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Post by 2old on Aug 23, 2019 20:40:01 GMT -5
My wife suddenly thought our chiming clock sounded like the music of "I'm Not Lisa"... a Jessie Colter country hit of many years ago. So... just agitate... I began playing that while she was reading in her chair this evening. Got smiles. While looking for other artists who sang that song, noticed some comments about a short film by the same name. So... watched it. livingwithalz.org/user_submitted_film/my-name-is-lisa/Pretty sad that so many of us may well either be dealing with a family member suffering from this debilitating disease... or we will suffer from it ourselves. The film is only about 10 minutes long. Tough to watch.
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Post by joymarty on Aug 23, 2019 22:18:20 GMT -5
2old, I viewed the video, a true story?
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Post by 2old on Aug 24, 2019 11:53:51 GMT -5
2old, I viewed the video, a true story? I would doubt it. Think it was just made to emphasize the impact early onset of Alzheimer's can do to family relationships. The short film got excellent reviews for the story it told.
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Post by Drifter on Sept 5, 2019 17:12:14 GMT -5
Indeed, a very good story told.
It would be difficult for a child that age to understand and totally deal with a parent alone, suffering from Alzheimer's. An adult would have to adjust to the reality that parent is in and become part of their world.
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Post by louie on Sept 8, 2019 7:48:26 GMT -5
This is a pretty good short film. My MIL has been diagnosed with *brain disorder*, they don't specify ALZ at this time, but memories for her and daily living is scattered like to woman in the film.
I visit MIL at least 3 times per week right now and sit with her at her table when she has meals. I am surrounded often by those with dementia. Some days everyone is right as rain around the table. Other days some are confused and upset because their mind has slipped and they are not in the same reality as others are.
MIL's reality changes each time I see her but she still knows who I am. Some days she complains that she doesn't get enough attention from the staff. I ask her why that is and she will blurt out a sentence such as..."You have to be a man or a woman to get any attention." I don't tell her that the statement makes no sense. I just sit and let her talk about what is on her mind.
I'm glad she is where she is at, because I can't take care of her 24 hrs a day and take care of my own husband 24 hrs a day too.
Yesterday ... it was all about call cords and white snakes in bed. Or sitting up at night and opening and closing the blinds. The staff and I don't give her grief over it, we just accept her reality is not the same as ours.
I cannot imagine how awful it would be for a 13 yr old to deal with this. Good little film.
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Post by smitty45 on Sept 8, 2019 9:01:34 GMT -5
Before it got to difficult I use to bathe my Dad, dress him and at night tuck him in to bed. Thankfully though, he never forgot who we were. Had it been my choice I would have kept him at home,,, but I was outnumbered. A hospital bed with bed alarm and visiting nurses would have better than what he got in the nursing home. After his passing I finally understood what what he said. " When you leave I'll be alone " .. At the time it didn;t hit me,,,, I told him he's surrounded by people.. Then one day it hit me what he meant. When he said that it was in the morning,,,, often people with Alzhiemer's are somewhat " normal " in the morning, but as the day progresses confusion and forgetfullness sets in. All my Dads life he was surrounded by family, from birth until the nursing home. Only times he was " alone " was when he was drafted in 1943 until 1945 and then from January 2013 until his passing on July 12th 2013,, though he was not alone from July 5th until the 12th, though he was unresponsive with no brain activity other than the part of his brain that controlled his heart and breathing and kidney function. Other than that,,, nothing. But, he was surrounded for those 7 days. I hope he knew that.
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Post by louie on Sept 8, 2019 9:48:31 GMT -5
Before it got to difficult I use to bathe my Dad, dress him and at night tuck him in to bed. Thankfully though, he never forgot who we were. Had it been my choice I would have kept him at home,,, but I was outnumbered. A hospital bed with bed alarm and visiting nurses would have better than what he got in the nursing home. After his passing I finally understood what what he said. " When you leave I'll be alone " .. At the time it didn;t hit me,,,, I told him he's surrounded by people.. Then one day it hit me what he meant. When he said that it was in the morning,,,, often people with Alzhiemer's are somewhat " normal " in the morning, but as the day progresses confusion and forgetfullness sets in. All my Dads life he was surrounded by family, from birth until the nursing home. Only times he was " alone " was when he was drafted in 1943 until 1945 and then from January 2013 until his passing on July 12th 2013,, though he was not alone from July 5th until the 12th, though he was unresponsive with no brain activity other than the part of his brain that controlled his heart and breathing and kidney function. Other than that,,, nothing. But, he was surrounded for those 7 days. I hope he knew that. I'm glad you were able to be with your dad at the end. My MIL has what they call Sundowners too, by evening she is tired and very confused. My husband has Vascular Dementia which isn't so bad yet. His sister didn't want to assist in caring for her and thought I should handle both. I admire how much you have done for your father and your mother. Some nursing homes are a nightmare. I am fortunate enough to be in an area where the two homes we have are pretty darned good. I hope I never have to take my husband to a home.
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Post by chinadoll1981 on Sept 8, 2019 12:44:29 GMT -5
I had Uncle well he great uncle who suffered from this horrible disease. I was little girl in Taiwan but I didn’t understand why he yelled at everyone The strange thing about his condition was he always nice to me he called me “ Little Plum” He was 79 when he stopped working because he not able to do simple calculations He was physicist He was physically very strong but lost so much He forget mom dad his own wife and even his children the saddest part was he never forgot me.... all the way till death he called me “Little Plum” he was 86 when he passed
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Post by smitty45 on Sept 8, 2019 13:11:45 GMT -5
I had Uncle well he great uncle who suffered from this horrible disease. I was little girl in Taiwan but I didn’t understand why he yelled at everyone The strange thing about his condition was he always nice to me he called me “ Little Plum” He was 79 when he stopped working because he not able to do simple calculations He was physicist He was physically very strong but lost so much He forget mom dad his own wife and even his children the saddest part was he never forgot me.... all the way till death he called me “Little Plum” he was 86 when he passed 😟 I am sorry for your loss.
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Post by joymarty on Sept 8, 2019 13:14:26 GMT -5
My parents passed at 91 and 95 and had their minds...they knew everything. Maybe it was their fatty diets all their lives. No low fat or non fat foods.
There is enough info on how our brains need fats/cholesterol and today's drug push to lower cholesterol, has me wondering a lot on that.
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Post by chinadoll1981 on Sept 8, 2019 13:20:01 GMT -5
I had Uncle well he great uncle who suffered from this horrible disease. I was little girl in Taiwan but I didn’t understand why he yelled at everyone The strange thing about his condition was he always nice to me he called me “ Little Plum” He was 79 when he stopped working because he not able to do simple calculations He was physicist He was physically very strong but lost so much He forget mom dad his own wife and even his children the saddest part was he never forgot me.... all the way till death he called me “Little Plum” he was 86 when he passed 😟 I am sorry for your loss. He died long time ago but it so sad he lost so much.... everything except me he always remember me...
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Post by 2old on Sept 8, 2019 13:24:35 GMT -5
Before it got to difficult I use to bathe my Dad, dress him and at night tuck him in to bed. Thankfully though, he never forgot who we were. Had it been my choice I would have kept him at home,,, but I was outnumbered. A hospital bed with bed alarm and visiting nurses would have better than what he got in the nursing home. After his passing I finally understood what what he said. " When you leave I'll be alone " .. At the time it didn;t hit me,,,, I told him he's surrounded by people.. Then one day it hit me what he meant. When he said that it was in the morning,,,, often people with Alzhiemer's are somewhat " normal " in the morning, but as the day progresses confusion and forgetfullness sets in. All my Dads life he was surrounded by family, from birth until the nursing home. Only times he was " alone " was when he was drafted in 1943 until 1945 and then from January 2013 until his passing on July 12th 2013,, though he was not alone from July 5th until the 12th, though he was unresponsive with no brain activity other than the part of his brain that controlled his heart and breathing and kidney function. Other than that,,, nothing. But, he was surrounded for those 7 days. I hope he knew that. I'm glad you were able to be with your dad at the end. My MIL has what they call Sundowners too, by evening she is tired and very confused. My husband has Vascular Dementia which isn't so bad yet. His sister didn't want to assist in caring for her and thought I should handle both. I admire how much you have done for your father and your mother. Some nursing homes are a nightmare. I am fortunate enough to be in an area where the two homes we have are pretty darned good. I hope I never have to take my husband to a home. Granddaughter has been working in a nursing home all summer... and is still working weekends while in school. She talks often of "sundowning". She will relate a story about a patient and add "He/she was sundowning." Been quite an experience for a 16 year old. She was able to get her CNA through a high school program last year. Did clinicals at a local nursing home. They took a liking to her and asked her to apply. Worked 35 to 45 hours/week all summer. Got raises. They want to keep her! Paying her $20/hour... as a 16 year old. She turns 17 next week. Will get her CMA before she turns 18. Can't use it until she turns 18, but will have it and be ready on her 18th birthday. Once out of high school, the facility will pay for her to get her LPN. That can be done, locally, while she works. If she continues to perform, they have a tuition assistance program so she can get her bachelor's degree and her RN. Daughter said she came home in tears a couple days ago. They were short-handed on her shift. She told her mom, "We just couldn't give them the care they deserved!" Pretty deep commitment for a young lady her age. Awfully proud!!
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Post by joymarty on Sept 8, 2019 13:50:03 GMT -5
2old, lots of pride there with grandgirl. I spent 4.5 months in rehabs with a staph infection in knee, horrible time in my life, and most of the helpful aids were CNA's and many were working toward their RN degrees. One has to be dedicated to be in this field and the CNA 's I got to know were Mostly from other countries and did all the dirty work...that was a bit hard to experience but that's what it is...people don't start at the top of the ladders.
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Post by Bob on Sept 9, 2019 15:58:30 GMT -5
My wife's parents were both stricken with dementia. Her father mercifully passed away before he entered the final stages of Alzheimer's, but it was so sad to see this once vibrant man become a shell of his former self. On one of our last visits before he passed away, he was startled to see me at the door, and it was clear he didn't know who I was. My mother-in-law is probably in late stage dementia at this point, sleeping most of the time, eyes never open, unable to communicate, but somehow still existing. Visits to her condo in FL are sad.
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Post by joymarty on Sept 9, 2019 16:14:04 GMT -5
Just a jogging reminder here...do research on Grape Seed Extract and reducing Amyloid Plaque in the brain. I probably mentioned it earlier but things are lost in threads. I count on it for ME, and I'm 81 and a good mind. And take probably 1 small T of coconut oil daily and cook with it. Check that one too and our brains.
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