On 4/5/2013 12:13 PM, notbob wrote:

> Sounds harsh, but I've had much experience with both national and
> local chapters of the Alzy Assoc. They are long on sympathy --which
> sometimes provides short term relief to the caregiver-- but woefully
> short on real help. I've received little, if any, actual usable
> help/info from AA. I've actually had to correct misonceptions held by
> the online help staff. I no longer even bother contacting them.
>
> Here's a fact I didn't learn from AA. There are two basic kinds of
> dementia. (Alheimers is only one form of dementia and can't be 100%
> diagnosed except by autopsy). Rapid and slow onset. My mom has slow.
> She's been in 2nd stage dementia for at least 4 yrs. My father, who
> died last month, had rapid. I was talking to him often on the phone
> as recently as 9 mos ago. His advance was so rapid, I talked to him
> on the phone one day, 3 days later he passed. A close friend's father
> passed the same way. He forgot how to swallow and so essentially
> starved to death. He went from able to drive a car to deceased, over
> the relatively short period of about 2 yrs.
>
> If it makes you feel better to donate to AA, do it. It's my opinion
> the money would be better spent on helping a patient and/or their
> caregiver to cope with this unfortunate disease.
>
> I pick mom up from the nursing home, Sunday. She broke her arm and
> has been in a nursing home for PT for the last three weeks. The pain
> meds turned her into a zombie. Hopefully, she'll regain some mental
> acuity when she returns home. If not, I will be escalating into a
> whole new level of care, providing I can manage. We'll see.
>
> Hang in there, Alan. You are not alone.

You hang in there too, nb. I'm glad your mom has you.


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