I can have someone come to shower him but will keep this at bay for as long as possible.
Also last night he woke at 3am shouting out for help. He had manoeuvred himself behind his TV in his bedroom, knocking off the aeriel, over a vase and a few other things. He was totally disorientated.
This morning he is in great spirits. I'm not a morning person! So after I hosed the garden for 2hrs, we are on water restrictions. No washing cars, windows, no hosing down of driveways etc. Can hose, 2hrs on 2 allotted mornings a week, at specified times. Our garden is med-large and with the heat, some poor plants are actually blackened, like they were going to self-combust. Came back inside, woke Dad up, helped with his brekky, medication, shower etc...As I said, I'm not a morning person. I love peace and quiet first thing in the mornings, but Dad is chirpy and jolly and wants to chat a lot. Even the people at the day centre where he goes have remarked how much he loves a chat. He can talk at inappropriate times. This happened whilst they were all watching a history show and a chap told him to be quiet. Poor Dad ended up teary and I was rang because he wanted to come home. So as I write Dad is reading out parts of the newspaper to me. He reads the paper every day...to himself and to me. Time to go prune or weed or something.
Yesterday it didn't get to 37, yay and today's forecast is for 31...sensational!