The verdict of the specialist we went to see Wednesday last. Reading up on it, so obvious. The symptoms describe Richard perfectly.
He fainted that night, again the next morning. Off to hospital. Stayed for observation a day and a night and half a day. All good. All vital signs good. Same old thing; a drop in blood pressure due to Parkinsons and the Madopar. The specialist gave us a script for something which might lift 'the fog' of dementia. One possible side effect, a drop in blood pressure.
One of the leading causes of death in LBD sufferers is falls, from which a cascading series of physical events occur (a friend's sister, an Alzheimers patient, died from a broken arm). The other is pneumonia from aspirating food/liquid.
Richard had to return to bed this morning, very tired. He's still limping from the first fall (I caught him the second time, cushioned his fall...I was the cushion). His colour is not good. Despite my yearning to have 'him' return to me with the use of the new drug, don't think I can chance it. If he was 5 foot nothing and 50kgs, no worries. But he's 6' and 78kg. When he falls, he falls hard and far.
The usual time from diagnosis to death is 5 to 8 years. It can be 2 to 20. Richard has been deteriorating more quickly. I live with him all day every day, the deterioration should be negligible. But it isn't. I see it.
I'm scared.
I'm also a better carer than I was. I'm learning. I'm loving more. There is a bittersweet tenderness in this long goodbye.
My dad died of alzheimer's years ago, his wife died of LBD a few years later. Please consider a home if insurance will cover it. IF you get injured, he may not be able to call for help for the both of you, and you can go visit him every day. It might be the most loving thing you can do for him.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, Kathy, I honestly didn't see your replies to my posts. I hit publish and go do something else. I am so sorry. You must think me the most self-abosrbed person alive...well, I am perhaps save for Small Hands Trump....ANYWAY - thank you for caring enough to read and comment on my entires. Promise from now on I'll check. Hope you're coping with the lockdown okay. See Michigan has more positives than all of Australia. Very scary, esp. when you have such a Ning Nang in the White House. Stay safe - and BTW, I am so proud and glad you're off the drugs! Love and HUGS .
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