Worried... :(

[AngieDoogles]

My grandfather has not been doing so well the past few months. I'm pretty worried about him. I think I'm even more worried about my brother Randy and my sister Crissy if something were to happen to him though. Randy has cerebral palsy and idolizes my grandfather and Crissy is only nine and just adores him. He has emphysema as well as heart problems and he's had several strokes. He has also been diagnosed with the early stages of Alzheimer's. Lately, he's been kind of out of it. He thinks that Crissy is at their house when she isn't and hasn't been there all day. Yesterday, he swore that Crissy was in the living room and wanted to know if my brother Bobby was there, too. He kept saying over and over, she was just in here...she was sitting in that chair. He can't be convinced otherwise and five minutes later he'll ask the same person who told him Crissy wasn't there to send her into his room so that he can talk to her "again". He thinks my niece is there when she's not (she's in DC with her family right now) and he hears people knocking on the door when no one is there. He also thinks there is a car in the driveway and describes it in great detail even though nothing is outside. I'm so worried about him... Randy has been so nervous that he just tears things up. (That's what he does when he is VERY upset because he doesn't know how to handle such strong emotions.) Please pray for my family during this difficult time. I'm not ready to lose my grandfather.

[Janet]

I'm sorry you're going through this Angie. It's hard, I know...I'll keep you and your family in my prayers.

[Tink]

I'm sorry your grandpa is sick Angie.
I know all too well how hard it is to lose grandparents and parents. My last surviving grandma passed at age 94 and I wasn't ready to give her up either.

Alzheimers is a sad thing to witness. Reality orientation really doesn't do any lasting good, and you never know from one minute to the next whether a person will be lucid or not. Sadly, it's also progressive, so while the symptoms may come and go, with time they just get worse and more frequent. I hope your family is able to find strength to cope with what has to be a very hard situation.

[judy]

I'm so sorry your family is going through this. It's a rough time when someone has Alzheimer's.

Maybe you can sit down with Randy and see what he thinks is going on. You may be able to discuss his anger and help him to understand that he can (sometimes, anyway) channel it differently. If you can help him to understand that it's probably sadness or frustration, maybe he can go tell Grandpa that he loves him instead.

Prayers and hugs to all of you,

[toodles]

Angie, I hope things get better. Keep your chin up...we will be thinking of you

[AngieDoogles]

Thank you all for your sweet comments. I had a rough day yesterday and just cried a lot. I'm so sad and scared and I feel so useless. I wish there was something I could do, but there isn't. My papaw (that's what we call him) always protected me. He protected me at times even though it would make his life completely miserable...and I can't do anything for him now...I feel so guilty for not going to see him more, but being there in that house brings back so many bad memories for me that I just couldn't make myself go...I wish I had. He was there for me when I needed him, but I was too selfish to do the same for him...

Today, my husband and I are going to try to take Randy and Crissy to a park and out to eat to get their minds off of it for a little while, especially Randy since he lives with my grandparents. I hope it helps at least a little bit.