tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6426202096598051070.post3346073411375827867..comments2024-01-04T09:23:45.843-05:00Comments on Watching the Lights Go Out: What Happened to the Laundry?David Hilfiker http://www.blogger.com/profile/00479949692410414480noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6426202096598051070.post-90619969421713150632013-12-15T17:49:15.841-05:002013-12-15T17:49:15.841-05:00I appreciate your words. My much loved mom is sli...I appreciate your words. My much loved mom is slipping away from me, more each week. You give me a lot to think about, as this seems to run in our family. Thanks for your efforts here. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6426202096598051070.post-86300686582513781242013-12-13T11:20:50.131-05:002013-12-13T11:20:50.131-05:00Thank you very much for the above comment. I didn...Thank you very much for the above comment. I didn't consider anosognosia, but I think you're correct that it could very well be the issue. I first learned about anosognosia way back in medical school: Stroke victims who might have lost the use of, say, the entire left side of their body could not recognize the loss and would insist that their left side was just fine, clearly not a psychological condition but a physical injury to part of the brain, in this case due to Alzheimer's. If you're interested in further information, I wrote an entire post on this on Aug 21 "It's Not Denial." While it's quite uncommon in stroke victims, I suspect it's much more common in Alzheimer's. The response to that post was that when caregivers realized that their loved one had no control whatsoever over their "denial," the caregiver found it much easier to relate to the affected person.<br />Again, to Anonymous (2), thanks for writing. It's important to be continually reminded about the condition.David Hilfiker https://www.blogger.com/profile/00479949692410414480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6426202096598051070.post-27783090510446185672013-12-13T01:00:05.243-05:002013-12-13T01:00:05.243-05:00I agree with David that you are in a very difficul...I agree with David that you are in a very difficult situation. Seeing what your husband doesn't (or can't) puts you on a rough tightrope.<br /><br />I'm responding to the word "denial" and would ask you to consider anosognosia, i.e., lack of psychological insight. I don't know if it applies in your husband's case, but it applies in my partner's case. She has MS that acts like traumatic brain injury, with significant damage to her prefrontal cortex. Much of her behavior looks like denial, but I believe there are instances where her brain simply does not make the necessary connections for her to perceive that something is wrong. For years she had insisted she was fine, when I could see clearly that she was not. Her surgery for an unrelated condition allowed me to assemble a healthcare team. These days she says she's thankful that I had dragged her "kicking and screaming" (her words) into getting help.<br /><br />The difference between denial and anosognosia has helped me in my approach to her condition. Denial is a defense mechanism, which to me implies a kind of deliberateness even if not consciously realized. Whereas anosognosia to me implies a more organic damage that truly alters one's perception of reality. What helped me, especially in the beginning, was keeping a log of incidents that I could share with healthcare professionals.<br /><br />David, I am very thankful not only for your candid exploration of your own condition and the way in which you educate us through your writing, but also for your tremendous sense of grace in light of all that is happening. Even when dealing with confusion, you do so with great clarity and compassion. Thank you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6426202096598051070.post-54743227485343585482013-12-12T12:16:21.041-05:002013-12-12T12:16:21.041-05:00What I notice about cognitive impairment is that a...What I notice about cognitive impairment is that although we all make mistakes, the person who is impaired has a hard time figuring out what went wrong and coming up with a solution, as David described in this post. That's an important distinction for the "worried well" who are noticing problems and worrying that it may be an early sign of dementia.<br /><br />There's a common saying about dementia, that it's normal to lose your keys, but not normal to forget what a key is used for. In my experience, dementia symptoms will be noticed long before you get to that point.Pat Japenganoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6426202096598051070.post-48936146855686260992013-12-11T18:25:32.633-05:002013-12-11T18:25:32.633-05:00In the area of cognitive impairment, ANYthing is p...In the area of cognitive impairment, ANYthing is possible. In my case, low risk factors for cardiovascular disease, a negative physical, a normal MRI, and the pattern of symptoms make it unlikely. But anything is possible.David Hilfiker https://www.blogger.com/profile/00479949692410414480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6426202096598051070.post-2144179219834183862013-12-11T18:23:00.191-05:002013-12-11T18:23:00.191-05:00It's a very difficult situation you've bee...It's a very difficult situation you've been put into. On the one hand, the important advantage of getting a thorough medical evaluation is that there are medical causes of MCI and dementia that are reversible or for which steps can be taken to minimize progression. It's true that Alzheimer's (70-80%) and Lewy-Body disease (10-20%) are both untreatable at the present time. The progression of the next most common cause, vascular dementia (from small strokes), can be slowed down by diet and exercise. But then there are a range of uncommon causes that can be treated. And those are worth finding out about.<br />On the other hand, if your husband isn't interested in finding out at this point, then you're probably not going to change thatlDavid Hilfiker https://www.blogger.com/profile/00479949692410414480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6426202096598051070.post-31760552298060532112013-12-11T17:24:34.502-05:002013-12-11T17:24:34.502-05:00Hi David, I have been following your blog for mont...Hi David, I have been following your blog for months and know that you have had extensive testing, but I am going to go out on a limb here and ask if it is possible that you are experiencing TIAs.cvhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03340889355778296500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6426202096598051070.post-86476069062210009782013-12-11T17:20:03.871-05:002013-12-11T17:20:03.871-05:00I've been following your blog for two months a...I've been following your blog for two months and have found it very helpful. For several years, I've suspected that my husband has something going on. He's 56 years of age. The episodes are intermittent, but are increasing in number and intensity. Sometimes it's a matter of him being unable to remember something he was told a few minutes previously, or having to repeat it several times in a few minutes. At times, he seems unable to think out several steps ahead. He definitely prefers to do things automatically, and not have to plan them. He has always misplaced keys and wallet, but now if they're on separate tables within feet of each other, he doesn't see the items or have the awareness to look for them. He has taken a few steps to investigate the cause, but he's basically in denial about the changes. It helps to read your blog, because it shows me that there is an intermittency about the process. Sadly, it also leads me to believe he's experiencing MCI, and it's difficult to know how to respond to him when he wants to be treated like a rational man when he's not acting like one. <br /><br />My father has Alzheimer's and has been in a care facility for two years. My mother visits him often, and shares her experiences with him. We live in another state, so I'm not around on a regular basis. But some of what she's experiencing with Dad sounds really familiar to me.<br /><br />Thank you for sharing your insights as you travel this road.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6426202096598051070.post-14085202563612874452013-12-11T15:25:53.017-05:002013-12-11T15:25:53.017-05:00I am incredibly impressed that you were able to fi...I am incredibly impressed that you were able to find the experience more fascinating than disturbing. I truly admire your ability to view this experience objectively. There is no better way to describe aging gracefully than that. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03828440573673170480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6426202096598051070.post-18340452346955460992013-12-11T14:14:04.811-05:002013-12-11T14:14:04.811-05:00 I found the sock. I found the sock.David Hilfiker https://www.blogger.com/profile/00479949692410414480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6426202096598051070.post-91457101484611886412013-12-11T14:07:11.343-05:002013-12-11T14:07:11.343-05:00Even those not cognitively challenged have similar...Even those not cognitively challenged have similar laundry moments, right along with disappearing socks. This was a lovely piece.Mike Dabneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02727537182068528273noreply@blogger.com