Guest guest Posted March 23, 2006 Report Posted March 23, 2006 Oh, I know, that's gross & thankfully my mom has never done that, she just has too much 'proper behavior' ingrained in her. Maybe when she declines more that could change. She even mentioned that when we had this discussion the other day, like - well, at least I use a kleenex, unlike some others around here!! That is funny, Thank you, I think! I would feel the same way considering some of the food I see there. Yuck. I wouldn't be eating much either given some of those choices. We bring her food as often as possible, her favorite things or great desserts or something - she still definitely has a major sweet tooth. My mom mostly can't remember the other patients' names, just the ones she has contact with the most. > > I'ts taken me awhile to get used to the residents > blowing their noses in their large terry cloth bibs > that they all wear at meals. I finally just look > away. One gal even used her sweat shirt. The biggest > kick I got the other day was when one of his table > mates, a rather outspoken, I-want-what-I-want type, > got her meal, took one look at it and told them to > take it back, she didn't like it. So, they brought > her something different, and she looked at it and > said: " Thank you - I think. " I just burst out > laughing, as it was so unexpected. Quote
Guest guest Posted March 23, 2006 Report Posted March 23, 2006 It's amazing how my husband perks up when someone who ordinarily doesn't visit him comes in. He rarely greets me or acts as if I'm around but really notices others and can be real cheerful with them, but with me he is often depressed and crying. I know one thing they say is that they can only be themselves with someone such as the caregiver and feel they must " put on " for others. I, too, have seen many of the residents there who never seem to have a visitor, and it is sad. I wonder who is their " advocate. " --- wrote: > I know - some of those poor people there don't have > any family who > comes to see them, so I try to talk to everyone, at > least say hello > and how are you today, but sometimes then they > follow you around and > keep interrupting the conversation you're trying to > have with your > LO. Anyway, I've just let it go sometimes, > especially if my mom > seems interested to talk to someone else, then maybe > she would > develop a 'friend' there hopefully for when none of > us are there! > She probably gets sick of just my dad, my brother > and me!! I know > that when her friends visit on occasion, that is a > big lift to her! > > > > > > > > > June- > > > > > Welcome to our LBD support group. My Dad > died from LBD on > > > 9/11/05 after a 4 yr. battle. He was recovering > from a > traumatic > > > brain injury result from one of his many falls, > when my > physician > > > son-in-law suspected Parkinson. He referred my > Dad to a > > > neurologist. Based on his symptoms, he > potentially dx'd my > === message truncated === __________________________________________________ Quote
Guest guest Posted March 24, 2006 Report Posted March 24, 2006 We do the space heater thing too Imogene In a message dated 3/24/2006 8:04:27 AM Central Standard Time, carolebj@... writes: wow I also do the thing with the space heater! Carole South NJ Janet Colello wrote: > Hi June, > I have the house set at 74 degrees and Jim still is > freezing. He wears a sweater on top of a shirt and a > jacket over that and gloves and a blanket on him and > he still is cold, I even put a space heater next to > where he is sitting. He is always cold. > Quote
Guest guest Posted March 24, 2006 Report Posted March 24, 2006 Hi Carol, My mom is the opposite. All of her life she would eat anything. We have a family joke that one time we took her out for mother's day and the restaurant served a big cooked fennel bulb. Well none of the rest of us ate it but mom gobbled it up. Now she is becoming quite fussy about what she eats. This is so strange to see. She always has plenty of sweets in her house though. That's nothing new, but now is part of her staple diet. The lack of good judgement is I think a big thing with the decline of LBD. Take care Doris in Mississauga Canada. LO-Ramona (mom) - aged 76- dx'd March 2005- meds: Reminyl, Wellbutrin and Fosomax. Still living independently with supervision from gov't agency. Carole A Bjorklund wrote: That makes so much sense! Dad ate pancakes with my granddaughters remarking " yum " the whole time he was eating them. I am 55 yrs old and I don't think I ever saw him eat pancakes..ever! Funny ..he saw them, and I was about to prepare something else for him, he obviously wanted to taste them. He recently ate brussel sprouts which I know he has hated since childhood and absolutely loved them. Dad's symptoms have been all over the place since he was diagnosed one yr. ago, and I really think he has been showing some symptoms since we lost Mom 4 yrs ago. The one things that are constantly and steadily going down is are his reasoning, judgement and cognitive skills. He was feeding our little dog off his fork from the table and my sister told him we could give Rufus something at the end of the meal and don't feed him from the fork. Dad replied " Well, I can't use my spoon, because we are having ice cream later! " Sis is just learning No corrections unless someone is in mortal danger!! Diversion still works nicely with him. He is so adorable just like he always has been. Carole sothern rural NJ- daughter and lone ranger caregiver in my home to my wonderful Dad for almost two yrs. June Christensen wrote: > By all means, loss of sense of smell is one of the > symptoms, and my husband lost his years ago. I wish I > had kept a journal of his symptoms over the years, but > of course, you don't know what's down the road. I > understand that the reason they like sweets so much is > that it is the last taste to go, so they want > everything sweet. He always had a sweet tooth, but it > really kicked in the last few years. Now, when I feed > him at the NH, he says " this doesn't have any taste " > until I give him a bite of dessert, and then he eats. > One nurse told me that where she worked once, they put > sugar on all their food to get them to eat it. He > also is eating things he never touched before, > sometimes still says he doesn't like them. I blamed > his runny nose on allergies, and despite shots and > different kinds of medicine, it never resolved, so > that's why I felt it might be a symptom. I also was > told by the doctors that coldness was not a symptom, > but I think it is, as he just can't get warm. Last > night, he was so cold in the NH dining room, I had to > get a blanket to put on him while he ate, and everyone > else was complaining about how hot it was. > > --- Carole A Bjorklund > wrote: > > >> Hi! I am Carole in southern NJ Fairly new, also. Wow >> did I see my Dad in >> your post, June. He always has a runny nose...we >> have tissues in every >> room in the house. He usually wears three shirts, an >> undershirt, a >> regular shirt and usually a fleecy shirt in the >> house all day. Always >> cold. Lately he has been giving very animated >> little speeches. They >> usually don't make much sense, but he is definitely >> being " informative " . >> I wanted to ask the group about Zoloft. Dad was >> depressed, although it >> was kind of hard to figure out because he was not >> able to express the >> actual sadness, he was mostly uncommunicative. Now, >> since being on the >> Zoloft, he is giggly and enjoying (it seems) my >> granddaughters' antics. >> Before they seemed to annoy him. Also, does anyone >> know if the 'loss of >> smell' is LBD related? I think Dad may be >> experiencing this as he has >> been complaining about his food " no good..no >> taste..needs salt, etc. " >> AND/OR does altered TASTE come into the picture? >> Thanks. Carole >> >> Gerry Deverell wrote: >> >>> June- >>> Welcome to our LBD support group. My Dad died >>> >> from LBD on 9/11/05 after a 4 yr. battle. He was >> recovering from a traumatic brain injury result from >> one of his many falls, when my physician son-in-law >> suspected Parkinson. He referred my Dad to a >> neurologist. Based on his symptoms, he potentially >> dx'd my Father with LBD. A definitve Dx can lonely >> be done with an autopsy. I feel that the >> neurologist was accurate with his Dx, as Dad had >> almost every symptom We were fortunate that Dad >> kept his easy going dispostion. Another reason this >> physician was so familiar with LBD is that his own >> Father has LBD. He has walked in our shoes. I >> couldn't have found a more empathetic doctor. >> >>> June, the symptoms that you listed are right on >>> >> the money. As I ready them, they all came back to >> me. The runny nose, depression, decreased appetite >> among others bring back memories of what my Dad went >> through. My Dad would constantly say " I'm cold. I'm >> cold. " We kept the heat on in the summer, esp in >> the mornings. I thought that Dad's complaints of >> coldness were age related, but I bet you are right >> in that it has a LBD connection. >> >>> Again, welcome to this group. I have a feeling >>> >> you will gain from this group and in return we will >> benefit from your joining. >> >>> Gerry Deverell >>> Wilmington, De. >>> Caregiver and daughter of Dick Deverell who died >>> >> at home on 9/11/05 from LBD. Dad would have been 88 >> the following month. >> >>> >>> Re: New to the Group >>> > >>> > Many of you write that your LO has been >>> >> diagnosed >> >>> > with >>> > LBD, and I wondered if the doctor diagnosed it >>> >> or if >> >>> > it was diagnosed based on the symptoms. I am >>> >> sure >> >>> > my >>> > husband has it, but he has not been diagnosed >>> >> by >> >>> > anyone in the medical community. Can you, and >>> >> if >> >>> > so, >>> > how is it actually diagnosed? >>> > >>> > --- JUDY DUKE wrote: >>> > >>> > > Hi Jill, >>> > > I'm still pretty new to this group myself, >>> >> My dad >> >>> > is >>> > > 60 yrs old and also is living at home with >>> >> mom.He >> >>> > > was >>> > > diagnosed with lewy body Feb/2006. We mostly >>> >> just >> >>> > > try >>> > > and go along with his weird >>> >> conversations.Someone >> >>> > > had >>> > > suggested saying " okay we'll go home now and >>> >> just >> >>> > > moved to a different room in the house " >>> >> maybe you >> >>> > > could try that.My best advice to you is talk >>> > === message truncated === > > > __________________________________________________ > Quote
Guest guest Posted March 26, 2006 Report Posted March 26, 2006 It's so true - my mom is even different with my brother and me than she is with my dad. I think she's so used to him and also I think anything that has bugged her over the years, she's letting fly at him now. Not easy for him, too bad she didn't express her aggravations as they happened!! I've even seen my mother in her most confused state become more with it when someone that she hasn't seen in a while walks in. > > > > > > June- > > > > > > Welcome to our LBD support group. My Dad > > died from LBD on > > > > 9/11/05 after a 4 yr. battle. He was recovering > > from a > > traumatic > > > > brain injury result from one of his many falls, > > when my > > physician > > > > son-in-law suspected Parkinson. He referred my > > Dad to a > > > > neurologist. Based on his symptoms, he > > potentially dx'd my > > > === message truncated === > > > __________________________________________________ > Quote
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