EXPLANATION TO ALL OUR DEAR FRIENDS

Thank you for your thoughts & prayers, Ms Susann. Actually, just hearing from good friends like you that you understand does lighten our load. That feeling of being alone disappears. My parents will be married 56 years this Christmas Eve so the thought of losing both of them closely together has crossed my mind. I've only been with Nick for almost 7 years but we are so close & spend every moment we can together that if I lost him, I don't know what I'd do so I can't imagine what people like your & my parents feel like when they lose someone they have been with over half a century. Again, thank you so very much, Ms Susann! God bless you ... Dawn & Nick

Lady D. My heart breaks for you. It is also scary because my DH thinks that he is going to have it. He is much more forgetful, but is it because he is alone much of the day, or is it this painful process? He won't go to a dr for a diagnosis because he is the type to worry excessively about things. We lost his parents -- his father when he was in his early 50's and his Mom in her early 70's so we don't really know if there is a history there. Take care. Our prayers are with you and your family as you walk this road with your Mom. Tink

I realize that you probably won't be able to convince him, but if your Hubby would get a diagnosis ... He may find that he doesn't have Alzheimer's - even something as minor as being low on certain nutrients can cause memory loss ... But, if the worst is that he does, they do have new meds that help with keeping a clearer thinking process for a longer period of time. We have noticed that since Momma has been on them, she isn't befuddled when she is awake like she was before starting the meds. Thank you for your prayers ... That is the only hope we have left. God bless you & your dear Hubby ... Dawn & Nick

I was so sorry to hear about your mother . It is so heartbreaking to see them lose their memory and go from the person that they were when they were the one there for you and now you have to be there to care for them. Telling them they cannot do things they use to do and are not able to now hurts them so much and they dont understand what is happening. On top of that they do not understand why they can not be left along or go places alone.God we need your arms around us more than ever.You and your family will be in our prayers and thoughts. love you and if there is anything we can do let us know. Rose

THANK YOU MS ROSE. YES MA'AM, IT IS SO HEARTBREAKING. EVERYTHING IS A STRUGGLE FOR HER NOW ... BREATHING, MOVING, REMEMBERING ... I KNOW ONE THING, I'M BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO HELP HER & DADDY - TO GIVE SOMETHING BACK TO THEM FOR ALL THEY'VE DONE FOR NICK & I ... BUT, IF I HADN'T HAD GASTRIC BYPASS & LOST THIS 100 #s, I WOULDN'T HAVE HAD THE HEALTH OR ENERGY TO CARE FOR MOMMA'S NEEDS NOW. THIS SURGERY GAVE ME MY LIFE BACK & MAYBE I CAN HELP MAKE MOMMA'S LIFE A LITTLE EASIER IN HER STRUGGLE BECAUSE I'M HEALTHY ENOUGH TO DO SO! THANK GOD FOR GASTRIC BYPASS!!! GOD BLESS YOU ... DAWN & NICK PS: I LOVE YOUR NEW PICTURES!!!!!!!!!!! YOU LOOK FABULOUS!

Hey Dawn, I'm so sorry to hear about your mother. Watching someone's personality change right before your eyes is very difficult to take. I lost my mom almost 3 years ago due to a brain tumor. In the beginning, I suspected that she had beginning stages of alzheimers...but i couldn't talk to her about it, as she got so defensive. Then she started having difficulties with her left side and I thought she had a stroke. Finally when my dad got her to the right doctor, they did a MRI and discovered the tumor. After her surgery, they told us that she would have about a year to live (which she lived almost a year to the day). I slowly lost my mother every day during that year. It was a bittersweet time in that it was difficult for us, not knowing how my mother would react each day...would we have to tell her again, that she had a tumor....would she be sweet and loving or hateful and fearful.... But for her, she didn't feel any "pain" or headaches or really much sickness from the radiation and chemo. And for that I have to be Thankful....and thankful that my Dad was there for her!! And it really makes me sad that she wasn't able to be with me through this past year of my life before and after WLS. She would have been my #1 supporter!! You are absolutely right....we do have to Hug and Kiss our loved ones today, and everyday!! I'll keep you and Nick (and the rest of your family) in my prayers, as you go through this heartbreaking experience. Hugs, Dianne

Thank you my dear special friend ... Bittersweet is a "good" word for it. Your pain is still fresh & we are so sorry for that. So many here on the board have suffered, or are suffering through this that it breaks our hearts even more. We have been dealing with these kinds of brain issues since 2002, but we believe she was having mini strokes years earlier than that as we noticed changes in her we didn't recognize as what they could mean. She's been in severly poor health for most of her life so we're "used" to that. What we're not used to is the loss of most of our hope ... &, the grave changes that seem to come daily. It's like not being able to wake from a horrific nightmare. It's with you every minute of every day & it effects everything ... That's all we can do is love them today ... We aren't promised tomorrow. God bless you ... Dawn & Nick

My thoughts and prayers are with you. I watched my Grandfather slip away from Alzheimer's as well and it was heart breaking. Keep your head up. Hugs Julie

Thank you for your thoughts & prayers, Ms Julie. We just keep focusing on the here & now ... This very minute ... When we're with her. God bless you ... Dawn & Nick

Here is a great support group for those dealing with Alzheimer's. http://groups.msn.com/AlzheimersSupport