Re: Re: Reply to Carol - from

[Guest guest]

Alan -

How are you doing? The " big date " is drawing closer and I know you're

anxious, but don't be: if you have even half the luck I did, your life will

be greatly improved.

Thanks for the kind words about my mother. Alzheimer's is a horrible

disease - both for the patient and the family. Patience on your part with

her as she changes is probably the best thing you can do for you both.

Remember that the Alzheimer's victim isn't aware of what or why or how they

do (or don't do) things, and that nothing is intentional. I used to get so

frustrated with my brother and sister as they would try to force my mother

to do things that she used to do, that they believed she was still capable

of. I tried to tell them that reasoning with her was like teaching a pig to

sing: it's a waste of your time - and it annoys the pig!

Good luck - with everything!

Carol

Reply to Carol - from

> >

> >

> > Carol,

> > Thank you for your message. I feel that I am at a place where I

> am OK with the whole idea of having Achalasia and I am now focused on

> filling in the people around me. I still find it very frustrating to

> have a condition that no one has ever heard of! One of my other

> concerns is what the long term effects of Achalasia will be. My

> doctor hasn't given me any information on this and I wonder if there

> will be more serious problems with my esophagus as I get older.

> There are some parts of your body that you can do without but I

> wouldn't think that your esophagus was one of them!

> >

> > Any thoughts?

> >

> >

> >

> > eGroups Sponsor

>

>

>

>

>

>

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[Guest guest]

Always glad to hear from you, Carol! As you wrote, I am very nervous and having the obligatory second thoughts. I will go through with it and hope for the best. Thanks for the advice about Alzheimer's. I was losing patience at first, but I realized that the frustration was not directed at my mother, but at the situation in general. No cure and no treatment, except for Aricept. How do you handle long term care of your mother?

Alan

Reply to Carol - from > >> >> > Carol,> > Thank you for your message. I feel that I am at a place where I> am OK with the whole idea of having Achalasia and I am now focused on> filling in the people around me. I still find it very frustrating to> have a condition that no one has ever heard of! One of my other> concerns is what the long term effects of Achalasia will be. My> doctor hasn't given me any information on this and I wonder if there> will be more serious problems with my esophagus as I get older.> There are some parts of your body that you can do without but I> wouldn't think that your esophagus was one of them!> >> > Any thoughts?> >> > > >> > eGroups Sponsor>>>>>>_______________________________________________Why pay for something you could get for free?NetZero provides FREE Internet Access and Emailhttp://www.netzero.net/download/index.html

[Guest guest]

Hi, Alan!

Long-term care for an ailing relative, esp. one with Alzheimer's, is always difficult. It's always been perversely fascinating to me to look at a country that exalts the young but ignores the old, and while daycare franchises seem to pop up on every block and woe to those who do not have the latest version of gadgets or toys, nursing home care hasn't progressed much beyond the snake pit days. So, off my soap box and on to the question you asked: in our case, in the early stages of Mom's decline, she was able to stay in her own home (my father had died a few years before), with live-in care and companionship provided by my aunt, her (4-years) younger sister - but my aunt was in great shape. Then when mom broke her hip, she was hospitalized for a month - one botched operation kept her there longer than she should have. It was the fall that also broke her spirit and what was left of her mental ability. I think she suffered from hysterical paralysis - not only did she never walk again, she couldn't even move the limbs that were totally health. Confined to a wheelchair or bed, she became more and more withdrawn and mentally confused. She also lost the ability to swallow - a preview of what was to happen to me when I contracted achalasia. Anyhow, my sister agreed to have her move in to her house and she provided round the clock care. I know she was a saint for doing so, but it was also not the best environment for my mother and her care, very often, was no better than she would have received in even a bad nursing home. Fortunately, I guess, for everyone concerned, mom only had to endure this situation for about 6 months until she finally passed away. Even now, and she's been gone over 6 years, I remember the things my sister didn't do to care for her properly - and the things she did that were literally elder-abuse. I'll never forgive her for those.

So...there are no easy answers or recommendations. Caring for an Alz. patient within the family is very, very difficult. Finding a good care facility is equally hard. Each situation is unique to the dynamics of the people involved. I wish you luck. You know, as always, if you need to chat, that's what I'm here for.

Now as for your operation - you'd be right not to be scared at this point. I was a basket case - seems ridiculous now that I look back on it - but I doubted myself right up until the point where the IV drugs started to sedate me on my way into the OR. Hopefully, you have the kind of medical team who will take your calls - and call them you should - to go over any doubts or questions you still have.

But it will be fine!

As always -

Carol

Reply to Carol - from > >> >> > Carol,> > Thank you for your message. I feel that I am at a place where I> am OK with the whole idea of having Achalasia and I am now focused on> filling in the people around me. I still find it very frustrating to> have a condition that no one has ever heard of! One of my other> concerns is what the long term effects of Achalasia will be. My> doctor hasn't given me any information on this and I wonder if there> will be more serious problems with my esophagus as I get older.> There are some parts of your body that you can do without but I> wouldn't think that your esophagus was one of them!> >> > Any thoughts?> >> > > >> > eGroups Sponsor>>>>>>_______________________________________________Why pay for something you could get for free?NetZero provides FREE Internet Access and Emailhttp://www.netzero.net/download/index.html

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the encouragement Carol. My father and I are trying to keep my mother at home for as long as possible. I will make sure we always give her the best of care. As for the myotomy...well I am keeping my fingers crossed! I will give a full report when the surgery is done.

Alan

[Guest guest]

Alan -

Good luck on Monday! As soon as you can, write and let me know how it went.

Carol

Re: Re: Reply to Carol - from

Thanks for the encouragement Carol. My father and I are trying to keep my mother at home for as long as possible. I will make sure we always give her the best of care. As for the myotomy...well I am keeping my fingers crossed! I will give a full report when the surgery is done.

Alan

[Guest guest]

Thanks Carol! I tend to think of you as one of the family.

Alan

Re: Re: Reply to Carol - from

Thanks for the encouragement Carol. My father and I are trying to keep my mother at home for as long as possible. I will make sure we always give her the best of care. As for the myotomy...well I am keeping my fingers crossed! I will give a full report when the surgery is done.

Alan