Caring for my Mom, (mother-in-law) with alzheimer's disease.
Posted by ycandrea 9 years, 8 months ago to Philosophy
Our Mom has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease by a neurologist. He says the onset began about 6 years ago and went untreated and there is not much that can be done at this point. He said even if caught early he could have only slowed the progress. He said that along with her memory loss, this disease is also causing a slow degeneration of her entire brain and her body. This woman raised 7 children and was a very outspoken and dominant person. She got things done! Without going into her history, needless to say it is so hard and so sad to watch as her cognitive and logical thinking becoming increasingly non-existent. And to watch her body wasting away. Her internist says she is losing muscle mass and she will not be able to walk much longer. She will become very weak and her organs will begin to fail.
My point in sharing this is to say how I cherish my mind! My ability to think logically. To take things right down to the root. To check my premise. To know that I am. I write this with tears in my eyes because I have known this woman for a very long time and I have always admired her. I will be at her side through it all and she does not even remember me. Or my husband, her son. I know my post may not be very objectivist, and kind of emotional. But I am keeping my wits about me and this blog helps me keep in touch with the best part of myself. Thank you all.
My point in sharing this is to say how I cherish my mind! My ability to think logically. To take things right down to the root. To check my premise. To know that I am. I write this with tears in my eyes because I have known this woman for a very long time and I have always admired her. I will be at her side through it all and she does not even remember me. Or my husband, her son. I know my post may not be very objectivist, and kind of emotional. But I am keeping my wits about me and this blog helps me keep in touch with the best part of myself. Thank you all.
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times. Still, research is going on all the time, and,
who knows, they might come up with a preventive
or even a cure someday.--I doubt that it will be
soon enough to do your beloved mother-in-law any good, but who knows?
My son, my only son and the only one who can carry our family name, was born healthy and beautiful. At about 11 months he came down with an encephalitis that rendered him catatonic. I was so ready to teach him all I had learned in life, to launch him into the world equipped to take it on and be successful. But, our family name ends on this...
Remember to be glad about the life your mother was able to have. It really was a gift.
You have empathetic ears here when you might need them.
These slow degenerative diseases have always seemed to me to be the medical equivalent of the drooling beast in the Fountainhead.
Be as gentle with yourself as you are with your M-I-L, ycandrea. Best wishes.