I want to thank you again for following us and praying for us. Your prayers have meant so much and are part of our miracle. Because so many of you have shown such an interest in Gran's health, I wanted to make sure you knew what we are dealing with so that you will know more specifically how to pray for her and us.
I have mentioned before that Granny has dementia. Some use that term interchangeably with Alzheimer's. Dementia is a symptom, where Alzheimer's is a disease. Though I've read that anywhere between 60-70% of dementia cases are Alzheimer's ones, there are many other reasons for a patient to have dementia. That is the case with Granny. Her doctors do not believe that she has Alzheimer's disease. In fact they are rather adamant about it. (I will not say for certain that she does or does not because the only definitive way to diagnose Alzheimer's disease is on autopsy after death.)
Granny had a horrible car wreck about 20 years ago. By human and medical standards, Granny should have died from it. She broke her neck among many other injuries that I won't list here. She really hasn't been the same since that wreck. We also recently found out that she has a lesion on her brain that they believe has been slowly growing over years. She also has dealt with several blockages of the arteries in her neck thus obstructing oxygen to the brain. It is believed that each of or a combination of these problems besides the normal loss of memory with age, that Gran has dementia.
We do deal with some of the things that an Alzheimer's patient has to deal with because they share some of the same symptoms. But Gran doesn't go by the book for anything. :) There are things that I have to tell her over and over again, but there are other things that she surprises me by learning and remembering.
I appreciate all of your help and input. Your suggestions and experiences help so much. I am currently reading a book suggested to me by Susan Smith called, Creating Moments of Joy by Jolene Brackey. It was written for Alzheimer's patients with dementia and although all of it doesn't apply to Gran, I am gleaning what does. I want to create "moments of joy" for Gran. That's what I'm here for.
I found this PDF document online while researching and I found it very helpful perhaps you will too:
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Anna, ya'll are beginning a similar journey that just came to an end for us. Many times I've said that I didn't know how I thought I could keep my sanity and live in one house with 3 versions at 3 different ages of the "same person": Grandaddy, Neil, and Mack. For me, there were times where it was hard to find the blessings in the day to day things that tend to get under your skin when combining essentially two households. But truly it was a blessing. Neil was able to spend the last 8 years of Grandaddy's life with him. Sharing their love of farming while debating the Red Tractor vs. Green Tractor issue and of course, RFDTV. (If you've never watched this channel, well in my opinion you've not missed anything. LOL) Blaklie and Grandaddy shared a love for animals. They were able to bond over Rosie, the horse, Max, the inside dog, Hope, the outside dog, and a number of cats and a couple of rabbits. Mack and Grandaddy shared more than either of them would like to admit, but they spent many days as Mack became older just being in the space and have random conversation. But I will always treasure seeing Mack as a 4 year old little boy try to make every step Grandaddy did. And well I learned the true and undeniable power of prayer and trusting that the Lord truly has everything under control. It is a special time you, Eric, and your children will share with your Gran. There's something special and irreplaceable about this generations children sharing a home and learning from our older generation. Your family's adventure is quite different from ours but the blessings you'll receive, and I'm sure have already seen, will be just as special and deserving.
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