Looking back over the year, and consistently asking, "What were the first signs?" and coming up with little bits and pieces, I still cannot figure it out. The symptoms began so slightly and so benignly it is tough to judge exactly when Mom began to fall prey to the Lewy Bodies...
In 2003 she and I went on an excursion to England, Wales, and Scotland. She wasn't completely with it, then, but she was her regular self, at the same time. Aside from being a bit more vague than was typical, and clumsy (she broke a rib climbing some stairs - but that was attributed to her being tired, and the time she tried to jump the style in the loo to avoid paying for using it, falling down on the other side).
After returning to the States, she went to the beach house, and then to mine for a few days to visit friends before going back home. That's when she caught my kitchen on fire, which wreaked havoc for me for 7 months. She denied any claim to the damage, but asserted it was due to her I was gaining a remodel...her thinking was completely illogical. Perhaps that was the sign. I don't know.
After that, there were little things, like putting dish soap in the dishwasher and having a flood in the kitchen at her home, yanking out her fridge and breaking the waterline, which caused yet another flood...I saw it as karma at the time (due to her denial of setting my home ablaze), but it could have been more signs.
Then, the housekeeping - she was never terribly fond of it. We had, as brothers, hired housekeepers for her from time to time as gifts, but she had grown less and less interested in dusting and vacuuming. She would rinse off her dishes and put them back in the cupboards, rather than put them in the dishwasher - as she felt they weren't all that dirty. YIKES!
Then in the past 2-3 years the symptoms became much more evident. And, here we are! I'm sure my brothers could also relate some stories that may have evidence of her slow progression to where we are today.
This week, we had a good time.
I brought her some compression hose for her legs and edema. For the first time, she liked them. They weren't so difficult to put on, and they were a strong compression.
Next, we went for a walk down the street and to the park. At the commencement of the short jaunt, she stated she was in pain, but as we continued she felt much better.
We sat in the park and looked at the children playing and the flowers and homes. Next, we went to the residential grounds and sat near the fountain and gardens.
She was going to play BINGO that afternoon, so I left her to her lunch, reminding her of her beauty appointment the next day.
The RLC is hedging on attending her this week, as Connie is down at the beach, and Jean is trying to jibe her schedule with Mom's...
UPDATE: This Week In Review
No RLC visits this week, and the movie was postponed due to illness (I had a cold that I didn't wish to pass on).
Today I put on Mom's hose, again, but it was more difficult (She's not much help - in fact, it'd be easier to take her legs off, put on the hose, then re-attach them) as she kept fidgeting about. But it was done.
She was more flighty in thought, and unable to make connections - this would pass, but then again it would begin.
We went to Mass, and during, she wanted to know which aisle to get to for communion. I motioned to the center, then she began prodding me to move so we could go. I told her it wasn't time yet, but she continued for a few more seconds until I told her the man next to her would be the one to poke. She stopped (Thank God!).
After Mass we went to Jean's house, where we indulged in freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, smoked turkey burgers, cherries, fruit cocktail with pineapple (which Mom mixed with some ice cream), coffee and lemonade. Mom was very content.
However, her mind was working (?) overtime, and she would make super-olympian leaps of thought in her discussions. For instance, she would be talking about food, then in the same sentence transition to her grandfather. I noticed it, but Jean went with it as though it were normal (and it pretty much is, with Mom).
Later she was talking about how she'd like to go to Italy at some point. I reminded her she'd gone a few years back with her friend, Nadya. Mother told me to stop imagining those things. But she had gone. I reminded her of our trip to England, Scotland and Wales, and she did remember that, but she said we had gone, but not to so many places (sic).
She was in a very delightful mood, and was able to laugh a bit.
When I dropped her off, she was very content and ready for a nap.
I will be making an eye appointment for her with the optometrist, as she is "getting crystals on the sides of my eyes", and is worried about where, exactly to put her eye drops in; back to that square again, I suppose.
But, all in all, she's in good health, and her legs are looking much better. The swelling has gone down on her ankles, as well as her legs. She told me she really hates the stockings, but these are the most comfortable ones she's had ever! She can't wait until she doesn't have to wear them again!
Until later this week, I hope I've sated you with information!
In 2003 she and I went on an excursion to England, Wales, and Scotland. She wasn't completely with it, then, but she was her regular self, at the same time. Aside from being a bit more vague than was typical, and clumsy (she broke a rib climbing some stairs - but that was attributed to her being tired, and the time she tried to jump the style in the loo to avoid paying for using it, falling down on the other side).
After returning to the States, she went to the beach house, and then to mine for a few days to visit friends before going back home. That's when she caught my kitchen on fire, which wreaked havoc for me for 7 months. She denied any claim to the damage, but asserted it was due to her I was gaining a remodel...her thinking was completely illogical. Perhaps that was the sign. I don't know.
After that, there were little things, like putting dish soap in the dishwasher and having a flood in the kitchen at her home, yanking out her fridge and breaking the waterline, which caused yet another flood...I saw it as karma at the time (due to her denial of setting my home ablaze), but it could have been more signs.
Then, the housekeeping - she was never terribly fond of it. We had, as brothers, hired housekeepers for her from time to time as gifts, but she had grown less and less interested in dusting and vacuuming. She would rinse off her dishes and put them back in the cupboards, rather than put them in the dishwasher - as she felt they weren't all that dirty. YIKES!
Then in the past 2-3 years the symptoms became much more evident. And, here we are! I'm sure my brothers could also relate some stories that may have evidence of her slow progression to where we are today.
This week, we had a good time.
I brought her some compression hose for her legs and edema. For the first time, she liked them. They weren't so difficult to put on, and they were a strong compression.
Next, we went for a walk down the street and to the park. At the commencement of the short jaunt, she stated she was in pain, but as we continued she felt much better.
We sat in the park and looked at the children playing and the flowers and homes. Next, we went to the residential grounds and sat near the fountain and gardens.
She was going to play BINGO that afternoon, so I left her to her lunch, reminding her of her beauty appointment the next day.
The RLC is hedging on attending her this week, as Connie is down at the beach, and Jean is trying to jibe her schedule with Mom's...
UPDATE: This Week In Review
No RLC visits this week, and the movie was postponed due to illness (I had a cold that I didn't wish to pass on).
Today I put on Mom's hose, again, but it was more difficult (She's not much help - in fact, it'd be easier to take her legs off, put on the hose, then re-attach them) as she kept fidgeting about. But it was done.
She was more flighty in thought, and unable to make connections - this would pass, but then again it would begin.
We went to Mass, and during, she wanted to know which aisle to get to for communion. I motioned to the center, then she began prodding me to move so we could go. I told her it wasn't time yet, but she continued for a few more seconds until I told her the man next to her would be the one to poke. She stopped (Thank God!).
After Mass we went to Jean's house, where we indulged in freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, smoked turkey burgers, cherries, fruit cocktail with pineapple (which Mom mixed with some ice cream), coffee and lemonade. Mom was very content.
However, her mind was working (?) overtime, and she would make super-olympian leaps of thought in her discussions. For instance, she would be talking about food, then in the same sentence transition to her grandfather. I noticed it, but Jean went with it as though it were normal (and it pretty much is, with Mom).
Later she was talking about how she'd like to go to Italy at some point. I reminded her she'd gone a few years back with her friend, Nadya. Mother told me to stop imagining those things. But she had gone. I reminded her of our trip to England, Scotland and Wales, and she did remember that, but she said we had gone, but not to so many places (sic).
She was in a very delightful mood, and was able to laugh a bit.
When I dropped her off, she was very content and ready for a nap.
I will be making an eye appointment for her with the optometrist, as she is "getting crystals on the sides of my eyes", and is worried about where, exactly to put her eye drops in; back to that square again, I suppose.
But, all in all, she's in good health, and her legs are looking much better. The swelling has gone down on her ankles, as well as her legs. She told me she really hates the stockings, but these are the most comfortable ones she's had ever! She can't wait until she doesn't have to wear them again!
Until later this week, I hope I've sated you with information!
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