May 15 2008
Lewy Body Dementia
Have you heard of it? Lewy Body Dementia? This is the official diagnosis for my dad. We had been told it was Alzheimer’s. And this can be associated with that. But he does not have Alzheimer’s.
Lewy Body Dementia is a very common diagnosis in the elderly. As a matter of fact, it is the second leading cause of dementia and 50% of Parkinsons Disease patients develop this dementia.
So Daddy officially is diagnosed as having Parkinson’s Disease with Lewy Body Dementia. There is no cure. And the doctor told my Mom that Daddy has had this a VERY long time. That the damage in his brain is significant. He is changing his meds because he wants to gear more towards the findings now.
Okay… so my thoughts on this are… WHAT THE HECK? WHY DO YOU PEOPLE CALL IT ONE THING AND THEN TELL US ANOTHER? DIAGNOSE IT AND MOVE ON. QUIT SPECULATING! Sheesh!
On the other hand, thank you for finally giving us answers. We were not satisfied with the Alzheimer’s diagnosis. The Parkinson’s fits… and now this.
Mother did ask the doctor if Daddy will ever come home and he said never. Daddy will never come back home. He is too far advanced. So I think she is absolutely clear, as are we, that Daddy is where is going to be at for awhile.
Momma is really having a hard time this week. She told the nursing home that when he is asking for her to go ahead and let him call. But now Daddy will really make her feel bad for not being there with him or not picking him up.
Someone that has walked through this with their parents told Mom the other day that she needs to only visit him one time a day and to go on about her business. She said that her father had to do that with his wife because it was just too much for him.
Easier for a child to say than a spouse. Mom feels that she has to be ever vigilant for Daddy in the nursing home. Case in point: This afternoon, Mom went to see Daddy after having been with him all morning through tests at the doctor’s office. She said when she arrived, Daddy was wet. So wet that he had not been changed probably since that morning. She said that his room had a urine smell and that the man that shares the room was also soaked.
Mom blew and immediately found one of the administration. DON’T GET THAT LITTLE WOMAN FIRED UP PEOPLE! SHE CAN KICK BUTT! She told him they better get him changed NOW and that she wanted the room cleaned and the other patient checked!
The administrator went to the room and immediately came back and had people moving. She said she could see his embarrassment about the situation and she knew he was unhappy with his staff. Daddy was cleaned up and she stayed to see him fed and resting.
We are so praying for an opening to come up at another nursing home. But, they all have their problems. And I think it is sad to know many are forgotten in the homes. We rarely see visitors when we are there.
So… we have something new to learn about. Lewy Body Dementia… so common I have never heard of it. 
Have a blessed weekend!
