Off Topic Alzheimers

I have my own personal bitter hatred of cancer, but Alzheimer's surely has to be the devil's own joke on humanity.

Just sitting here, 24 hours on.

Should go to bed. Can't

 

Yeah it's a bugger and like you say a cruel joke. To know someone for so long and for it to end so bitterly is a horrible pill to swallow.

 

Yeh when it happens to these clean well respected people
And this happens.
They end up being what they have avoided all there lives

 

Seen it first hand and Cancer - wouldn't wish either of them on many people (there are some that I would but others not)

I worked in an EMI home in Columbia (Washington) when I was 20 as a carer and did some studying towards mental health nursing (never panned out as I wasn't any good at studying and just wanted to get pissed all the time) - they reckon that those who have dementia/alzheimers don't know they have it and therefore don't know anything is wrong with them - it's the people around them that bear the brunt. Cancer everyone bears the brunt as it hits so hard!

And things like this are why I know that god is a myth

 

My old man passed away back in May this year after a long battle with Dementia, it's such a horrible and cruel disease, I wouldn't wish it on anyone mate. It totally strips the affected person of any dignity and basically reduces the person to being a little child trapped inside an adults body.

My Dad had Vascular Dementia, which is basically a series of mini electrical strokes in the brain. Each time a stroke occurs, and you can't tell when they're having one, it wipes out a small area of the brains memory function. This can be anything from someone's name, or in my dads case, it wiped out the ability to know when he was hungry or even full. In the latter stages it wipes out the functions that tell the person they need a piss or a dump and then in the very latter stages it wipes out the ability to breath properly and pneumonia sets in. Typically the cycle from beginning to end is around 8 years and there's varying stages they go through, all progressively worse than the previous stage until death.

For him, it wasn't that bad, although bad enough. The sufferer doesn't really understand what is happening to them and they usually drift of into la-la land totally oblivious to what's taking place. It's the sufferers family that I have a great deal of compassion with as they are the ones facing all the trauma surrounding the disease.

Like I said, it's such a cruel disease and I wouldn't want anyone to have to go through what my dad had.

For the record, Cancer receives 11 times more funding than Alziemhers in the UK and there are 3 times more Alziemhers sufferers than that of Cancer.

 

So very true brother.

 

I worked as a carer /activities worker in Washington Village home for Alzheimers & Dementia and totally agree with all you posted. My mother in law now has Vascular Dementia. She still lives at home as we can look after her with the help of Telecare - fantastic security and support team. I'm trained as a Dementia Friend but its does;nt help that much emotionally.
Support from many community dementia groups (eg Dementia Action Sunderland) and Alzheimer Society is invaluable if you need it. Stay strong and keep active and even try to meet other people in a similar position same - but its and its just an awful awful experience to endure as a family member or friend.

 

Just before I retired my company sent me away on a Pre-Retirement Course.

On of the talks was given by a Doctor.
Lots of advice on lifestyle, most of which I've happily ignored.

One piece though I've passed on to the children.
He said that if we got dementia, get the family to stuff us in the cheapest home they could find.
We wont know or care, it will save cash and with a bit of luck it might cut a bit time off the misery for them.

Brutal, but practical.
I've gone through relatives with this condition.

 

My life has been blessed.

No "owld-timers" or cancer in my combined families, so sorry I can't really contribute except say I reckon both problems are awful and I can't imagine how folk cope with these bombshells.

To all of you out there who have had to cope with the problems, please accept my genuine and deep pride for your fortitude, strength and patience towards sufferers and families alike.

Hope this doesn't sound crass. Just wanted to comment.

x

 

What family would do that though? Do you know what can go on in those places? Don't care if they knew nothing about it, I wouldn't be happy to see a family member sat for prolonged periods in their own **** neglected. Breaks my heat knowing it's going with people I'm not related to. My entire vote for the last general election was centered around social care cause we might end up in our **** and be very aware we are the way it's going.

Scary recommendation from that Dr.

 

I find that comment distasteful, lacking respect from a man that calls himself a medical professional. If he said that to me then he would need every bit of medical knowledge available to put him back together again.

I lost my mother in November last year through Dementia, the last 2 years were hell for her and my younger brother was there 24/7 for her, luckily we didn't follow this pricks advice and my mother died in dignified surroundings with people who cared. The reason it was all left to my brother is because I care for my 37 year old Cerebral Palsy wife who's body has fallen apart the last few years and our 7 year old daughter 24 ****ing 7, so to hear some medical man make this **** as a statement and the gross incompetence I have witnessed the last 8 years with these so called professionals, you can see why I have zero respect.

I corrected a hospital doctor last week, why did I do it? Lets see you work it out without google. My girl has taken Naproxen for the last 5 years, on her records in both surgery and hospital, she takes one 500mg tablet morning and night. As her pelvic pain is high a hospital doctor prescribed 500mg Mefenamic acid tablets, one 3 times a day..

Work it out and you will see why my trust in these people who have sat reading books and getting degrees means sweet FA to me. I live in reality, I live with it day to day, I have probably researched and know more than them ****ers will ever know..

grrr..

 

I've told mine to do it to me, if the case arises.
That's MY choice and made while I'm compos mentis.
I agree though that it's not what I would do for my wife, nor what I've done in the past.

In any case I hope, though don't expect, that Euthanasia will be legalised and come to my rescue.

 

Not nice for your family to see you getting inadequate care. Not one to to interject on peoples private life but you should probably give that a bit more thought and consider your family, after all, like you said, what do you know? Your familywill know and will be hurting enough with your deterioration without them seeing the last of your dignity stripped from you. It's their piece of mind mate.

 

Maybe I should stick my 37 year old wife in a ****-tip, deprive her of seeing her daughter on a day to day basis and I can go back to clicking my cameras and making serious cash?

I don't think no doctor made that remark, I think it is your view, you seem quite a pompous ****er with a statement rather than an opinion. You have crossed my path twice now unintentionally but I always remember someone that pisses me off..

I will say night to you fella, got your drift big style..

 

You won't know or care? What kind of doctor were you listening to pal because that guy sounds like he's a doctor of talking utter ****.

My gran was in a home and a good one and it was 4 years before she deteriorated to the point where she recognised nothing then another 18 months until she passed.

I can only assume your pre-retirement course was around 1600 years ago. In Sierra Leone.

 

That's my impression mate, passing his own drivel off as some professional opinion... Not the type of thing any doctor would say.

Sensitive subject either way, after reading the OP I'd be hesitant to share that sort of stupid crap even if it were true.

 

You seem to have met my daughter!

She did rather react in the way you said.

But it isn't as simple as it's made out to be.

It's OK if The Tab is being picked up by the Local Authority, but if it's not then that's over £500 a week.
Close on £30k a year and unless you've done better than me, that will knack your savings in no time.
And twice as quickly if both of you are affected.
If by chance you had hoped that you were working for your family and hoping to have something to leave them, forget it.

And for what.
Those of you who have visited will have seen the pitiable state most drift into.
It's just my view but I see no dignity in having someone having to wipe my backside or change my nappy for me.

------------

In my earlier post I was unfair to the Doctor who gave us the 'lecture'.
I was trying to keep it short and he was nowhere near as brusque as I made him sound.
But he did remind us that when this awful illness gets a grip, the person you were is no more.
What remains is a shell.

 

The guy has never rung true to me mate, opinionated fart that always makes statements not debate..

Relic?

 

Whoever it is he has no tact. You read a thread and gauge the subject, the mood etc, not the time or place to start talking about disposing of family members as if they're old socks.

Talking about having no dignity, it's ridiculous. Not worthy of respect because you need help with certain things.

What a fantastic dickhead.

 

Been thinking it for a while now mate, I hate statement makers and little seedy creeps. He ticks them boxes for me, whatever his age or circumstances..