No Food for Me-Alzheimer’s in the Family

Mom has been having a hard time since last Friday, almost a week. She fell twice on Friday and has been weak and more disoriented. I took her to her personal care physician (PCP) yesterday as her BP and pulse were all over the place. Pulse varied from 49 to 94 in just a few hours.

The PCP did a physical, EKG, urinalysis and blood work. They told me to call her neurologist and move her recheck appointment from September to now. Mom has lost 16 pounds in less than 6 weeks. I can hardly get her to eat anything. She’s not hungry. We have added Ensure and I can pour it on ice cream if it helps to get it in. We all know how much she likes ice cream but sometimes she refuses that too.

The PCP ordered her a new walker and scheduled her to get a 30 day heart monitor to determine what is happening with her heart. We get that in the morning. Mom has been taking things apart for a while so I hope the monitor survives and we can develop a treatment plan.

I have a call in to the neurologist and awaiting a new appointment. Her PCP says there is a medication that may help her appetite. The neurologist needs to prescribe it but if he doesn’t the PCP will.

This is an interesting journey. No two days are alike. At present mom has extreme difficulty in walking and is very wobbly. She has no energy to do easy and routine tasks. For the past 2-3 days she says,”I know I’m going out.” When I talk to her about it she says she is referring to dying. She just knows she is dying. I always tell her, “Not today,” and that all of us will eventually die. She also speaks of leaving a debt burden for me, although I tell her she doesn’t owe anyone anything. My day is spent reassuring her when she expresses a worry.

So we go for the monitor tomorrow and we get results from all the tests so we can make a new plan. All I can do is keep her safe, love her and reassure her. We live each day as it comes. Thanks to the advice of a friend, I am approaching events and decisions from a clinical standpoint and using my heart to love her. It helps.

More later. Thanks for reading.