One cruel B!TCH

[Luke E.]

 Dementia. Now if that's not explanation enough, here it goes...

 

 My grandmother has had doctors with loose prescription pads since as early as I can remember and That practice has taken it's toll. My grandmother fell prey to such symptom treating doctors time and time again and they would give her something that produced a side effect and rather than take her off of it they would give her another pill to treat the side effect and guess what,,, yep, it would cause another side effect. I remember as a kid asking how many pills she had to take just first thing in the morning and it was 19.... 19. 

 

 Well a few years ago my grandmother (Nannie) began having some trouble speaking what was in her mind be it started on the cusp of a reaction to a medication. Whether the medications had caused it or it was just a coincident, I'll let everyone judge that for themselves but I know what I think. since then it would get a bit worse and the a bit better but would almost never quite make it back all the way where it was to start with. Fast forward to 2 months ago Nannie was still up doing most everything that she has always done with the exception of always being able to get the words she wanted to speak, to come out. I got word that she had gotten a little worse so my mother came down and worked with her diet and some other things and things started turning back around until the week before Thanksgiving  when we got a call letting us know that Nannie had woken up in a different world. She knew who everyone was but she was disagreeable and wouldn't let anyone dress her for nor take her to her doctors appointment. They ended  up calling an ambulance to come pick her up which envolved sedating her and waiting for it to kick in to get her loaded and transported. My mother came back down here to Florida to see what exactly was going on. She stayed until the day before Thanksgiving but while here they had Nannie moved to a Geriatric mental health Hospital up just over into Alabama. They started working with her medication (yet again) and said that they were making progress but this past Saturday evening I got the news that they were bringing her home and would have hospice care until it was over (I wasn't expecting this). They got here brought home on Tuesday and I was expecting her to not be able to verbally communicate much but I did expect some but I was caught off guard yet again. Nannie was not speaking at all and had quit eating with the exception of some apple sauce that her meds were being crush up and mixed with and by Wednesday night she was not drinking or eating whatsoever. Now keep in mind that when I left TN the doctor was telling us that she probably had between 6-8 weeks but that was before she quit eating or drinking. Now to hit on the subject of my post.

 

 This week I have been watching one of the most dignity void diseases ravage my Nannie but have had to suck it up and help provide the care needed to help her maintain as high a comfort level as possible. She has dropped down to under 90 pounds now and her nerves have been in control of her body most of the time which has meant that she constantly flips from one side to the other and was so tired that when her nerves would ease for just 5 seconds she would fall asleep only for it to take back over a few seconds later. I'm not real sure how to describe much more without getting unnecessarily graphic and this has been hard enough to type out as it is but The 6-8 weeks is looking like nothing more than a few more days at the most I'm sure there are many others here that have watched this disease destroy an otherwise healthy loved one at some point and after this week I can honestly say that I understand what you dealt with. 

 

 At this point all of her kids, grand kids and the new and only great grandchild are here so we are praying for her to remain as comfortable as possible until her time comes as well as for my Grandfather to remain calm and comforted and we would appreciate anyone that would join us in that.

 

 I apologize if my thoughts and words are scattered but I haven't slept much over the last few days so things are a bit foggy and emotional.

[TGO David]

Sorry to hear you and your grandmother are dealing with this.  If these are truly the last of her days on this earth, may they be peaceful.

 

Hang in there.

[bigun]

Praying for you and yours'

[runco]

Very similar experience with my grandmother about 13 years ago.  Starting off kinda of funny with dementia, she pulled a gun on the gas man and shot at him.  She thought he was breaking in.  Glad she missed him and the propane tank.  She lived on a busy highway, but swore the same people were just passing by her house just to keep her up, she called 911 many times.  Fast forward a few months, on her birthday, she was found wandering the same highway at 3am about a 1/2 mile from her home.  That was the last time she was at her home.  Had a Geriatric mental health week long evaluation, then she was committed to a local nursing home.  She was finally diagnosed with dementia and alzheimers.  She lived another 2 1/2 years.  The only comfort, the alzheimers rob her of her sense of time.  When visiting my grandmother in the nursing home, you could ask her how long she had been there in the "hospital" and she would say 1-2 days, where in fact she had been there for months or for over a year.  

 

Symptoms of Dementia and Alzheimers are terrible diseases.  I deeply feel for you, especially at the holiday seasons.

[dralarms]

Prayers sent.

[Dolomite`s Breezy]

Just awful..

 

I am so sorry .....

[maroonandwhite]

We will be praying for ya'll and your grandmother. Sorry you are having to go through that.


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[DaveS]

I just went through it this week with my Mom. It's not easy at all. My mom's funeral was this past Thursday and she weighed 73 pounds. Hang in there Brother Luke. If you need anything at all let us know (you know how to get in touch with us) and we'll make something happen.

 

We'll be praying for your family Luke.

 

Dave

[Fourtyfive]

Prayers sent.

[BJB]

Praying

[Dustbuster]

Prayers out for you and your family Luke. May she get all the love that she deserves...

[I am Groot!]

Same situation with my dad in the end. God bless you and your family. Praying for you and yours.

[Grand Torino]

We went through a similar situation with my wife's parents. It's a rough thing to go through for everyone involved. My prayers are with you.

[K191145]

Soo sorry to hear that Luke, my grandmother lingered with that for months, almost a year before she died in the late 90s. We would go see her and she wouldn't know who we were and was always agitated, something she never expressed at any time when she was healthy. When dementia takes control they are not the person they were anymore and I know that's very difficult to take, we had to keep telling ourselves it's not her, it's the disease and it truely is.

[PackinMama]

I'll definitely keep you and your family in my prayers. I'm dealing with a very similar situation with my mother right now.  I take care of her at home 24/7. She has dementia and Alzheimer's but, unlike your Grandmother, hers has been a long and drawn out process. She kept me up all night last night hallucinating.....talking and yelling out.....imagining people were there when they weren't. Hers started several years ago and they put her on two different Alzheimer's medications, which I feel is what has kept the disease from advancing at a much faster rate.  Anyway, I know exactly what you are going through and I will pray for you. If you need to talk, feel free to pm me sometime.

[RED333]

So sorry to hear this Luke, I will pray for you and yours.

[hipower]

My prayers for her and you and your family Luke.

 

Like many here, I also have had, and am currently having experiences with Alzheimers.

 

It is a cold and cruel disease that robs not only the afflicted but those around them as well.

 

I really can't imagine what it must be like in the initial stages as the afflicted knows that on an almost daily basis a part of himself/herself is lost forever. 

 

It is truly a frightening thing to watch.

[Major Kong]

Sorry to hear this Luke.

Prayers out for you and DaveS.

[Joe357]

Prayers sent for your grandmother, you and your family

[pitt2magic]

As you have already read, you are not alone, many of us have been where you are.  This is a cruel disease that takes a terrible toll on friends and family.  Prayers and best wishes for you and your family.

[rugerla1]

Luke, so sorry to hear this! We will be praying for her comfort, as well as for you and the family.

[peejman]

Sorry to hear this. One of my grandmothers had symptoms of both dementia and Alzheimer's. She was in a nursing home and it was rough, can't imagine having to deal with it 24/7. Thoughts and prayers for some peace during this difficult time.

[Luke E.]

 I've not been spending much time online over the past week nut just thought I would give an update. Nannie passed at a little after 2:00 am this morning. Her passing was the most peaceful rime of the last week by far. My grandfather is taking things better than I ever imagined but I sure hope he doesn't have a "coming un done" during or after the funeral Friday,, Thank you folks for all the thoughts and prayers, We were mainly hoping for comfort for her and my grandfather and we were blessed with both eventually so I have know complaints.

[hipower]

My heartfelt condolences, Luke. May God's Blessings be upon you, your grandfather, and your entire family for now and evermore.

[10-Ring]

Prayers for your family.