I wouldn't dare say why some people have experienced alzheimers.. I am not one that believes God curses us with anything. I do know that often it is someone of "strong mind" and I don't mean so much strong willed, but of those who are "choleric" often business people and leaders. One thing that I will say about my mother is she was a woman who got things accomplished. I give her honor because the older I get, the more I appreciate who she was and what she did for God, family and the church.
My mother is still living, has end stage Alzheimers and has been on hospice for the last two years....mainly because of her weight...she only weighs about 80lbs at 5ft. She will be 80 in Oct. I go to see her every week...I miss her because she doesn't know who I am now...doesn't communicate much.
It is a sad disease and I know that we let my mom drive longer than most would, but this is a relatively small town and we never feared her getting lost really. The police would have brought her home. They do go through times of anger, she went off walking because she was mad at me. I let her go, exasperated with her..believe me there are many moments of exasperation. I figured I would go out and drive up and down the street till I found her...only to get a call that she was ok...she had walked about a mile away and ran into someone who was a former church member...they took her to my brother. She lived next door to the church and my brother.
She had a beaten path that went from her house to my house, one of the only places she knew how to get to in the car...that and the goodwill.
and I think it was because she used to live in this home. We only lived a mile apart...about the time we were thinking we had to take her license my sister totaled her Cadillac and that solved the problem..whew.
She went to live with my sister after that.
It is sad at times, you want to share, but she is no longer there....but to be honest, we have all had some really good memories also...she turned into a really funny, lovable, skirts w/tennis shoe wearing grandma who talked to strangers...especially good looking men. We had so many laughs...not at her, we love her..situations were just funny. She had been a very strict, disciplined, well dressed woman of manners...no nonsense, and could definitely speak her mind...was a business woman, great with money, but a real stick in the mud. I butted heads with her most of my life. lol
She was quite lovable and humorous for a long time with this disease. She now spends her days singing...she sings when she tries to talk, and sings herself to sleep... always singing. The walking, pacing stage was probably one of the most annoying, but she slowed down...got tired I guess. She lives in a clean home where a staff takes care of 10 elderly people...she is still self pay after all these years.
The days I walk in (far and few between) and her face lights up when she realizes I have come to see her and for about 30 seconds I KNOW my mother knows who I am... makes my week...month for that matter.
I hope they don't let doctors medicate your friend.... I would say that education about the disease is a must, know what doctors try to give as medications, and research... my mother isn't medicated or in a stupor, we refused to let them do that to her. They do not need anything unless they are really unable to be handled. Sun downers is normal and they are their best in the mornings. I think they are handing out way too many psychotic drugs now...and they all sit around in stupors very compliant and easy for the people to handle. That's wrong...they just need to be kept busy doing things. ..they might be forgetful, but they are still parents, family and friends. Our parents didn't drug us when we were in our terrible twos and embarrassing them.
as you can see I have lots to say about the disease... my mom was diagnosed in 96, and has had it for 15 years...a long time.
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