Good thoughts needed

[RaceGrrl]

Over the past month my dad has been having problems with his memory and instability in his gait. He's confused and just not himself. Visited with our family on Sat. and he seemed really confused. This afternoon he went to a doctor (quack) in our hometown and is scheduled for a CT and bloodwork on Wednesday. He failed the mini-mental exam they do to check for impaired memory and was given Namenda, an Alzheimer's drug. They didn't bother to explain what else it could be (mini-stroke, medication interaction,etc) and they would not let my mom be present for the exam, even though dad wanted her there.

I'm beside myself with worry. Please keep us in your thoughts.

[Chitowncartfreak]

Over the past month my dad has been having problems with his memory and instability in his gait. He's confused and just not himself. Visited with our family on Sat. and he seemed really confused. This afternoon he went to a doctor (quack) in our hometown and is scheduled for a CT and bloodwork on Wednesday. He failed the mini-mental exam they do to check for impaired memory and was given Namenda, an Alzheimer's drug. They didn't bother to explain what else it could be (mini-stroke, medication interaction,etc) and they would not let my mom be present for the exam, even though dad wanted her there.

I'm beside myself with worry. Please keep us in your thoughts.

Wow, tough situation. My thoughts are with you and your family - I hope everything works out ok.

[trish]

Will do. I hope everything works out for the good.

[Ozarkian]

Please keep us in your thoughts.

We will. Hope everything turns out OK, and don't be afraid to get second opinions.

[dando]

Sorry to hear your news, Grrl. Good Karma for you and yours.

FYI, based on the symptoms you described, it was a stroke or a TIA. My grandfather had a major stroke a few years ago, and has had numerous TIA episodes since. He exhibited symptoms like this each time.

-Kevin

[devilmaster]

Thoughts and Prayers to you Missy, and your family.

Hope all goes well.

[fourrunner]

All My Best !

[RaceGrrl]

FYI, based on the symptoms you described, it was a stroke or a TIA. My grandfather had a major stroke a few years ago, and has had numerous TIA episodes since. He exhibited symptoms like this each time.

-Kevin

This was my thinking and that of the Internist I work for. With Dad's history of hypertension and arteriosclerosis, a TIA makes perfect sense. I guess I'll just have to try not to freak out until the CT scan is back. It just kills me that my parents are now scared to death that Dad has ATD and they're going to have to wait a week or more for results. Giving him the meds today isn't going to make any diff if he does have ATD. Why not wait until they have a definitive diagnosis before scaring the hell out of your patient?!

[dando]

This was my thinking and that of the Internist I work for. With Dad's history of hypertension and arteriosclerosis, a TIA makes perfect sense. I guess I'll just have to try not to freak out until the CT scan is back. It just kills me that my parents are now scared to death that Dad has ATD and they're going to have to wait a week or more for results. Giving him the meds today isn't going to make any diff if he does have ATD. Why not wait until they have a definitive diagnosis before scaring the hell out of your patient?!
They don't teach common sense in medical school. :shakehead And don't even get me started on the level of care my grandfather received from his medicare quack. :mad:

-Kevin

[spinner26]

Thoughts and prayers to you and yours! Hang in there.

[cart7]

Thoughts and prayers grrl. I'm starting to worry about my Dad, now 83 years old. He's having some problems as well. Hope it's just old age but Mom is keeping an eye on him.

[Jag_Warrior]

Been going through something similar with my dad for almost two years to the day - his was a stroke. It's a tough situation. And I wish you the very best of luck going forward.

[JT265]

Godd vibes and thoughts your way Missy.

[mapguy]

My thoughts are with you Grrl. I had an Uncle who, unkown to me, had Alzheimer's. It was very frightening. Take care.

cheers
david

[Lizzerd]

First of all, pardon my ignorance, but what is TIA and ATD?

More importantly, my prayers will be with you Missy.

[RaceGrrl]

TIA = transient ischemic attack, or a mini stroke, usually a tiny hemorrhage or clot in the brain.

ATD = Alzheimer's type dementia.


It's scary that I'm having to hope for the first one. My dad is only 68 years old.

Thanks, everyone for your support. We won't know anything further until the end of the week.

[Ankf00]

my pops had a TIA my senior year of high school... never told anyone until he told me when I came home to work after college... stubborn bastard refuses to get complete his stress test and finish his workup at the heart institute at the med center and is refusing to renew his lipitor scrip and keeps skipping the swim lessons I get him at the Y... why are old people so bloody ****ing stupid :flame:

I hope your pops comes out OK and it's just a TIA, at least with that you can work on buying some more years with him... I hope it's not the ATD :(

[Ankf00]

double

[racer2c]

thoughts and prayers to you and your family rg.

[RTKar]

Thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. I've seen both problems in family members, neither is easy...dealing with the aging process is difficult enough without serious health issues.

[Jervis Tetch 1]

I'm with you luv and I sort of know how you feel. My dad is fighting the onset of Parkinson's. Luckily he's been getting treatment for it and is doing fine for now.

Prayers to you.

[SAdair]

I know how you feel. My grandmother has low blood pressure, fatigue and weakness in her left arm. Mom aned I are worrieed that it might be signs of Parkinson's. The quack she goes to just throws pills at her. 'Try this and see if it helps.' :shakehead Of course my grandmother refuses to go to anyone else. It is so frustrating. Especially when I know that if she got on the right meds she could postpone the onset. :mad:

[Turn7]

I'll ensure to include you all in my prayers.

[cartman]

Our thoughts and prayers are with you RaceGrrl. My wife and I had to watch her grandmother succumb to dementia pretty bad before she passed, it was pretty rough but hopefully that isn't what you'll be dealing with here. I wish you the best of luck.

[Tim]

Thoughts and prayers. After watching my parents deal with there parents the last few years it can be difficult. You just can't let it get the best of you.

[TravelGal]

Many prayers for you and the whole family. It certain does sound like TIA episodes. My grandmother had them. (Her sister had Alzheimer's and it was nothing like that.)

Is there anyway anyone with an incredibly loud, threatening voice can go the next time your dad has an exam? They "wouldn't let" your mom in violates every patient's Bill of Rights and ethical behavior I can think of. Makes my blood boil so much I can't keep writing.........

[oddlycalm]

Very sorry to hear about your fathers condition RaceGrrl. You are right on the money with your thoughts on the situation.


Is there anyway anyone with an incredibly loud, threatening voice can go the next time your dad has an exam? They "wouldn't let" your mom in violates every patient's Bill of Rights and ethical behavior I can think of. Makes my blood boil so much I can't keep writing......... Exactly right. Medical "professionals" that are absent common sense or common courtesy are all too common unfortunately and their treatment of the elderly can border on the abusive. I've had to intervene on a couple of occasions with doctors that weren't focusing on the issues at hand in a rational manner. Doctors at the Mayo Clinic were allowing my mother to remain in excuciating pain from bone cancer while they diddled around with endless tests. What she needed was radiation to relieve the pressure/pain and they shouldn't have needed me, a non-medical person, to get on a plane and go there to tell them that. It's a 100% fatal disease so who cares about the fine details, the #1 issue is to make the patient comfortable. My father isn't an idiot, nor is he a doormat, but otherwise rational people of our parent's generation tend to be overly trusting or intimidated by doctors and they seem willing to allow anything to happen without questioning them. I've never had to shout or get abusive, it just takes some pointed questions and suggestion.

oc

[TravelGal]

>>>otherwise rational people of our parent's generation tend to be overly trusting or intimidated by doctors and they seem willing to allow anything to happen without questioning them. I've never had to shout or get abusive, it just takes some pointed questions and suggestion.

This really hits the nail on the head. I've observed the same thing. And yes, I did exaggerate. One rarely has to threaten but one definitely needs to hold one's ground. I remember having to take the phone from my mother because I could tell the doctor on the other end was attempting to browbeat her into agreeing to surgery for my father. I had to repeat FOUR TIMES to the doctor "The answer is no." PS, we did NOT do what the surgeon insisted on and my father healed within a week.

[G.]

All my best Grrl.

Keep us posted please.

[DjDrOmusic]

Missy we will keep your Dad in our prayers.

[Stu]

I'll be praying. Both of my grandmother's had memory problems, its not easy to deal with.

[RaceGrrl]

It's bad. Really really bad.

Dad has four malignant tumors in his brain and they have no idea yet what the primary cancer is. More testing tomorrow. They started radiation and steroid therapy today to shrink the tumors.

And in spite of this, he said, "at least it's not Alzheimer's."

Please, keep us in your prayers.

[fourrunner]

It's bad. Really really bad.

Dad has four malignant tumors in his brain and they have no idea yet what the primary cancer is. More testing tomorrow. They started radiation and steroid therapy today to shrink the tumors.

And in spite of this, he said, "at least it's not Alzheimer's."

Please, keep us in your prayers.

Will Do RaceGrrl !!

I saw an episode of Oprah yesterday and the had David Hyde Pierce on who is a Spokesman for the Disease ...

They also had a Family on who has the "gene" for the Disease & Most of the Family Members has it ... One Older Sister ( 40's - 50's years old ) ended up dying of Cancer and her quote was "At Least It's not Alzheimers"

Watching the show I thought of you, and it made me stay on the chanel, where I might have just switched it off ... I learned a lot, and the gravity of the situation ... Thankfully it looks like your Dad has dodged the Alzheimers bullet ... At least with Cancer, there is a chance the Doctors will get it out... and of course remission !

My Mom had Cancer in her mid 50's ... Through treatment it went into Remission for 12 years before it returned, with the expected result ... but she was active & lived life to the fullest during her remission period

I hope your Dad has the same oportunity !

[Don Quixote]

Sorry Racegrrl. His response indicates that he has some spunk. I will hope and pray for the best.

[anait]

Will keep you and your dad in my thoughts and prayers, RaceGrrl.

[TravelGal]

All our renewed prayers, RaceGrrl. For you, your dad, and your whole family. At least you now know what you are dealing with, formidable though it may be.

[Classic Apex]

Thoughts and prayers headed your direction for sure.

Hopefully all turns out well.

[RaceGrrl]

Just a quick update:

We don't know what the primary cancer site is yet. The doctors are taking their time figuring it out, but they think it's thyroid. If that is true, it's actually a better thing than if it had been lung CA. (His chest Xray and CT scans were negative except for a mass on the thyroid)

Dad is getting radiation treatment every day and between the tumors, the radiation and the high doses of steroids, he's pretty confused. It's hard to watch. I spent the day with him today though, and we had a nice afternoon together.

Thanks everyone, for your support. It means so much.

[dando]

Thoughts and prayers always, Grrl.

-Kevin

[Hard Driver]

Sorry to hear about your Dad's health. It sounds like he is trying hard, so that helps.

[Chitowncartfreak]

My thoughts and prayers continue to be with you. Hope everything works out for you and your family.

[oddlycalm]

We don't know what the primary cancer site is yet. The doctors are taking their time figuring it out, but they think it's thyroid. If that is true, it's actually a better thing than if it had been lung CA. (His chest Xray and CT scans were negative except for a mass on the thyroid). That all makes sense. No reason to pile on more tests and stress him more when they have plenty of time to do them. The prime directive is to shrink the tumors, which will help him get his bearings and feel better. If they can't get what they want from the CT scans they have other tools. There is a nuke med scan call a PET scan that will find tumors as small as a few cells.

Hope he's feeling better after a few radiation treatments and that there is a good outcome. The good news is that unlike alzheimers this is a treatable condition. Even in a worst case situation he should regain full lucidity along the way. Hang in there.

oc

[RacinM3]

Sorry to hear, but be sure to keep his spirits up and tell him to fight, fight, fight.

I wear one of these every day to remind me of my own battle with quitting smoking, friends who are fighting cancer, friends who have won, and those who have fought and lost. It'll help remind me of your father's current fight as well.

http://www.bikebiz.co.uk/articlepics/Livestrong.jpg

I'm accused of being trendy, but I don't care. One, I've been a huge Armstrong fan for a long time, but more importantly, if curing cancer is trendy, more power to it!

[RaceGrrl]

Sorry to hear, but be sure to keep his spirits up and tell him to fight, fight, fight.

I wear one of these every day to remind me of my own battle with quitting smoking, friends who are fighting cancer, friends who have won, and those who have fought and lost. It'll help remind me of your father's current fight as well.

http://www.bikebiz.co.uk/articlepics/Livestrong.jpg

I'm accused of being trendy, but I don't care. One, I've been a huge Armstrong fan for a long time, but more importantly, if curing cancer is trendy, more power to it!


I've ordered some of the livestrong bracelets. Armstrong's story has been on my mind alot lately and if the bracelet is a reminder to stay positive throughout dad's illness, then I don't care if people think I'm wearing it to be trendy!

[RacinM3]

if the bracelet is a reminder to stay positive throughout dad's illness, then I don't care if people think I'm wearing it to be trendy!

You're damn right.

[trish]

Continued prayers for you and your family RaceGrrl.

[TravelGal]

First thread I'm reading on OffCamber. Wanted to know how your dad was doing. Thanks for keeping us updated. Believe me, we are praying and sending good thoughts.

[Ankf00]

It's bad. Really really bad.

Dad has four malignant tumors in his brain and they have no idea yet what the primary cancer is. More testing tomorrow. They started radiation and steroid therapy today to shrink the tumors.

And in spite of this, he said, "at least it's not Alzheimer's."

Please, keep us in your prayers.

I'm very sorry about your pops :( I hope he can cope with the treatment well.

[Anteater]

Thoughts and prayers, RaceGrrl. :(

[G.]

I've ordered some of the livestrong bracelets. Armstrong's story has been on my mind alot lately and if the bracelet is a reminder to stay positive throughout dad's illness, then I don't care if people think I'm wearing it to be trendy!
Don't give one to your pops until you find out what the hospital uses for DNR patients!

Some hospitals put yellow wristbands on their Do Not Resusitate patients.

Still thinking of you and yours.

(off to go work on that smoking habit...)

[Napoleon]

Good Luck.

My ex wife is going through having a parent with alzheimers, and I know how tough it has been on her.