Sun-downers/Dementia/Alzheimer's

[RevDWW]

Have any of you had experiences with any of these conditions in your loved ones?

My Father In Law, who is 84, is having these problems now and they are getting worse. His health has deteriorated over the last year with major heart problems and stage three stomach cancer. He went through chemo and radiation and tolerated it very well. But just before his six week check up after his cancer treatment he began to show signs of memory loss and forgetfulness. We thought it might be medication related, but now we know it was the onset of these mental issues. The week end before Thanksgiving, my wife, her sister and brother, brought him down here to be in a facility closer to us. Some days are better then others. Some days, like today, he just doesn't know where he is and is very confused. When visiting with him today he talked as if he and I where on the North Road in Wisconsin hunting Ruffled Grouse, when in reality we were in a health facility in Louisiana. He was in a nursing home here until Friday when he thought he was being held hostage by the Orderlies and set off a fire extinguisher in another patients room so that the Sheriff would be called and he would be let go. He did something similar in Wisconsin but just set off the fire alarms. It's funny when you know him. But sad that he is loosing touch with reality. Please remember Clarence (my FIL), my wife and her family in prayer.