It amazes me that I am finding more and more friends that are reading my blog and finding out how dad is doing. Today he is resting more comfortably but he is not getting any better. His urine is getting darker and darker and he has not really opened his eyes to look at us. My mom has not left his side most of the time holding his hand. This is one tough journey.
We read the binder they provided for us when we brought dad here. It has information about what to expect and look for. I can tell you honestly it is a great depressing resource. I am still struggling with the responsibility of bringing him here. I know he is really sick and will get sick again but going this way is just really hard. They are telling us that it is harder on us than on him and I am praying that is true.
I am struggling right now on what to do tomorrow. I want to stay by my dad and there are some things that must occur before he passes but I feel responsible for my students and the running of my classroom. At this point I think I will go to school tomorrow if for no other reason but to get ready for a longer absence. I am praying for understanding and a delay.
Tonight is the Superbowl. My dad would have loved to watch the game. He was a die hard sports fan. He loved the Colts and the Pacers as if they were his own children. He actually attended more of their events than mine. (Interesting thought...) He could tell you who was playing and their record. He can't do that anymore and it breaks your heart.
I've been thinking... wouldn't it be nice if people had expiration dates. Then we would know when and how we would leave this world. Today was amazing. It has been so comforting to see so many family and friends. I know my dad heard everyone of their voices. The food from friends and relatives and friends watching the kids has been more than helpful, it has been a Godsend. Thank you so much for everything that you have done. I can honestly say this is the toughest time I have ever had to go through and I wouldn't not wish it on anyone.
Last night I went home and read from the book The 36 Hour Day. In it I found the following points.
Death
- p. 113 The immediate cause of death is often a complicating condition, such as a pneumonia, dehydration, infection, or malnutrition, but the actual cause of death is the dementing illness.
- p. 117 The questions that families often face include whether to hospitalize a person, use tubes to feed a person who has stopped eating or markedly limit their food and fluid intake, or treat concurrent illness with antibiotics or surgery.
- p. 121 The person living with someone who as dementia may know tht theperosn is impaired yet get no support or understaind from others who cannot see the problem. Friends may say the "he looks and sound perfectly all right. I don't see why he cannot remember to call me." Family members may not be able to differentiate between real memory loss and plain contrariness.
- p. 212 When the person does not know they have memory problems, h may manage for years until a crisis occurs. Families are often shocked and distresed by the extent fo the problem when they finally learn of it.
- p.162 Hallucinations are a symptom, like a fever or sore throat.
- Hallucinations develop as an inexplicable part of the dementia.
- Amyloid proteins - abnormal deposits of a protein called amyloid are found in the brains of people with Alzheimers
Debbie
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