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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Alzheimer's / October 2005weird
my MIL continues to deteriorate at an extremely rapid rate.... worse right now even because she has a bit of a cold this evening she fell asleep in her chair for a bit and then started jerking... same repetitive movements every few minutes ... lasted about 20 minutes from the time I noticed it I've worked with people who have seizures and they looked an awful lot like seizures to me ...couldn't be roused ... we tried to move her to her bed and the first time ended up putting her back in her chair because she started again and her legs just gave out under her ... full body involvement we considered calling telehealth (ontario phone service - nursing staff available 24/7 - it was started as a way of cutting down on unecessary ER visits, supposedly - but every time we've called for anything, they always advise ER anyway) ...talked about it...but decided not to do it - whole ambulance/hospital/tests thing seems so pointless anymore really. She IS DNR and they sucked at taking ~care~ of her when she was in several weeks ago ... sent her home in worse shape than she went in .... huge sore on her ankle; feet swollen beyond belief, and experiencing far more chest pain than normal (they took her off her meds for angina and bold face LIED to us about it) etc. for tonight, just skipped her evening pills, as we were supposed to be changing to a new med (going to try respiridol again) and I didn't feel comfortable giving it to her ... plus I couldn't wake her up enough to get anything into her anyway sleeping now ... seizures, or whatever they were, have stopped guess we'll see how things go tomorrow, and follow up with her doctor on Monday if nothing major happens in the meantime > my MIL continues to deteriorate at an extremely rapid rate.... worse right > now even because she has a bit of a cold [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > guess we'll see how things go tomorrow, and follow up with her doctor on > Monday if nothing major happens in the meantime Dear Lee, Sometimes it is better to let things take their natural course. Sometimes not. You are there and with her, only you guys will know whether she has any chance at a quality of life if she is treated or not. As for the Risperdol, it may make her more groggy and less able to walk around easily, but it might have a good effect on her feistiness, if that is still a problem.  SignatureBest Regards, Evelyn (to reply to me personally, remove 'sox') I am so sorry you are going thru this. I cannot offer help to anyone in here as I am new at this but I do feel for everyone dealing with all of this. LindaJean > my MIL continues to deteriorate at an extremely rapid rate.... worse right > now even because she has a bit of a cold [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > guess we'll see how things go tomorrow, and follow up with her doctor on > Monday if nothing major happens in the meantime no more signs of any possible seizure activity since the other night. We started her with the Respiridol last night .... guess it'll take a while to see how she'll do with it, but she sure woke up a LOT more chatty and awake than she normally does (was on a fairly high dosage of zyprexa until this switch) ... unfortunately, t'was a ~tad~ early for my liking.... but she actually laid in bed and chatted with her imaginary people for quite a while before she demanded to be gotten up LOL Sleep deprivation is definitely our biggest challenge at this point Well, that and the fact that unfortunately she ~forgot~ at the wrong step of toileting ..... I would have been MUCH happier if she'd forgotten the pulling down the pants stage rather than the what to do after she does that stage! Depends aren't too helpful right now .... she pulls them down and goes ~wherever~ Even when I actually seat her on the toilet, if I turn my back she's off and going on the floor, over the edge of the tub, as she walks.... whatever.... *sigh* It amazes me how much of her behaviour closely resembles that of an infant's development in reverse... lately we've had the constant removal of clothing and wanting to run around in just a diaper .... pouring large glasses of juice etc into SMALL containers.... spitting pudding .... all things my kids did when they were little.... I have to say it was MUCH cuter then LOL > my MIL continues to deteriorate at an extremely rapid rate.... worse right > now even because she has a bit of a cold [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > guess we'll see how things go tomorrow, and follow up with her doctor on > Monday if nothing major happens in the meantime I think it is easier to deal with toddler behavior because we see it as progress toward growing up <s> Glad to hear the seizure issue might be better LJ > no more signs of any possible seizure activity since the other night. We > started her with the Respiridol last night .... guess it'll take a while to [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > kids did when they were little.... I have to say it was MUCH cuter then > LOL > no more signs of any possible seizure activity since the other night. We > started her with the Respiridol last night .... guess it'll take a while [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > things my kids did when they were little.... I have to say it was MUCH > cuter then LOL That "unlearning" or going backwards in development, has been noticed by many people. It's awful isn't it? There is something you can do about the 'going everywhere' and taking the depends off; They sell a sort of a jumpsuit that fastens in the back, so they can't get it off. I am not sure exactly where it can be ordered from, but the subject came up here in the past and someone told us about it some time ago. There are places that make supplies for nursing homes and this is one of those specialty products. Sad to know that others have gone down this same road before us, and sadder to know that others will follow after us. :-( Hmmm... a name comes to mind: could it be Silverts? Maybe do a search on that name and see if that is where the jumpsuits can be found. I believe Mary Gordon knew the place that had these items. There is also a place called "The Alzheimers Store" and I used to have their catalog. All sorts of goodies, from bedroom alarms to "busy" aprons with all sorts of zippers and buttons to play with, on them. SignatureBest Regards, Evelyn (to reply to me personally, remove 'sox') You have so many good ideas <s> LJ > Hmmm... a name comes to mind: could it be Silverts? Maybe do a search on > that name and see if that is where the jumpsuits can be found. I believe > Mary Gordon knew the place that had these items. There is also a place > called "The Alzheimers Store" and I used to have their catalog. All sorts > of goodies, from bedroom alarms to "busy" aprons with all sorts of zippers > and buttons to play with, on them. considered looking for something like that... but at the point we're at right now, her behaviour changes so drastically from one day to the next that I figure by the time it got here, I probably wouldn't need it any more >> no more signs of any possible seizure activity since the other night. We >> started her with the Respiridol last night .... guess it'll take a while [quoted text clipped - 42 lines] > of goodies, from bedroom alarms to "busy" aprons with all sorts of zippers > and buttons to play with, on them. Just in case anyone is interested: http://www.silverts.com/ and http://www.alzstore.com/ SignatureBest Regards, Evelyn (to reply to me personally, remove 'sox') > considered looking for something like that... but at the point we're at > right now, her behaviour changes so drastically from one day to the next [quoted text clipped - 47 lines] >> All sorts of goodies, from bedroom alarms to "busy" aprons with all sorts >> of zippers and buttons to play with, on them. some very cool stuff in there..... I love the Discovery Apron idea.... looks like a potential Christmas present to me > Just in case anyone is interested: > [quoted text clipped - 56 lines] >>> All sorts of goodies, from bedroom alarms to "busy" aprons with all >>> sorts of zippers and buttons to play with, on them. > Sleep deprivation is definitely our biggest challenge at this point i thought that you were placing her in a facility? that's the plan ... unfortunately, one must be patient and wait for a space to become available... all the paperwork is done, and having heard nothing more for several weeks, we've instituted a regular schedule of phoning to ~inquire~ about her status on the wait list .... (as advised by her doctor) the area we live in does not have an over abundance of beds *sigh* nearest major centre (which also doesn't have beds at the moment) is about an hour away .... that would work for me... IF they had beds, as I work down there several days a week ... but not for anyone else really for now, we just keep on keeping on .... it's easier now that I'm back to work ....well, easier for ME ... I only have one or two ~shifts~ a week that are longer than a few hours at a time...and even those I don't HAVE to do ... considering how much stress we've been under (aside from the caregiving, have had a couple of friends die within a day of each other, plus one of my kids is being a TWIT...) we're coping fairly well but I, for one, will be very glad when a bed becomes available. I think hubby is back to hoping that it won't come to placement.... between her heart and the number of TIAs she seems to be having, not entirely unrealistic. Her heart rate quite often drops to barely functional ...and she's losing skills one from day ... hour? ... to the next *sigh* She's also pretty much quit eating.... has dropped more than 30 lbs in spite of starting her back on supplements .... no enjoyment from eating any more... not even her once much loved ice cream. All we can do is try ... I'm not overly inclined to make it a power struggle.... I offer it... but if she won't eat, she won't eat. >> Sleep deprivation is definitely our biggest challenge at this point > > i thought that you were placing her in a facility? seeing some improvement re: sleeping ... probably related to the Respiridol, I would think .... sleeping better, and less agitated and demanding when she wakes up. Was even smiling today .... long time since she's been inclined to smile AT ALL. Still has imaginary people - but now seems more inclined to ~enjoy their company~ rather than getting frustrated and annoyed at them LOL > that's the plan ... unfortunately, one must be patient and wait for a > space to become available... all the paperwork is done, and having heard [quoted text clipped - 35 lines] >> >> i thought that you were placing her in a facility? > seeing some improvement re: sleeping ... probably related to the > Respiridol, I would think .... sleeping better, and less agitated and [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Still has imaginary people - but now seems more inclined to ~enjoy their > company~ rather than getting frustrated and annoyed at them LOL Lee, that drug was a miracle for my mother in law too. Less aggression, more relaxed, more "normal" than she'd been in a long time. I'm so glad it has helped your MIL too! SignatureBest Regards, Evelyn (to reply to me personally, remove 'sox') > Lee, that drug was a miracle for my mother in law too. Less aggression, > more relaxed, more "normal" than she'd been in a long time. Also brought my Mother down out of a high manic state that she'd been in for over week (with no sleep, right after a knee replacement!). |
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