Newbie

[Guest guest]

Just happened to come across your group. My wife,88 years old, has

been tentatively diagnosed as LBD. Her mental decline started in 2005

together with facial and eye movements. She was diagnosed as AD.

Namenda and Razadyne did not help. She also developed dystonia of the

eyes. She lost all interst in housekeeping and cooking and grew

progressively weaker. In 2006 we saw a neurologist who said she does

not have AD but did not know what she has. In July 2006 she fell and

broke her left hip. After the operation her mental condition

deteriorated and she developed rigidity in her legs. Sinemet did not

help, neither did PT. In October 2006 she saw a neurolgist at the

Neurological Clinic of Columbia-Prespitarian. He said she at either

LBD or progressive supranuclear palsy. In either case there is no cure

and no medication that helps in the long run. Her balance started to

get worse but we still walked 30 minutes daily. In March 2007 she

broke her right hip. Her mental condition deteriorated where she was

seldom aware of where she was and she started getting contractures. At

this point I was not able to take care of her by myself and I hired a

24/7 aide. Her legs will not straighten and she is unable to stand.

Gradually her arms also became contracted and her hands clench. She is

now wheel chair bound.

I do stretches with her 2/day for 45 minutes so as to prevent total

contractures and immobility. Tomorrow we will fly to Florida for

several months so that I will be able to take her out of the house.

Al