return About This Page:

[reinstructor]

I've missed reading all of your posts. I have been out of town for the past several days. My 90 year old Mom broke her hip on Tuesday, Jan 7. They replaced it on Wednesday. She is doing fantastic! We have had some problems with blisters since she is allergic to everything in the hospital, latex, tape, clorox, you name it. We have finally gotten that under control and she is growing new skin where the HUGE blisters were. To complicate matters, we had to admit my Father to a secure unit of a nursing home. He shows the signs of alzheimer's. I think it would have been easier to have buried him. My Mom is really grieving because they are apart. They have been married for 66 years. He spends all of his time looking for his keys and asking about Mom. He doesn't usually remember about her breaking her hip and having surgery. We tried keeping him on the farm with either my brother or me staying with him, but that didn't work. He kept us up, looked for his keys, looked for Mom, and when we tried taking him to the hospital, he became very aggitated because he thought we were always going the wrong direction. We really had no choice because he was a danger to himself, Mom and others. We were so afraid that he would wander off and we would not be able to find him. We have had some mild episodes of that. The only way we can calm him is by asking him to read his Bible to us and pray with us. Dad is a retired pastor, so that takes him to the time frame his mind is in. This is such a horrible disease. We are trying to decide how to handle the situation from here. Mom will need 24 hour care when she is out of the hospital, but a nursing home would crush her spirit. We are looking at assisted living centers.

Pray for us as we make these really difficult decisions. We really need wisdom.

[ 01-19-2003, 11:36 PM: Message edited by: reinstructor ]

[Disneyphile's Wife]

I'm very sorry to hear about the problems you are having and hope you can find some solutions. Loads of pixie dust to all of your family.

Keep the support system around all of you. Alzheimer's strikes the whole family; my grandfather suffered from it for years and it tore my father apart.

Again, lots of pixie dust and may you find good solutions. I don't have any; just hope and blessings for you all.

[peterfan]

I'm very sorry to hear about what you and your family are going through. I know it's not easy. Not much wisdom here, but lots of prayers and pixie dust. Be strong, but remember your not alone.

[Elliot'sDragon]

You are in my prayer.

[Teddysmom]

Dennis,

I don't know if I have wisdom, but alot of experience w/ caring for my DS who is developmentally delayed and my Mom w/ emphysema. I second what people said about support systems. If people offer help, it can be hard but take a little.

My Mom had to make the same decision to put her Mom in a nursing facility b/c Alzehiemer's runs in the female side of our family. Her Mom really needed the support and care of a 24 hr. staff. You are only human and couldn't function 24 hrs. a day. It takes three shifts of nurses to accomplish it at the nursing home. I am so sorry this is such a difficult time for you but you did the right thing w/ regard to your Dad. I will keep both your parents in my thoughts and you and your brother's families.

Sending a ton of pixie dust to your Mom and her hip. DS is allergic to everything and pressure sores and skin breakdown can be tough. Glad to hear she is growing new skin. That is a great sign. Hang in there.

[DVC_Don]

It is nice to see you back on the board Dennis. I wish you the strength to steer your family through this time. Nancy and I have been dealing with similar items since 1993 with her family. It was all this turmoil that brought us back to the church.