My Support Forums - View Single Post - Any People Deal w/Loved Ones w/Alzheimer's Disease?

WishingOnAStar · Aug 28, 2011, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lizardlady

Hi WishingOnAStar, welcome to PC. You did just fine with your first post.

My Mom passed away a couple of years ago, but suffered from Alzheimer's. I can definitely relate. How is your mom's disease impacting you? What would you like to talk about?

Hi, and thanks for your kind support. A couple of comments: I believe that the Alzheimer's is affecting my dad far more than any of us, of course we can't get into mom's mind to know just how much she is hurting. Each day I visit she says how very afraid and scared she feels. All she wants is to come home. When we ask her what she is scared of, she says she doesn't know. I really don't know how to help her besides trying to comfort her, rub her back, hold her hand and try to reassure her that everything will be okay....which, obviously, it won't. It will only get worse.

My dad on the other hand has never been able to express his emotions...everything is held inside. I think it started when his daughter died at the age of 9. For this reason, he gets upset when Mom doesn't remember him or gets confusted. I know he is just frustrated and hurt, but he comes home and is so heartbroken. His eyes are full of tears, but he will not shed them. I try to talk with him, but he just keeps almost everything to himself. Part of his pain comes from the comment he said to my mom years ago, "I will never put you in a nursing home, I will always take care of you." This is killing him because he has broken a promise to the woman he loves. He barely eats, which is not good, as he has MANY health problems. He, too, is fading away from me. I have no siblings, as well as no close relatives or friends.

I was blessed with WONDERFUL parents and I want to give back to them, however, it's very difficult due to my circumstances. I am disabled and suffer from severe depression and physical issues. This all began in 1975, so it has been quite a battle. Between their pain, and my own burdens, I am at a loss as to how to cope. I don't have too much left to give. I do see a counselor and a psychiatrist, but I don't seem to be making too much progress. I want to just throw in the towel, so they say, but I know that is not God's plan for me...I realize I do have a purpose. Any suggestions would be so very much appreciated. For now, I'm just taking it minute by minute.

Blessings!