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Took my Grandmother to church...Alzheimers sucks!!

Locust ForkLocust Fork Member Posts: 31,617 ✭✭✭✭
edited January 2012 in General Discussion
She is the sweetest little thing. She used to be SO active in the church that it has bothered me that nobody takes her....so, I loaded up my son and we went this morning. It is so frustrating to see how my family has become. I don't know how many have been to see her in that home she is in, but there sure hasn't been many involved with her lately.

She has really wanted to go to church. I have been trying to squeeze in visits and take her to the much anticipated bi-weekly hair appointments. She can't quite figure out where I am in her family....she knows I am her Grand-daughter, but she keeps saying things that makes me think she forgets. She couldn't keep up with who my son was at all.

One funny thing that did happen. There was a guest preacher today. He was a black man. While I was getting the car my son was walking her out to the walkway and she says...."Well you never would have guessed we would have a black preacher...he would have been down in the basement doing the dishes back a long time ago." Liam just about swallowed his own tongue when she said that.

I told him that he should just ignore that because she didn't mean it ugly...its just her showing how old she is. (86)
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Comments

  • montanajoemontanajoe Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 57,893 ******
    edited November -1
    Bless you both.[:)][:)][:)]
  • timinpatiminpa Member Posts: 2,250 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    original post moved:

    Thats a nice thing what you did for your grandmother, and your son too![^]
  • owen219owen219 Member Posts: 3,799
    edited November -1
    You will not regret your efforts.
  • JunkballerJunkballer Member Posts: 9,148 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    But she spoke the truth, maybe not politically correct but in her mind the truth.

    "Never do wrong to make a friend----or to keep one".....Robert E. Lee

  • n/an/a Member Posts: 168,427
    edited November -1
    quote:I told him that he should just ignore that because she didn't mean it ugly


    Why should he ignore the truth?

    quote:Well you never would have guessed we would have a black preacher...he would have been down in the basement doing the dishes back a long time ago."


    She said it was back a "long time ago", so she knows how long ago...that isnt alzheimers...thats the truth and history...
  • moonshinemoonshine Member Posts: 8,471
    edited November -1
    It is tough when a parent or grandparent gets old and starts having problems like that.

    But remember we all get old.
  • bpostbpost Member Posts: 32,664 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    My mothers husband is suffering from it. He is more and more infant like and will soon lose control of his bowels. Urine incontinence has been 100% for about a year. He still feeds himself but I have seen signs that too is going to end soon.

    I rebuild the main bathroom removing the tub so mom can shower him at home. He takes constant care and can't be left alone for more than a few minutes. When mom was down stairs with me working on a project for 10 minutes he got up and tore the chain out of the ceiling fan. I have replaced that switch three times in a year, he keeps yanking it so hard it breaks. The stress is tearing my mom apart. She has a bad knee, carpel tunnel syndrome, stomach problems and has shed 17 pounds in 9 months.

    Over the past three months I have spent as much time there helping any way I can. The disease will kill him eventually but I at times wonder if it will not kill my mom first.

    Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia are the horrible prisons of never ending work the caretakers.
  • dcs shootersdcs shooters Member Posts: 10,969
    edited November -1
    My mom suffered with it for years. At times she knew us. Other times she just stared out the window like no one else was there.Dad had a hell of a time taking care of her. I just wished I wasn't 1200mi. away so I could see her more. She passed Feb. '02 at 86.
    Keep seeing your gran'ma. It helps them most of the time.
  • dlrjjdlrjj Member Posts: 5,528 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    My wife's mother died from complications of that stuff - after 11 years in a nursing home.

    Nasty stuff, and hard on the entire family.

    Good luck to you LF.
    Tax evasion is illegal, tax avoidance is an art form.
  • Rack OpsRack Ops Member Posts: 18,597 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by dcs shooters
    My mom suffered with it for years. At times she knew us. Other times she just stared out the window like no one else was there.Dad had a hell of a time taking care of her. I just wished I wasn't 1200mi. away so I could see her more. She passed Feb. '02 at 86.


    May I be granted the strength to not put my family through that.


    No offense intended, I just couldn't imagine an existence like that
  • Locust ForkLocust Fork Member Posts: 31,617 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thank you!!! You cannot imagine how sad it is to see a person dealing with this. She makes me feel so helpless sometimes....she is ALWAYS in such a good mood and so sweet to everyone EVERY day. You can't pop in on here where she isn't "ready for the day" (clip on earrings snapped on, lipstick applied and dressed to go.) I don't want to imagine her getting worse....but I know it is coming.
    LOCUST FORK CURRENT AUCTIONS: https://www.gunbroker.com/All/search?Sort=13&IncludeSellers=618902&PageSize=48 Listings added every Thursday! We do consignments, contact us at mckaygunsales@gmail.com
  • andrewsw16andrewsw16 Member Posts: 10,728 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by bpost
    My mothers husband is suffering from it. He is more and more infant like and will soon lose control of his bowels. Urine incontinence has been 100% for about a year. He still feeds himself but I have seen signs that too is going to end soon.

    I rebuild the main bathroom removing the tub so mom can shower him at home. He takes constant care and can't be left alone for more than a few minutes. When mom was down stairs with me working on a project for 10 minutes he got up and tore the chain out of the ceiling fan. I have replaced that switch three times in a year, he keeps yanking it so hard it breaks. The stress is tearing my mom apart. She has a bad knee, carpel tunnel syndrome, stomach problems and has shed 17 pounds in 9 months.

    Over the past three months I have spent as much time there helping any way I can. The disease will kill him eventually but I at times wonder if it will not kill my mom first.

    Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia are the horrible prisons of never ending work the caretakers.

    Just a bit OT, but you can probably fix that fan problem by putting a piece of bungee or even a coil spring near the top, out of his reach. Then he can yank the lower end of the chain and get the switch to activate but the bungee/spring will absorb the shock and keep him from breaking the chain. Just a suggestion. [:)]
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