Monday, August 12, 2013

Memories

My parents are fairly young, in their early sixties.  My mother, aside from having bi-polar II, is in fairly good health.  My father is in good health as well, but he has some physical problems that require he use a leg brace, a back brace, and a walker.  Getting around is not easy for my dad.  He uses a shower chair, an elevated toilet seat, and other aids that make life easier for him, at least in their house.  His ability to get around is so limited that he rarely leaves the house.  My parents go to dinner once a week, and they run errands--to the grocery store (where he uses a motorized cart), the drug store, and places like that.  He often goes days without leaving the house, and travel is virtually impossible (well, it isn't, actually, but as he prefers not to use his insurance to get items that would make travel infinitely easier, travel is hard).  That said, my dad's mind is fully functioning.  He reads a lot (although stuff I think is terrible!), he watches the news constantly, and he plays several computer games meant to keep his mind active.  His memory is great, and he keeps track of all his appointments as well as my mom's without a problem.  My mom, on the other hand, forgets a lot.  She claims this is due to her meds, and I think she is right, at least partly.  Lately though, it has become very apparent that she is forgetting a lot, things that I think she should remember, like my sons' ages and their grades, the ages of her other grandchildren, that her father died.  I've tried to talk to my father about my mother's memory loss, but he brushes me off, assuring me she's fine.  I don't think she is though.  I will see her later this month, and I will be observing very closely the sorts of things she forgets.  I'm not sure what I will say or do, but I will be paying very close attention

*I started this post weeks ago, and I just finished it. I have since seen my mother, and my concerns were founded.  I've arranged an appointment for her with her doctor and have scheduled a conference call with her doctor.

2 comments:

AcadeMama said...

If you're talking about dementia or Alzheimers, and you ever feel like you need someone to listen, I'm here. I went through this with my Grandmother, who had early onset Alzheimers. I watched her memories be stolen so frequently and her denial grow emphatically over the years. She'd forgotten I'd had a third baby, and by the last days, I was one of only a few faces she recognized. I still remember the moment I first caught her forgetting that her mother had died and watching the confusion in her face. I had to initiate several interviews with Elderly Protective Services because she lived alone, so it's really good that your mother still has someone in the house with her to keep her safe. If you even want to talk, I'm here.

M said...

Thank you. That means a lot. My maternal grandmother suffered from dementia, so I'm aware of the affects. She, however, didn't start to show symptoms until the last 5 or so years of her life. My mother is about 20 years younger, which is what is so scary. A lot of it is due to her meds (my aunt is a nurse and has confirmed this), but I also think a lot of it is due to the fact that she doesn't do much. I've pointed this out to her to no avail. She used to read a lot, but now that she's home all the time caring for my dad, who is a news junkie, she doesn't do anything but watch TV. She isn't very social, so I can't encourage her to go out with her friends. I'm coming to terms with the fact that there is only so much I can do.