The Surgeon increased the amount of fluid that is being drained from the ventricles in Mom’s brain at her appointment last week. He hopes that this will, over time, improve the results we are seeing in her memory. It’s a delicate process as draining too much fluid could result in the collapse of the ventricles (obviously a bad thing), and not enough fluid continues the memory and other problems she experiences.
In response to Mom’s increasing agitation over her car (including cursing & threats, and one day in which she called me over 15 times as well as calling various other local people in addition to calling me), Mom was put on a new medication to ease her anxiety and agitation, which seems to be working. The medication she takes to improve her memory was also increased, but she seems to be having a hard time adjusting to this so I am carefully monitoring her to ensure she is eating while her body adjusts.
She seems to be coming to terms with the reality that she is, indeed sick and needs assistance. I filmed the appointment with the Surgeon and him explaining the Hydrocephalus to her as well as the reasons that she is unable to drive. I haven’t needed to review it with her, yet.
So far her memory shows little to no improvement and she is very frail, but every day I look for any little sign that might indicate improvement, however; it could be months before we see any significant results, so I try to be patient, while continuing my prayers that she will eventually return to us.
3 comments:
S815 friend here.
Maybe a lot of her agitation and combativeness are fear-based. It has to be horrifically scary, for example, to wake up from a nap and have old surroundings look unfamiliar, or to be unable to retrieve a memory of an event everyone around you (i.e. people you would rationally know and trust) is insisting took place -- but which you can't visualize to save your life. I would feel paranoid, trapped. Terrified.
Curious -- Did the doctors ever establish an underlying cause of the hydrocephalus? A stroke, or head trauma, anything like that?
Actually, we suspect that the cause may have been a fall she took in Mexico about 6 years ago, but she started noticing memory problems as early as 2003. So it may have started even before that.
All the data on NPH is unclear on why this condition starts. It's seen most frequently in infants and the elderly, but as to what goes wrong into the absorption of spinal fluid in some people is, as yet unknown.
It's suspected that some cases of "Alzheimer's" may actually be undiagnosed NPH.
I'm certain there is a great deal of fear, she wants desperately to cling to her health, and if that's not possible would prefer to just pass quietly rather than slip away like this. :(
Baby steps. Baby steps. Hang in there!
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