Re: re-evaluaton

[Guest guest]

Dena,

I was in your situation and I really know what you mean. My Mom could not take

drugs. The MDs continually wanted her on them. I had her taken off all but

blood pressure and thyroid meds. I also had her on very low doses of some

antianxiety drug that she wasn't suppose to have. It did help with her sleep.

You might ask the MD if she needs all of them. Only take her off one at a time

so you can tell which is doing what.

I did have to contend with a confused mind, but her physical problems were 10

times less without the drugs. She lived a whole next year without the drugs and

that was with fighting a nh staff. They even said she did better without them

after fighting me to take her off them.

I don't remember how old your Mom is, but Mom was 87-88 when she was in her last

year.

Hospice is not necessarily a 6 month program for LBD patients. If you can get

her on, they can extend it. It can just be more help for you. They won't keep

her on it if she is getting better. They have a criteria they use for Medicare

to keep her on. She can come into Hospice and go out 3 times. (I don't know if

that is per year or in total.) What you need to give up is anything except

Palliative (I don't think that is spelled right) care or comfort care. Which

really means if she gets sick, they don't treat it, with a few exceptions. You

do have the right to go off and get her treated and go back on later.

You can put Hospice in your search engine and it should come up with lots of

info.

Hospice will do an evaluation and won't put her on if not necessary. They are a

good support for you if nothing else.

You might also want to check on the kinds of Hospice in your area. There are a

lot of different groups in any area. If you know someone who can recommend one

in your area, it is a good thing.

Hope this help and is only my experience.

Donna R

re-evaluaton

Hi Everyone

Tomorrow my mother goes in for a re-evaluation with

the geriatric doctors. Can anyone think of something I

should ask about for her? They have mentioned that it

may be time to start hospice.

Does that mean the same as regular hospice? Like 6

months to live? She got her first evaluation in April

of this year and was in the very early stages they

felt. I knew absolutley nothing about LBD then, I left

happy that she did not have Alzheimers! How naive is

that! Anyway one month later I found her on her

kitchen floor dehydrated and she never was the same

again. So they should be shocked at the difference.

She takes Aricept 10mg, Risperdal .5mg, Namenda 5mg,

Prozac 10mg, Clonazepam .5mg. The various blood

pressure and heart meds too. I realize that the worst

one of the group is Risperdal. So I may ask to change

to Exelon or Seroquel (is that what it is) Or since

things seem to be okay maybe I should leave well

enough alone. What do you think?

My mom is really having difficulty walking these days.

She collapsed on me at 6 am yesterday morning and I

had to call my daughter over to help me get her up.

With only one person it is nearly impossible to help

someone up when they have spaghetti legs. I almost

called 911, but I just don't think of that as an

emergency. She did fairly well after that. She was

awake all night talking and trying to get out of bed,

which she can no longer do. It was another awful

night. I pray that today is a better day. She did

sleep through the night last night and is still asleep

now at 6 am.

I have had this goal for months now, that I want to

have her with us through the holidays. I really pray

that it will happen. I want just one last Christmas

with my Mom even though she really is not my mom

anymore. Is that is totally selfish? But I also want

her to have peace which she does not have now. I

really do not know what to pray for sometimes. Some

how it seems wrong to pray for death. I guess I just

have a hard time letting go because I know in my head

that it would mean peace and happiness and a well body

for her. She is a christian and I know she will be

going to heaven, so that is not a issue with me. It is

just my selfish desire to hang on to her. Gee, a

brother or a sister would have been good about now. I

am glad I can vent with this group. Don't get me wrong

my husband is great. He has been working like a dog

around her old home and fixing up her new room here in

our home, but as for the touchy feely moments he is

rather uncommunicative. My kids no longer live at

home, a recent development. So it is just me and mom

all day and into the evening most days. Boy, this is

tough. I hate this disease. Sorry for venting again.

Dena in CA

__________________________________

Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005

http://mail.yahoo.com

Welcome to LBDcaregivers.

[Guest guest]

Donna-

My Dad was a Hospice patient for 2 years. I really don't know how we could have

kept Dad home without their wonderful care and support. Hospice will also visit

and care for patients in extended care. We also had a government grant for

respite care, which gave my Mother the opportunity to get out twice a week for 4

hrs. each time. The fee was what you could afford to pay. It is up to you the

amount. I think we found this help care through Elder Care.

Take the time to find out what resources are out there. We did and we are very

grateful to these dedicated people and agencies.

Thanks,

Gerry

From: Donna Mido

To: LBDcaregivers

Sent: Tuesday, November 08, 2005 11:02 AM

Subject: Re: re-evaluaton

Dena,

I was in your situation and I really know what you mean. My Mom could not

take drugs. The MDs continually wanted her on them. I had her taken off all

but blood pressure and thyroid meds. I also had her on very low doses of some

antianxiety drug that she wasn't suppose to have. It did help with her sleep.

You might ask the MD if she needs all of them. Only take her off one at a

time so you can tell which is doing what.

I did have to contend with a confused mind, but her physical problems were 10

times less without the drugs. She lived a whole next year without the drugs and

that was with fighting a nh staff. They even said she did better without them

after fighting me to take her off them.

I don't remember how old your Mom is, but Mom was 87-88 when she was in her

last year.

Hospice is not necessarily a 6 month program for LBD patients. If you can get

her on, they can extend it. It can just be more help for you. They won't keep

her on it if she is getting better. They have a criteria they use for Medicare

to keep her on. She can come into Hospice and go out 3 times. (I don't know if

that is per year or in total.) What you need to give up is anything except

Palliative (I don't think that is spelled right) care or comfort care. Which

really means if she gets sick, they don't treat it, with a few exceptions. You

do have the right to go off and get her treated and go back on later.

You can put Hospice in your search engine and it should come up with lots of

info.

Hospice will do an evaluation and won't put her on if not necessary. They are

a good support for you if nothing else.

You might also want to check on the kinds of Hospice in your area. There are

a lot of different groups in any area. If you know someone who can recommend

one in your area, it is a good thing.

Hope this help and is only my experience.

Donna R

re-evaluaton

Hi Everyone

Tomorrow my mother goes in for a re-evaluation with

the geriatric doctors. Can anyone think of something I

should ask about for her? They have mentioned that it

may be time to start hospice.

Does that mean the same as regular hospice? Like 6

months to live? She got her first evaluation in April

of this year and was in the very early stages they

felt. I knew absolutley nothing about LBD then, I left

happy that she did not have Alzheimers! How naive is

that! Anyway one month later I found her on her

kitchen floor dehydrated and she never was the same

again. So they should be shocked at the difference.

She takes Aricept 10mg, Risperdal .5mg, Namenda 5mg,

Prozac 10mg, Clonazepam .5mg. The various blood

pressure and heart meds too. I realize that the worst

one of the group is Risperdal. So I may ask to change

to Exelon or Seroquel (is that what it is) Or since

things seem to be okay maybe I should leave well

enough alone. What do you think?

My mom is really having difficulty walking these days.

She collapsed on me at 6 am yesterday morning and I

had to call my daughter over to help me get her up.

With only one person it is nearly impossible to help

someone up when they have spaghetti legs. I almost

called 911, but I just don't think of that as an

emergency. She did fairly well after that. She was

awake all night talking and trying to get out of bed,

which she can no longer do. It was another awful

night. I pray that today is a better day. She did

sleep through the night last night and is still asleep

now at 6 am.

I have had this goal for months now, that I want to

have her with us through the holidays. I really pray

that it will happen. I want just one last Christmas

with my Mom even though she really is not my mom

anymore. Is that is totally selfish? But I also want

her to have peace which she does not have now. I

really do not know what to pray for sometimes. Some

how it seems wrong to pray for death. I guess I just

have a hard time letting go because I know in my head

that it would mean peace and happiness and a well body

for her. She is a christian and I know she will be

going to heaven, so that is not a issue with me. It is

just my selfish desire to hang on to her. Gee, a

brother or a sister would have been good about now. I

am glad I can vent with this group. Don't get me wrong

my husband is great. He has been working like a dog

around her old home and fixing up her new room here in

our home, but as for the touchy feely moments he is

rather uncommunicative. My kids no longer live at

home, a recent development. So it is just me and mom

all day and into the evening most days. Boy, this is

tough. I hate this disease. Sorry for venting again.

Dena in CA

__________________________________

Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005

http://mail.yahoo.com

Welcome to LBDcaregivers.