crazietalk.net

shereec wrote:AD - sending hugs and vibes. We're here for you!

Thanks, shereec.

IowaDevil wrote:Hugs, prayers and vibes from Iowa!

Thanks, IowaDevil.

CameronBornAndBred wrote:Sorry to hear this news, best vibes to you and to her.

Thanks, CB&B.

Devil in the Blue Dress wrote:

ArkieDukie wrote:An update: my mom had an appointment yesterday with a neuropsychologist. After going through a battery of exams, she was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia. The telling exam: if she had a pile of letters, she could put them in the correct order. If she had a pile of numbers, she could put them in the correct order. If the two piles were mixed together, she didn't know what to do.

This is going to be really tough. Her communication skills will continue to deteriorate. We just have to hope that the progression is slow and that drugs can help. The seeming sudden appearance and fast progression to the current stage have me worried, though. Please send vibes - we're all going to need them.

My mother has been going through a similar progression over the past year. I have become the primary care giver.... a life changing transition.

There is a web site I've found to be quite helpful. It has lots of information and sources for more information to help with understanding what's taking place, how to help your mother and how to help yourself. Here's a link if you wish to explore: http://www.caring.com/

Thanks for the link, DitBD. I'll definitely take a look at it. Might end up sending it to my siblings as well.

Sending vibes to you and your mom.

lawgrad91 wrote:

ArkieDukie wrote:An update: my mom had an appointment yesterday with a neuropsychologist. After going through a battery of exams, she was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia. The telling exam: if she had a pile of letters, she could put them in the correct order. If she had a pile of numbers, she could put them in the correct order. If the two piles were mixed together, she didn't know what to do.

This is going to be really tough. Her communication skills will continue to deteriorate. We just have to hope that the progression is slow and that drugs can help. The seeming sudden appearance and fast progression to the current stage have me worried, though. Please send vibes - we're all going to need them.

AD, vibes and prayers for your mother, and your whole family. We're all here for you; our shoulders are broad and our ears are ready to listen.

Thanks, lawgrad.

OZZIE4DUKE wrote:Vibes for you and your mom, AD. }}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

Thanks, Ozzie. Still sending vibes to you and your family this week, too.

bluebutton wrote:

ArkieDukie wrote:An update: my mom had an appointment yesterday with a neuropsychologist. After going through a battery of exams, she was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia. The telling exam: if she had a pile of letters, she could put them in the correct order. If she had a pile of numbers, she could put them in the correct order. If the two piles were mixed together, she didn't know what to do.

This is going to be really tough. Her communication skills will continue to deteriorate. We just have to hope that the progression is slow and that drugs can help. The seeming sudden appearance and fast progression to the current stage have me worried, though. Please send vibes - we're all going to need them.

I did quite a bit of work with FTD patients in graduate school and first, huge vibes for your whole family.

Assuming the FTD diagnosis is correct, you can take solace that she will not be able to understand her own deterioration.

Here's the Association for FTD website: http://www.theaftd.org/

Another resource is "What if it's not Alzheimer's?". http://www.amazon.com/What-Its-Not-Alzh ... 1591020875

PM me if you ever want to talk about the process or want to connect with neurologists or support groups for caregivers. Ultimately, caregivers are the ones who bear the brunt of the disease.

Hugs from Austin,

Thanks so much for the information, bluebutton. I'll look over the information you sent me, and I might PM you sometime if I have questions. It's good to know I have a friend with experience in the area.

Ima Facultiwyfe wrote:Thanks for the links, BB. Seems an awful lot of us are dealing with this same situation. My mom, too. The links will be valuable to me as well.
Love, Ima

Sending vibes to you and to your mom, Ima.

CathyCA wrote:Oh, AD, I am so sorry to learn this.

I'm hoping that the drugs will give your mom a neuro-boost and that she will be able to have many happy years spent with family and friends.

(((HUGS)))

Thanks, Cathy!

Vibes to AD! Thanks to blue button and others for those links. Really good web sites.

Lavabe wrote:Vibes to AD! Thanks to blue button and others for those links. Really good web sites.

Thanks, Lavabe.

I've spent the last 30 minutes or so reading websites. They contain excellent information. I also bought the book that bluebutton recommended. Science nerd that I am, I want information and a plan. Sounds like frontotemporal dementia patients work well with scheduled days, and one day at a time. I think this is something my family is equipped to do. My younger sister, the one who has really been the driving force behind setting up all the visits with specialists, has MS. Hers is a bit unusual in that it affects memory and cognition. This means she has to make lots of checklists and write down what she has done. It sounds like this sort of thing might be helpful for Mom. The only difference is that we will need to help her make the lists and schedule her day.

The other interesting bit of information that I got from the website is that my mom is well past the normal age at which this disease is diagnosed. Looking back, I think the symptoms have been there for a while and we just didn't know what was going on. Major kudos to my sister for setting up appointments with the Center on Aging at UAMS, because otherwise we'd still be trying to figure out the source of the problem. Many people may think Arkansas doesn't have much going for it, but it has one of the nation's top geriatrics programs. That's good news for us. (As an aside, UAMS is probably the absolute best place in the country to go if you have multiple myeloma. I seriously hope none of you ever need to use that piece of information.)

Many hugs and vibes, AD sis (((((( )))))))

My Mom has an appointment this afternoon with a Gastroenterologist. I don't think it looks very good.
She's 91, has scoliosis and, after an MRI, is showing signs of a twisted stomach.
I have no idea what to expect. If this diagnosis is true, I think that with her age and other condition, they may be very hesitant on what procedures to follow ahead with.

Can anyone here offer insight?

I'm gonna spend the morning trying to make sure all her personal affairs are in order.

captmojo wrote:My Mom has an appointment this afternoon with a Gastroenterologist. I don't think it looks very good.
She's 91, has scoliosis and, after an MRI, is showing signs of a twisted stomach.
I have no idea what to expect. If this diagnosis is true, I think that with her age and other condition, they may be very hesitant on what procedures to follow ahead with.

Can anyone here offer insight?

I'm gonna spend the morning trying to make sure all her personal affairs are in order.

captmojo wrote:My Mom has an appointment this afternoon with a Gastroenterologist. I don't think it looks very good.
She's 91, has scoliosis and, after an MRI, is showing signs of a twisted stomach.
I have no idea what to expect. If this diagnosis is true, I think that with her age and other condition, they may be very hesitant on what procedures to follow ahead with.

Can anyone here offer insight?

I'm gonna spend the morning trying to make sure all her personal affairs are in order.

Vibes, hugs and prayers from Iowa to you and your Mom!

captmojo wrote:My Mom has an appointment this afternoon with a Gastroenterologist. I don't think it looks very good.
She's 91, has scoliosis and, after an MRI, is showing signs of a twisted stomach.
I have no idea what to expect. If this diagnosis is true, I think that with her age and other condition, they may be very hesitant on what procedures to follow ahead with.

Can anyone here offer insight?

I'm gonna spend the morning trying to make sure all her personal affairs are in order.

Vibes, hugs, and prayers for you, capt.

My only advice is to ask lots of questions. If something doesn't make sense to you, make the doc explain again.

I'm vibing and praying for you all and for your mom's medical team.

captmojo wrote:My Mom has an appointment this afternoon with a Gastroenterologist. I don't think it looks very good.
She's 91, has scoliosis and, after an MRI, is showing signs of a twisted stomach.
I have no idea what to expect. If this diagnosis is true, I think that with her age and other condition, they may be very hesitant on what procedures to follow ahead with.

Can anyone here offer insight?

I'm gonna spend the morning trying to make sure all her personal affairs are in order.

Vibes and prayers from the varnish zone.

I wish I had some advice.

Vibes and prayers from Ft. Lauderdale, Capt. }}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

Thanks y'all.
She's gonna stay on a liquid diet for a while. She has been set up to meet with a surgeon on April 5th. We'll hang in there until then.