With my mother, I came to the conclusion that trying to pinpoint the start was a futile exercise. This kind of thing is one of those curves that starts out at zero and rises so slowly over the first many years that you can always think ‘Oh well, I forget things sometimes too.’ and then it gets a little faster and you can kind of, almost see that she’s worse this year than 4 or 5 years ago… and looking back you can say “It already started back then”. And then it rises faster and faster until you can almost see the difference month by month, or even week by week. But you can’t ever really pinpoint the “start”.
when she walks outdoors barefoot and hails a cab for her childhood home it doesn’t matter when exactly it began. all that matters it where it’s going to end…
Is it important to know.. when? I doubt knowing would/could have changed the progression of Alzheimer. Science is probably our only hope but we are not there yet.
I tried to do that with my Dad. But it’s impossible to pinpoint. My Dad was never a talker (my Mom did enough talking for both of them), so wasn’t lots of opportunity to notice memory issues. My Mom clearly noticed issues long before anyone else, but was in denial and covered for him for long time. She still refuses to this day to admit he had Alzheimers when he died. Funny…my Mom did the same thing with the newspaper. When I was a kid, I would be eating breakfast before school and the newspaper would already be in recycling bin. It always ticked off my Dad off that it would be thrown away before he had a chance to look at it.
At some point early in her cognitive decline, my mother could see it coming herself. My sister lived across the street and kept watch over her. One day she came across a little notebook in Mom’s purse with entries such as…
My name is…
I live at…
My children are…
And so on. She may have been using these notations to try to reinforce her fading memory, or she may have been anticipating a need to inform some potential good Samaritan helping her if she became disoriented and helpless away from home.
Or something else. But as with loss of sight or hearing, sometimes the victim sees it developing.
It doesnt progress at an even rate and it isn’t uniform across all functions. In the midst there can be short, lucid periods. Not all confusion is dementia and some types of confusion can be reversible, such as B12 deficiencies or some illnesses such as pneumonia and urinary tract infections. Get your loved one to a physician if you see this happening. There are some meds that can forestall the effects of dementia. Remember to do your best to love them. This is not a simple journey,
I have sympathy for what Ted is going through, but I get a feeling that maybe he isn’t prepared for the progress of this disease. Believe me, it’s a lot easier if you come to grips with what’s going to happen in advance, rather than be dismayed and frustrated each time it takes another bite out of your loved one’s personality.
It sometime before you start to notice something is different. Like asking the same question 5 minutes later. Later come paranoid delusions. Over time, You’re in denial about it until you realize the severity when she cant sign her own name. The medication Paxil helped greatly with the paranoia. Good luck and don’t beat yourself up about not visiting her a lot.
Concretionist over 4 years ago
It’s bad, sad and downright disheartening.
With my mother, I came to the conclusion that trying to pinpoint the start was a futile exercise. This kind of thing is one of those curves that starts out at zero and rises so slowly over the first many years that you can always think ‘Oh well, I forget things sometimes too.’ and then it gets a little faster and you can kind of, almost see that she’s worse this year than 4 or 5 years ago… and looking back you can say “It already started back then”. And then it rises faster and faster until you can almost see the difference month by month, or even week by week. But you can’t ever really pinpoint the “start”.
gopher gofer over 4 years ago
when she walks outdoors barefoot and hails a cab for her childhood home it doesn’t matter when exactly it began. all that matters it where it’s going to end…
GaryCooper over 4 years ago
The Island of Pork Rolls?
Alberta Oil Premium Member over 4 years ago
Is it important to know.. when? I doubt knowing would/could have changed the progression of Alzheimer. Science is probably our only hope but we are not there yet.
StackableContainers over 4 years ago
I tried to do that with my Dad. But it’s impossible to pinpoint. My Dad was never a talker (my Mom did enough talking for both of them), so wasn’t lots of opportunity to notice memory issues. My Mom clearly noticed issues long before anyone else, but was in denial and covered for him for long time. She still refuses to this day to admit he had Alzheimers when he died. Funny…my Mom did the same thing with the newspaper. When I was a kid, I would be eating breakfast before school and the newspaper would already be in recycling bin. It always ticked off my Dad off that it would be thrown away before he had a chance to look at it.
jimmjonzz Premium Member over 4 years ago
At some point early in her cognitive decline, my mother could see it coming herself. My sister lived across the street and kept watch over her. One day she came across a little notebook in Mom’s purse with entries such as…
My name is…
I live at…
My children are…
And so on. She may have been using these notations to try to reinforce her fading memory, or she may have been anticipating a need to inform some potential good Samaritan helping her if she became disoriented and helpless away from home.
Or something else. But as with loss of sight or hearing, sometimes the victim sees it developing.
dcmotrl Premium Member over 4 years ago
It doesnt progress at an even rate and it isn’t uniform across all functions. In the midst there can be short, lucid periods. Not all confusion is dementia and some types of confusion can be reversible, such as B12 deficiencies or some illnesses such as pneumonia and urinary tract infections. Get your loved one to a physician if you see this happening. There are some meds that can forestall the effects of dementia. Remember to do your best to love them. This is not a simple journey,
tims145 over 4 years ago
I have sympathy for what Ted is going through, but I get a feeling that maybe he isn’t prepared for the progress of this disease. Believe me, it’s a lot easier if you come to grips with what’s going to happen in advance, rather than be dismayed and frustrated each time it takes another bite out of your loved one’s personality.
Zen-of-Zinfandel over 4 years ago
Tossing newspaper in the toilet could be an indicator. Anomic aphasia is a common indicator.
gregorylkruse Premium Member over 4 years ago
That’s funny.
pamela welch Premium Member over 4 years ago
Hugs for you, Ted.
Night-Gaunt49[Bozo is Boffo] over 4 years ago
Unfortunately as early as 3 years old when it barest bits of it can start and take a long time in the brain till you see any kind of symptoms.
mxy over 4 years ago
It sometime before you start to notice something is different. Like asking the same question 5 minutes later. Later come paranoid delusions. Over time, You’re in denial about it until you realize the severity when she cant sign her own name. The medication Paxil helped greatly with the paranoia. Good luck and don’t beat yourself up about not visiting her a lot.