Mental Decline & Dependency/Coping With Aging Loved Ones

Mental decline


I guess that pretty well sums it up.

Mental Decline & Dependency/Coping With Aging Loved Ones
Oh Noddy - I hope you can laugh, even just a little bit, even just occasionally, although Mr Noddy's freaks are far from entertaining. I do think you have it worse than I; Bob was never so irrational, and being cross is just not in his nature.

Tomkitten--

Thanks for the sympathy--particularly with the weight you have on your mind.

Mr. Noddy never used to be irrascible--but then when I married him, he wasn't demented, either.

Old Age isn't for Sissies.

Mental decline


But there are still some joys, like when Bob recognizes me, or when he asks me to be sure and come back.

Tomkitten--

Bob is settling in, then--as well as he can?

Tomkitten - such big changes aren't ever easy. I wish you an uncomplicated transition.

Mental Decline & Dependency/Coping With Aging Loved Ones
Yes, he's settling in fairly well, mainly because he's too weak and tired to do anything else.

When he fell on Wednesday I think that either he injured his neck or exacerbated an old neck spasm problem. And this may be partly why he screamed so when anyone touched or tried to move him in the ER. It may not have been the agitation exclusively, but also severe pain. I only put things together this afternoon when remembered these very occasional spasms. So I left notes for the nurse, his doctor, and the social worker. I think I'll take a copy over for the physical therapist, too.

They finally contacted the doctor who prescribed a more powerful painkiller, and I think Bob slept most of the afternoon. He was fuzzy this evening, but said his neck wasn't hurting.

I just worry over the possibility of miscommunication - places like Clark House have so many layers of bureaucracy. I'll have to learn how to keep my cell phone set to vibrate, & give Clark House the number. And carry it with me whenever I'm out of the apartment.

Tomkitten--

Learning new patterns and new reflexes is always hard. You're a survivor.

Hang on.

On the other hand, learning new patterns is active. You all have my sympathy, TomK, Noddy, Walter, Mrs. Walter, and the loved.

Mental Decline & Dependency/Coping With Aging Loved Ones
If I could learn to use a computer - and quite competently, I must admit - program frequently called numbers into telephones, and use a digital camera, I can learn to set my cell on vibrate (though I sometimes feel rather like the Little Engine That Could) huffing and puffing my way to success.)

Tomkitten--

I can live without Prince Charming, but if any blue-haired vamp were to flaunt a techie type chauffeur in my face, I just might cast my morals to the wind and make a play for him.

Well, Tomkitten, you certainly can do that - even I could learn it :wink:


----------


Nothing changed with senior ladies. Though it might be that a psychiatric doctor will make a home visit to look at my aunt, if/when "his time allows it".


Mrs Walter got a MRI today: NAD (they wrote it in German, 'oB', which means 'without findings' but is the same as "no abnormality detected").

She has to stay ther, however:
- they want to tread her reactions from the fibromyalgia with a new painkiller (that aren't approved here for that [but in some other countries],
- want to check, from where these 'wrong' results' came,
- and have asked an orthopedic surgeon (from the same hospital) to look at her. (It was an emergency surgeon on Friday, I've learnt.)

So, she'll have stay some more days ...

Mental decline


Don't you just love "hurry up and wait" medicine?

Well, most psychiatrists don't make home visits here. (My native town is just a smaller place - 20,000 habitants, including some villages altogether, and we don't have more than three psychiatrists in own practises, and he's the only one doing such.)

Walter--

At present, you are a man with a disfunctional harem.

Is Mrs. Walter comfortable while the diagnosis develops?

Hold your dominion.

Mrs Walter is much more comfortable since this morning. I'm, too.

Tomkitten, you go girl!

Walter, Still sending good thoughts for all.

Glad to hear that Walter.

The nursing home Mom had been in forwarded me an ambulance bill for
another patient. I was getting some errands done, so I dropped in to
give the bill to them. I was almost overwhelmed by a sense of sadness
and loss. Yet I can visit her grave with much less emotion. Odd.

Mental Decline & Dependency/Coping With Aging Loved Ones
It isn't really so odd, George. Things will set off your emotions at a time like this, suddenly, without warning, and without explanation. You just have to brace yourself and accept the emotional events when they hit.