Well this week was the testing my Mom was to do for her memory. Fortunately for me, she has forgotten that my report to the doctor was what initiated the testing. Since she had the stroke at Thanksgiving, she believes the testing is to see if there have been any effects from the stroke. My Dad is the one who told me it was the original testing scheduled. I called earlier this week and she was really grumpy, saying they had to go to doctor's appointments every day this week and it was too much. In my follow up call this weekend, she slipped and said she still has one more appointment, the psychiatrist. Now I know from working in assisted living, there are only two reasons to see a psychiatrist, symptoms of mental illness or symptoms of dementia.
Even though I am the one that has been telling everyone over and over I think she has dementia, the validation by the medical community means it is not just in my mind. It was like a punch to the stomach. I have a family member at the assisted living who is a doctor and his wife is with us because she has early dementia. I see every week how he is in such denial. Here I am doing the same thing with my mother. It sure gives you empathy for others. I think everyone hopes against hope it isn't dementia. The knowledge it is dementia is another of the losses in this very long terminal illness. At least now maybe she can start medication, a great reason to be going to the psychiatrist. On to the next step.
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