mom has had visuals at different time for years but suddenly this morning it got real. i asked her if she wanted breakfast in town, she claimed i threatened to gouge her eye out. took her to town she thought all the windows had been kicked out of the wendys resteraunt. they were dark tinted. it hasnt let up all day. she stood in my presence and talked to a little boy in the dining room. he doesnt exist but this is the first time shes openly conversed with the ' kids ' . she believes the house contains several people but its just her, myself and the parrot. she whispers to me so noone overhears us. i saw her stash money in a locked closet today. its a good thing i saw her cause she'll have the sheriff looking for it tomorrow . it isnt letting up. there are a steady stream of cars in the driveway, ducks in the yard, an ' elephant 'of a woman lying in her bed, etc.
oddly she is calm and often smiling , not under duress at all. called nurse, nurse will check for infection or fever but she told me the talking to kids and stuff was a pretty normal (re) gression of the dementia. it sure happened fast is all im sayin. im not letting it get to me and im not disputing what shes seeing, just downplaying any danger the intruders might pose. ducks in the front yard? meh, live and let live i say.. if i dispute everything she sees ill be the enemy in 10 seconds flat. it aint worth it..
Maybe you and the deputy can grab a beer sometime together and commiserate. Always good to have a deputy as a friend!
((((hugs))))
Capn- how are you and your Mom? Please let us know how you are doing!!
Here is part of the article I read...
It is essential that all of these neurotransmitters maintain their delicate harmony for soundness and sanity to be maintained. If they should slip out of proper balance, abnormalities in thought, emotions and behavior can begin to appear. In the case of a severe serotonin imbalance, anxiety, depression, panic, rage, and obsessive compulsive behavior can result. If breakdown continues past a certain point, these abnormalities can deteriorate into dementia.
Once dementia has made its presence known, many new and disturbing behavioral and psychological symptoms can appear. The individual may suddenly be prone to wandering, and may become uncharacteristically aggressive. They may be highly depressed and forgetful, and lose their desire to eat. Excessive anxiety and phobias can increasingly hold sway over them.
As always - look after you.
This post caught my eye quickly. My mom was recently diagnosed with dementia following a stroke (cat scan and EEG verified the diagnosis).
Mom has been seeing "visitors" at night too, her apartment is a hopping place some nights. I'm often told the next morning about the Chinese lady, the nurse in the orange sweater, or any number of folks that aren't there. Recently there has been an imaginary cat. Of course this freaked me out at first, but she seems to deal with like it nothing new.
All this is terribly overwhelming and I'm getting my feet on the ground for the long haul. Glad I found this web site..... thanks for listening
Hang in there.
My mom acted very weird in the day or two before breaking each of her hips, respectively, including ambulating herself around the house to pack up clothes for the little boy she was hallucinating, evidently in her care....when we found out in the ER that her hip was, yes, broke...she simply said, "No more babysitting for me."
That was a rollercoaster day, for sure.
In the strictly medical realm, is a detached retina possible?
BTW, have you ever watched "A Beautiful Mind"? Even had some of the same cast of characters (small child). The "other people" may be her brain's interpretation of the sounds in the house (living with a parrot...he counts as a "person" probably!).
An apparent decline for my husband always signaled some kind of physical ailment, and usually was the first symptom. When he started acting odder than usual I'd be a the lookout for a fever or an ache or a complaint, which usually came within two days. Occasionally the odd behaviors would clear up without any sickness showing up. I always figured there was something there but it never developed to be serious enough to show other symptoms.
PS...If there is duck poop in the yard tomorrow then it is time to question your vision and not hers!
I hope that tomorrow is better for you and your mother even if it is only for a day. :)
Hang in there Capnhardass. We are here for you. ((((hugs)))