Re: An update on my Dad

March 18, 2004

, I am so glad you wrote this post. Thank you.

My dad is doing MUCH better in the last 6 days in the assisted living center.

He's adjusted well and since he is taking his meds regularly, he's much more

alert and seems less confused. He is sad about losing the driving and also

wants me to bring his car, so 'someone can drive him somewhere', but I'm not

falling for that. Just last friday, the day before his move, I was dropping him

off at his apartment for a little while while I worked a few hours. He said,

" if you call and I'm not here, I've gone to get some groceries " and I'm like, no

Daddy, you can't drive. Plus, you don't need groceries at the apartment, you are

moving tomorrow! " He went into a hissy fit. Then he said, " ok, I won't drive " .

I said I'm not dropping you off unless you leave me the keys and he said " NO,

absolutely not! What if I need to go somewhere!?!What if I need groceries!?! "

Everytime he gets better, I get comfortable and every time I am slammed back

into reality that he is NOT going to just get better. I still even now, with

this good lull, think that maybe he is getting better. I don't know. One thing

is I don't see him all the time like I did, so he's ok for phone conversations.

He's coming home with me this weekend, so I guess I'll see.

Anyway, this is a good example as to why we update. Someone can relate and

learn too.

Does anyone have the oddest behaviors? I don't mean that they act odd, that's a

given. But sometimes it strikes me that actual things they do. Like my dad has

the most ANNOYING habit of taking his cup and turning it upside down in the dish

drainer. This wouldn't be so bad if the cup didn't ALWAYS have a little bit of

milk/juice/soda or whatever left in it and it wasn't being dumped over clean

dishes that aren't clean anymore. Jeez! So I finally got him to stop that, so

he dumps his cup upside down on the counter. Oh well, dirty liquid on the

counter top is easier to clean than a whole rack of dishes. ;o)

Hi everyone. It's been a month now that Dad's been living in the

Assisted Living residence, and I figured it's time for an update...

He now seems quite comfortable in the routine. The increased

confusion of the first week was minor, but I can clearly see where

that damned fellow, Lewy, continues to take over my gentle father.

---Today, I took him to the dentist, and in the course of an hour,

saw several interesting things. First, walking down the hall, he

asked what was going on - apparently he thought a crowd had gathered

at the end of the hall. But no one was there. He quickly covered,

as he normally does, and didn't acknowledge anything was amiss. (I

read his neuro-psych test results and it said he 'confabulates',

which means, he's making up information, explanations or excuses.

I've seen him do it for months, explaining away his problems as

something other than neurological, but never knew there was a word

for it!)

---He seemed proud that, after a month, he knows exactly what it

takes to unlock his door.

---When we got to the dentist's parking lot, he got out of the car

but never considered closing his car door.

---At the outside of the elevator, I mentioned we needed to go to

the second floor. He mentioned that there were no numbered buttons

there to push, and that modern elevators had buttons with numbers on

them. I said, " No, Dad, you need to push the Up button to call the

elevator, and then inside there are the buttons for the floor. "

A minute later I joked with him and said, " Dad, you think I'm gonna

let you drive your car, when you can't operate an elevator?! " (He's

been trying to get me to give him a key to his car, and leave it at

the retirement community so that he can have someone drive him

around, but there's just no way on God's green earth I can do it.

All it would take is him getting a burr under his saddle and he'd go

for a wee little test drive to prove me wrong.)

---It's getting very difficult for him to manage his time. Writing

things on his calendar, or understanding a schedule of activities is

getting confusing. I have learned that he can only manage one bit

of information at a time. Any more than that causes overload.

Sometimes, I need to see these changes in such rapid succession, as

it helps me stay one step ahead of the LBD. Otherwise, it would be

SOOOOO easy to let the fluctuations lull me into thinking things

aren't really all that bad.

I think that's the hardest part of this disease. The not being able

to see the enemy clearly.

Sad, but handling it,

Welcome to LBDcaregivers.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

March 18, 2004

:

Thanks for the update. I recall too well how you struggled with the

decision to put your dad into AL. I glad that, overall, your dad has

adapted well to his new home. Speaking from experience, it makes the

process much easier for you as well as for your father.

The indications of Leweys taking over your father's body sound very

familiar and the sadness which envelops you is something we can all

relate to as well. It sucks doesn't it??

Here's hoping that you see fewer glimspes of Lewy tomorrow so you can

once again spend more time with your father.

Abby

March 18, 2004

:

I do see odd behaviour in my dad or did with more regularity when he

was up and walking. Now that he's in a wheelchair the movement he

initiates is so limited that I don't see much of it anymore.

I'm glad that your dad has thus far adapted well to the AL facility.

I know my own father had trouble initially giving up his car. It must

be the independence and freedom to just go. Kind of reminds me of

how much I tend to take my ability to do so for granted.

Thanks for the update . Glad the transition has gone

relatively smooth - that makes it easier on all those involved.

Abby

March 19, 2004

Dear :

You are definetelly handling it. It seems to me you are still having a

wonderful relationship with your dad and enjoying his company. Hoping for many

more good days. Love,

Josie

March 19, 2004

Dear :

Thank you for posting about your dad. Enjoy the good times, he is doing well

now. I hope your weekend with your dad is great. My prayers are with you,

hugs,

Josie

March 19, 2004

, sending you much strength.

Courage

An update on my Dad

>Hi everyone. It's been a month now that Dad's been living in the

>Assisted Living residence, and I figured it's time for an update...

>

>He now seems quite comfortable in the routine. The increased

>confusion of the first week was minor, but I can clearly see where

>that damned fellow, Lewy, continues to take over my gentle father.

>

>---Today, I took him to the dentist, and in the course of an hour,

>saw several interesting things. First, walking down the hall, he

>asked what was going on - apparently he thought a crowd had gathered

>at the end of the hall. But no one was there. He quickly covered,

>as he normally does, and didn't acknowledge anything was amiss. (I

>read his neuro-psych test results and it said he 'confabulates',

>which means, he's making up information, explanations or excuses.

>I've seen him do it for months, explaining away his problems as

>something other than neurological, but never knew there was a word

>for it!)

>

>---He seemed proud that, after a month, he knows exactly what it

>takes to unlock his door.

>

>---When we got to the dentist's parking lot, he got out of the car

>but never considered closing his car door.

>

>---At the outside of the elevator, I mentioned we needed to go to

>the second floor. He mentioned that there were no numbered buttons

>there to push, and that modern elevators had buttons with numbers on

>them. I said, " No, Dad, you need to push the Up button to call the

>elevator, and then inside there are the buttons for the floor. "

>

>A minute later I joked with him and said, " Dad, you think I'm gonna

>let you drive your car, when you can't operate an elevator?! " (He's

>been trying to get me to give him a key to his car, and leave it at

>the retirement community so that he can have someone drive him

>around, but there's just no way on God's green earth I can do it.

>All it would take is him getting a burr under his saddle and he'd go

>for a wee little test drive to prove me wrong.)

>

>---It's getting very difficult for him to manage his time. Writing

>things on his calendar, or understanding a schedule of activities is

>getting confusing. I have learned that he can only manage one bit

>of information at a time. Any more than that causes overload.

>

>Sometimes, I need to see these changes in such rapid succession, as

>it helps me stay one step ahead of the LBD. Otherwise, it would be

>SOOOOO easy to let the fluctuations lull me into thinking things

>aren't really all that bad.

>

>I think that's the hardest part of this disease. The not being able

>to see the enemy clearly.

>

>Sad, but handling it,

>

>Welcome to LBDcaregivers.

>

March 19, 2004

,

Glad to hear that you dad is doing better and is adjusting to his new life.

You asked if anyone else has odd behaviour? Well, for months now my mom

will take the straw out of her drink while she uses her finger to trap some

liquid in the straw and will pour it all over her dinner. She doesn't seem

to mind that her dinner gets liquidy. Sometimes if she doesn't have a plate

of food in front of her she will use the juice in the straw and pour it all

over the table....beats me why she does it but she seems to enjoy it.

Courage

Re: An update on my Dad

>, I am so glad you wrote this post. Thank you.

>

>My dad is doing MUCH better in the last 6 days in the assisted living

center. He's adjusted well and since he is taking his meds regularly, he's

much more alert and seems less confused. He is sad about losing the driving

and also wants me to bring his car, so 'someone can drive him somewhere',

but I'm not falling for that. Just last friday, the day before his move, I

was dropping him off at his apartment for a little while while I worked a

few hours. He said, " if you call and I'm not here, I've gone to get some

groceries " and I'm like, no Daddy, you can't drive. Plus, you don't need

groceries at the apartment, you are moving tomorrow! " He went into a hissy

fit. Then he said, " ok, I won't drive " . I said I'm not dropping you off

unless you leave me the keys and he said " NO, absolutely not! What if I

need to go somewhere!?!What if I need groceries!?! "

>

>Everytime he gets better, I get comfortable and every time I am slammed

back into reality that he is NOT going to just get better. I still even

now, with this good lull, think that maybe he is getting better. I don't

know. One thing is I don't see him all the time like I did, so he's ok for

phone conversations. He's coming home with me this weekend, so I guess I'll

see.

>

>Anyway, this is a good example as to why we update. Someone can relate and

learn too.

>

>Does anyone have the oddest behaviors? I don't mean that they act odd,

that's a given. But sometimes it strikes me that actual things they do.

Like my dad has the most ANNOYING habit of taking his cup and turning it

upside down in the dish drainer. This wouldn't be so bad if the cup didn't

ALWAYS have a little bit of milk/juice/soda or whatever left in it and it

wasn't being dumped over clean dishes that aren't clean anymore. Jeez! So

I finally got him to stop that, so he dumps his cup upside down on the

counter. Oh well, dirty liquid on the counter top is easier to clean than a

whole rack of dishes. ;o)

>

> Hi everyone. It's been a month now that Dad's been living in the

> Assisted Living residence, and I figured it's time for an update...

>

> He now seems quite comfortable in the routine. The increased

> confusion of the first week was minor, but I can clearly see where

> that damned fellow, Lewy, continues to take over my gentle father.

>

> ---Today, I took him to the dentist, and in the course of an hour,

> saw several interesting things. First, walking down the hall, he

> asked what was going on - apparently he thought a crowd had gathered

> at the end of the hall. But no one was there. He quickly covered,

> as he normally does, and didn't acknowledge anything was amiss. (I

> read his neuro-psych test results and it said he 'confabulates',

> which means, he's making up information, explanations or excuses.

> I've seen him do it for months, explaining away his problems as

> something other than neurological, but never knew there was a word

> for it!)

>

> ---He seemed proud that, after a month, he knows exactly what it

> takes to unlock his door.

>

> ---When we got to the dentist's parking lot, he got out of the car

> but never considered closing his car door.

>

> ---At the outside of the elevator, I mentioned we needed to go to

> the second floor. He mentioned that there were no numbered buttons

> there to push, and that modern elevators had buttons with numbers on

> them. I said, " No, Dad, you need to push the Up button to call the

> elevator, and then inside there are the buttons for the floor. "

>

> A minute later I joked with him and said, " Dad, you think I'm gonna

> let you drive your car, when you can't operate an elevator?! " (He's

> been trying to get me to give him a key to his car, and leave it at

> the retirement community so that he can have someone drive him

> around, but there's just no way on God's green earth I can do it.

> All it would take is him getting a burr under his saddle and he'd go

> for a wee little test drive to prove me wrong.)

>

> ---It's getting very difficult for him to manage his time. Writing

> things on his calendar, or understanding a schedule of activities is

> getting confusing. I have learned that he can only manage one bit

> of information at a time. Any more than that causes overload.

>

> Sometimes, I need to see these changes in such rapid succession, as

> it helps me stay one step ahead of the LBD. Otherwise, it would be

> SOOOOO easy to let the fluctuations lull me into thinking things

> aren't really all that bad.

>

> I think that's the hardest part of this disease. The not being able

> to see the enemy clearly.

>

> Sad, but handling it,

>

> Welcome to LBDcaregivers.

>

>---------------------------------------------------------------------------

---

>

March 22, 2004

Hi

Can you let me know where you are located so I can add you to the list?

Please include any info. you wish such as your dad's name and age, date of

diagnosis etc and any other info. Please send it to skward2@....

thanks Kath

Re: An update on my Dad

> , I am so glad you wrote this post. Thank you.

>

> My dad is doing MUCH better in the last 6 days in the assisted living