Alzheimers

[xMenace]

Can we call Alzhemers disease a complication? Is the association strong enough? It sure concerns me.

Here's an interesting discussion. Of course the site has to be considered biased.

The Clue to Why Low Fat Diet and Statins may Cause Alzheimer’s | Coconut Oil

[Moonpie]

interesting. My Dad had a non Alzheimers dementia & I am petrified of getting it too. He ate fairly low fat, as that is what my sister thought was healthy food, he ate alot of fish too, no much fatty meats. But he never took any statins.

[Bountyman]

Not to diminish the effects of Alzheimers, but I remember a movie made in 1994 called Clean Slate where the subject of the movie, Dana Carvey, would awake each morning with no idea of whom he was or where he was. The night before he would leave himself notes as to where he was in all this.

Being on a fixed income and not having much but cable to entertain myself at night...I've often wished that I had this problem. I could watch a movie the night before...and the next night watch it all over again as if I'd never seen it. Sometimes, I think, that having the cognizance of total recall isn't all that it's cracked up to be. My mother, my father, my grandfather all had Alzheimers before they passed on. Once in awhile my grandfather would come down to breakfast and stand there for a moment with this puzzled look on his face and say, "Who the f*ck are you guys?"...then sit down to the meal my mother prepared for him...a bowl of All Bran. Once in awhile my grandfather would look up from his meal and wink at me. I get my sense of humor from my grandpa. My mother made me privy to his last words to her before he passed on. "I never did like Jimmy!" Jimmy was my father. I never did like him that much myself.

[jbmacomber]

Not to diminish the effects of Alzheimers, but I remember a movie made in 1994 called Clean Slate where the subject of the movie, Dana Carvey, would awake each morning with no idea of whom he was or where he was. The night before he would leave himself notes as to where he was in all this.

Being on a fixed income and not having much but cable to entertain myself at night...I've often wished that I had this problem. I could watch a movie the night before...and the next night watch it all over again as if I'd never seen it. Sometimes, I think, that having the cognizance of total recall isn't all that it's cracked up to be. My mother, my father, my grandfather all had Alzheimers before they passed on. Once in awhile my grandfather would come down to breakfast and stand there for a moment with this puzzled look on his face and say, "Who the f*ck are you guys?"...then sit down to the meal my mother prepared for him...a bowl of All Bran. Once in awhile my grandfather would look up from his meal and wink at me. I get my sense of humor from my grandpa. My mother made me privy to his last words to her before he passed on. "I never did like Jimmy!" Jimmy was my father. I never did like him that much myself.

I love reading your posts, always make me laugh, thanks!
Also just read an article in diabetes mag (forgot name of it, early alzheimers) that they are studying link between T2 diabetes and alzheimers, interesting.

[Moonpie]

that sounds like the movie "50 first dates". A wee bit of memory loss is ok, it's the other stuff I hate with dementia. Like a Parent forgetting they have children, or being afraid of some hallucinations (hallmark of lewy body dementia) .

Regarding mild memory loss, I lost some memory, after my stroke, so sometimes, DH & I will go on a day trip, & I will be oohing & ahhing at something, & he rolls his eyes & says you have seen that before (lol ) & I reply, but this is my first time to remember it & I really enjoy seeing it for the "first" time

[Bountyman]

Regarding mild memory loss, I lost some memory, after my stroke, so sometimes, DH & I will go on a day trip, & I will be oohing & ahhing at something, & he rolls his eyes & says you have seen that before (lol ) & I reply, but this is my first time to remember it & I really enjoy seeing it for the "first" time

Exactly. Sometimes it's hard to find the lighter side of a disease. I'm glad you've found it.

[don1942]

My wife and I moved to the same town as her aunt and uncle to be close to them.because they were childless and she was in the final stages of cancer. Several years after she passed, her uncle came down with Alzheimer's/dementia. I recall receiving many calls from him around midnight advising that he wanted a ride home (he was calling from his own house). We would get in the car and we would drive down to his house to pick him up. He always brought a paper bag with his underwear, a banana and a box of Cheerios. We woululd pick him up and drive him around town for about 15 minutes and drop him off back at his house. He would always thank us for the ride and quietly go back ino his house.

On one occasion as my wife walked him to the front door, he mentioned to her that he thought there might be something wrong with me because I did not seem to know where I was going.

As sad as his situation was (a Wall Street Bond trader sitting around in diapers when he neared the end) there were always the light sides to remember him by.

[GrammaBear]

don1942 -

Thank you for posting the story about your wife's Aunt and Uncle. My MIL also had Alzheimer's/dementia and yet she did have her 'lighter' moments. Prior to diagnosis, she was one of the best cooks and bakers I've ever known. While working in her kitchen she would sometimes 'forget' what came next when making cookies (although she had done that hundreds of times). I would ask her "Do you put the eggs and butter in next"? I knew that was her routine, and then she would smile and say "Oh, how silly of me to forget". She was the kindest MIL I could have hoped for and it was my privilege to know her.

[bdelatte]

So this is just a link between type 2 and alzheimers..what about type 1?

[Haniwitch]

Bountyman, you should have my sister’s memory. It works for everything except movies and television shows which she seems to forget as soon as she sees them. It was okay when we worked the same hours because we always watched the same things but when she was working evening shifts it got confusing on TV reruns. I of course would remember seeing the show before but she never knew if she really hadn’t seen it or just couldn’t remember it. Sometimes we got lucky and could match the original air date to whether she had been working (definitely didn’t see it so watch it now) or not (must have seen it because I did so watch something else). Other times she’d watch a brand new show even if it wasn’t and I’d watch it a second time and pick up points I missed the first time around.

On the subject of actual Alzheimer’s my Dad’s best friend had it and it worked out pretty well for them in the early stages. The friend liked to drive around and check out all their old haunts and Dad liked to do the Sunday drive thing so they spent many a pleasant afternoon together. The friend’s wife got a bit of a rest and it kept Dad busy instead of bored.