These are a few things that I have learned in this process with my mother-in-law. Please understand everyone's journey to an Alzheimer's diagnosis is different, but many times there can be a common theme. I will share our experiences.
1. If the person is concerned they have AD, that doesn't mean they don't have it.
-I had always read those having AD are unaware and in denial of their
memory issues. So when my mother-in-law was concerned about her memory,
we told her the fact she was worried was a sign there was no need to
worry. The reality is she knew and still does...We were the ones
that were wrong.
2. You don't have to find the iron in the freezer, before you become concerned about
Alzheimer's.
-An example given on an Alzheimer's web-site states people with AD misplace
things, but it is finding they have put the iron in the freezer that is a
warning sign. Yes, by the time someone is putting the iron in the
the freezer, I would like to think family or friends would have recognized
many other things first.
My mother-in-law would have have put the spoons with the forks or changed
the placement in her kitchen utensil drawer, but most people would blow
that off. The comment would be made that she at least had all her
silverware in the same location.
3. If a loved one complains it is hard to "see", it may not be their vision, but
their cognition.
-It was after my mother-in-laws cataract surgery, she continued to
complain about her eyesight. She said even after her surgery, she
just couldn't see as well. We confirmed with the eye doctor, her
eye sight was close to perfect. He went on to say that she would need
glasses only for reading. It was a year later, I had the "light bulb"
moment. I will have several post pertaining to the "eyesight" in the
future.
4. The person loses focus and /or concentration often and at inappropriate times.
-For awhile, the family had noticed there was a significant loss of
focus with my mother-in-law. Then the discussion of her driving
came up. We had spoken to her psychologist that had told us it would
be best if my mother-in-law's driving would be restricted to day only.
She would not be able to drive at night anymore. As you could imagine
this is a day no one wants to come. She felt her independence was taken
away. She was sad, angry, frustrated and agitated, then enters the cat.
My mother-in-law with tears still running down her face looks at the
cat, and starts talking to her. A smile across her face, she looks at my
us and says, "Isn't she pretty?" My husband and I looked at each other
as to say, "What the hell just happened?"
5. Many little pieces of paper and "post-it's" laying around the house with phone
numbers, starts of grocery list and home address.
-My mother-in-law was always a "list" person and like to have everything
written down. We were used to the lists, but when you find your number
on "post-it's" in nearly every room of the house, we were impressed by
the situation. In addition to our phone numbers, she had her phone
number and address written on pieces of paper and in her address book
and calendar. She had started many different grocery lists and each list
had many of the same items on it.
I realize we all make grocery lists or write numbers down, but it was
the sheer number of "post-it's" and the placement of some of them that
made it all a little disturbing.
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