Mom and Dad

[jaybreak]

I talked to my parents this past weekend, then also to my sister who is handling a lot of their affairs currently. It turns out they are stable but declining. Mom is at stage 5 of 6 in her Alzheimer's. She lives a lot in the past, to put it a certain way. She asks my two sisters about me as if I were still in grade school. Did I get home okay from school, what did they make me for dinner, how was my homework, etc. Sometimes she has trouble recognizing my sisters at first when they visit, but she comes around. 

Dad's dementia is advanced (don't know the stage or the "rating", but it's probably middle stage). He's on new medication for it now, but he was getting sundowning pretty badly. He'd start yelling or throwing things, getting really irritated over simple things. He has macular degeneration fairly badly, so he can't be active much beyond talking or listening to music or the television. That might be worse for him psychologically because he used to read a lot.

When I talked to them over the weekend, I probably got them at a good time because they seemed fairly lucid. Eventually I'm going to catch them at a bad time, chances are. My sister said I should plan on coming up soon to see them, because there's no telling how much either of them have. Prognosis for things like that can be uncertain. I'll likely plan for something soon after the kids are out of school, so around mid-June time.

[Denise]

You and your family I will keep in my prayers. Thank you for letting us know.

[Ed Hurst]

For those of us left behind, that's one of the hardest ways to see family go. May the Lord guide you in this.

[jaybreak]

Thanks yinz!

[forrealone]

Jay, my heart goes out to you.  My father passed 10 weeks after being diagnosed with carcinoma unknown primary, meaning no one knew where the cancer originated, just that it had spread throughout his body.  My mom was diagnosed with Alzheimers and frontal lobe dementia in 2006 and died in the hospital in 2010.  She was lucid throughout until she went to the hospital.  She died six days later.

To watch a loved one die is difficult enough; to watch them die suffering is very difficult.  To let them go, for me, was the most difficult.

I pray that you and your family will have the strength, courage and ability to deal with these very trying times.  May Our Heavenly Father grant you all that you need.  Continual prayers will be lifted up for all of you.

Love you, dear Brother!