My 80 year old mother has been in hospital for just over 3 months now. On Friday past I was told that they have finally diagnosed her with vascular dementia following a series of TIA (transient ischaemic attacks) or 'mini-strokes'.
Although I wasn't entirely shocked by this, it's still upsetting news. Because of the way the illness has impacted on her mobility (she can't walk unaided) she won't be able to go home. Yesterday I had to go to the hospital with a solicitor so that she could sign power of attorney papers and then I had to start packing up her house.
A lot of the time she is very lucid but others she is very confused, muddling up people and events from the past. Yesterday she asked me if I'd been in touch with an aunt who has been dead for about 30 years, and about neighbours she hasn't lived beside for even longer.
She doesn't know about the diagnosis yet - staff think this is best as it would probably upset her even more.
Starting to pack up her house yesterday was a lot harder than I thought it would be, but unfortunately it needs to be done. I will put her things into storage whilst everything else gets sorted out.
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So sorry to hear about your grandmother! My 88-yr-old grandmother was diagnosed with dementia three years ago and it has also altered her mobility, speech and memory. She thinks I am my mother, although mom has been gone for 18 years now. It is so hard to witness! Sending gentle hugs as you do the necessary legal and physical stuff...
ReplyDeleteHi Felicia
ReplyDeleteThanks for that. It's been hard enough to have my mother be in hospital for that length of time and to watch her decline. Although it's good to finally know what is wrong, dementia is a wickedly cruel illness that effectively steals people away. It's obviously frightening and frustrating to her as well.
As for battling hospital bureacracy, well let's not go there ....
Thanks for your kind wishes - much appreciated.
Avril