My sincerest condolences go out to anyone and everyone who has experienced a friend or loved one in any state of dementia or Alzheimer's Disease. I've seen all sorts of stuff on TV, but I had never experienced it firsthand. Until today. I was on the phone for about 10 or 15 minutes with the Mom of a high school friend and she was in another realm of existence. I don't want to go into the details of the conversation, but there was a lot of repetition and other odd moments. I felt exhausted after the short phone call and can not even imagine the daily hardships that her son must go through. My heart goes out to all caregivers in this situation. I wish you strength and patience. And love.
10 comments:
At 80, my mom is still sharp as a knife. I can't imagine what it must be like dealing with Alzheimers...
It is very heartbreaking when they no longer recognise you or even worse accuse you of stealing there things because they don't remember where they put them. I have a few close relatives and friends whose mothers are suffering from dementia although I have been spared this directly. One of the saddest is where the woman no longer recognises the husband and sometimes screams for him to get out of the house, You can imagine how shattering it is for the husband. They have been married for 45 years.
any form of dementia is hell for those around them, i echo your best wishes for them.
Jazz,
~~That's great. I'd hate for anyone to have to deal with this.
LGS,
~~That must be very depressing. She seemed to know who I was most of the time, but she had to ask me twice and she wrote it down. I guess that helps her.
Hageltoast,
~~I'm sure they can use all the best wishes we can send!
I went through it with my father for three years before he passed away about six weeks ago. We had to place him into a nursing home as it was too exhausting for my mother to take care of him. It is a very terrible disease.
Oh Dave, I'm so sorry. I didn't know about that aspect of your father's death. I hope he's in a better place now.
It is shocking to learn about it over the phone like that. The same thing happened to me last year when I phoned an old friend, and her husband had to take over the conversation for her. It's very sad.
Geewits, there is a very good movie out right now (you can rent it) called "Away From Her". Julie Christie is nominated for an Oscar for her role as a woman with Alzheimer's. It gave me a very good understanding of folks with Alzheimer's disease, and what the people around them have to go through. But I would imagine it would be devastating to watch a loved one lose their whole personality, and not be able to help them.
Scarlet,
~~Yeah the old friend handed the phone off and didn't warn me.
Josie,
~~I've heard very good things about that movie.
I'm scared of it too, I know my mom is as well. She's getting close to 80 as well and she's very active but I know she worries she will get it.
I think the worst thing about it is that you see a person there, you know the person, you love the person but it's not "them", it's just a part of them. It's difficult to accept and I know there is a huge amount of guilt when it becomes too much.
Understanding the disease doesn't make it go away but it think it can help cope with it better. I also heard about the movie "away from her" but haven't seen it yet.
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