When we moved my mom into her seniors apartment from her house, I had to explain to her several times why we couldn’t plug the phone into the plug-in on the stove. She has Alzheimer’s. It’s more than just basic forgetfulness, but seeing a doctor about your symptoms could ease your mind.
Oh, sorry Quasi, I see you’ve had a diagnosis. Well, I’m sorry to hear this. I hope the Aricept helps a lot.
Very Best Mojo to you, Bill. Take care of yourself. I think the journal is a very good idea…
Oh dear, Quasi. That’s scary. I wish you all the best.
Okay, just to kinda keep y’all in the “loop”:
Last Monday, I had an EEG done to test for Parkinson’s. I won’t find out the results until October 14th, the date of my next neurologist appointment, but I am sure it has been interpreted and if there were a positive result, I would have been notified. At any rate, I cannot get results over the phone. (Guess they want their co-pay).
In other news, I had to come off the Aricept. It was just causing too many problems combined with other meds I was taking.
Here’s what happened to me Wednesday, Sept. 10th:
At 3 in the morning, I woke up and could not swallow. I became very apprehensive and afraid I had had a stroke, so I got up and drank some water to see if my epilglottis would open. It did, but as far as “dry swallowing” I just could not do it, so I drank water (never drank so much water in all my life) until about 6 am when the dysphagia finally let up.
I am also on Lasix for my blood pressure, and I think the two might have combined to dry me up too much.
So I called the neuro guy and he took me off the Aricept and wrote a scrip for Numenda.
As far as the Parkinson’s, yeah, I do have tremors, but until the EEG results who’s to say that it’s Alzheimers-related?
As far as anything pro-active, I am writing down everything in a small notebook now, and I have begun playing LOTR online to help my memory.
I am a Level 5 “Champion” and many of the “Deeds” I have to accomplish depend on remembering the way to certain areas and what weapon strikes do how much damage. It’s fun and takes my mind off other stuff I keep forgetting.
That’s it for now.
Thanks
Q
Best of luck to you, pal. You’ve got a lot of people here hoping your neurologists find you some good meds to help you get through this. Keep us posted, and keep your spirits high.
There have been some astonishing recent breakthroughs in Alzheimer drugs, so hang in there! And if you have a chance to join a study, do it. My husband has been a guinea pig a couple of times and thought the experiences were really worthwhile.
My best wishes to you in this scary time.
Thanks for the update, Quasi. Hubby and I are rooting for ya.
I second those sentiments. Wishing you well!
Another Doper chiming in to say thanks for the update. It sounds like you are doing everything possible to fight this - good for you.
Hey, that’s word for word what my doc told me when I had the same concern as Quasi, …and then he added that I probably have CRS* disease. He’s a smartass, my doctor.
*Can’t Remember Shit
Edited to add: I missed your update Quasi. I’ll be hoping for the best for you!
****Elizabeth Kübler-Ross wrote that there are 5 stages of grief when dealing with tragedy or a terminal illness.
Because y’all are Dopers, and therefore (IMHO) smarter than the average bear, I will not post them here, except to tell you I think I went straight to “Acceptance”, although she did write we might not neccesarily experience them all in order.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I am in counselling for this, and one of the things I am having to “work through” is the fact that at 57, I am in the best possible physical condition of my life! I weigh 175, keep fit, and will try to run the Atlanta Half-Marathon on Thanksgiving Day.
I guess you could say that even though I am in “Acceptance”, I am also in the “Anger” phase at the same time, because I just cannot believe that this is happening to me!
I see younger men in my ER (Ealy 30’s) in cardiac arrest, and every time I do, it reminds me that we are mortal, and even though that little organ beats 24/7/365, it isn’t guaranteed unless we do something to help it along.
And then we get all indignant when it “seizes up” on us, because we have treated it like shit for so long.
But what does one do for the MIND?
Would I want to be a “guinea pig” for an Alzheimer’s cure?
Maybe.
I will leave that decision up to my brother, who has power of attorney, and knows my wishes.
I appreciate all the support!
Quasi
You know what frightens me?
I get the feeling I have written all of this before, and so I search through all my previous posts here before I write anything at all just to make sure I haven’t.
I’m late to this thread - how could I have missed it??
{{{Quasi}}} - I have nothing to offer but good wishes. It sounds like you’re doing all you can for now. Take care.
I have a friend who works for the company, Turbine, that makes the Lord of the Rings Online game. He’ll be interested to know another reason why people play their game, I’m sure.
I work in medical research, at the end of things where a doctor in a medical center asks patients if they’re interested in participating. Research isn’t for everyone, and some studies require a lot of frequent visits. But if it sounds promising, I wish you luck that you might be fortunate enough to get something that helps you.
It “focuses” me, and I look forward to the challenges the game presents. It is what I need right now, and I am glad I found it.
The other thing that focuses me is my job. I am a “first responder” in the ER, and I rely a lot on my schooling and knowing what to do in situations where the airway is compromised.
At 57, I have a bunch of years yet to work before retirement, so it is a major concern that I keep myself sharp. It’s another reason that I am seeking all avenues and being what my doc calls “pro-active”.
My primary concern is the patient I am trying to help.
If and when that becomes a problem, my best friend and ER doc knows to step in and tell me.
I would not wish this on my worst enemy.
EEG results were normal.
YAY!
My doctor was just “covering all the bases” when he ordered the EEG, and told me he was looking for causes of seizure activity.
In other news (he writes, with a sardonic grin), I am now on the Alzheimer’s drug
Namenda.
As I wrote earlier, the Aricept was causing me not to be able to swallow, so they stopped that, thanks unto Frith.
Next : http://infolab.stanford.edu/~prasanna/dmc/musical/spinaltap.jpg
The doc wants to find out if there may be something causing me to do all this goofy shit like putting the fabric softener in the fridge and forgetting to go to work because I lose track of my days, and he wants to test for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, more commonly known as “Mad Cow Disease”, which in us manifests itself with muscle twitching and abnormal reflexes. I would have thought the EEG should have shown that, but that’s why he makes the big bucks, I reckon. He also mentioned sending a sample of that fluid off to test for something else - very rare. Forgot the name of it, but apparently it turns you into a Jeff Dahmer. Maybe our other “Q” friend can explain it.
Hell, this is getting very interesting! I don’t think I have that, so y’all are safe, but I cannot help but think it gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “eat me”, doesn’t it?
So that’s the plan, Stan: Just take the Namenda, write everything down, and try not to do (or say) any goofy shit.
Meanwhile, between working and maintaining, I have discovered the great fun of World of Warcraft and have joined the Horde as an Orc. I hope to join the SDMB guild, “Burning Dog Legion” when I get a little better at navigating and getting my levels up.
(How come you guys picked such ugly looking creatures??? I don’t think I’d enjoy a table dance with one of those scaly, ugly green wimmens! J/K)
So that’s it. Still functioning and in control and thankful for your thoughts and support.
Bill
Oh, I’m so sorry to hear your news. It’s an embuggerance 
. I really hope the drugs help with it. AND the games, of course.
Wishing you all the best.
The plot thickens!
Glad the doc took you off the Aricept.
I’m not gonna list updates here anymore.
Was that a collective sigh of relief I just heard from “Modville”?
I started a blog, but I’ll be damned if I can find it (I’m a bit of a mess right now), so I well start another one and we’ll all track my journey into “uncharted territory” together, okay?
I think that’s just a better way, don’t you?
When I get it set up, (I’ll write it down this time), I’ll let y’all know.
Now back to Warcraft and that ugly sucker with the golden heart, QUASI!
Q