Sunday, Feb 6, 2011

We found out on Friday that Gordon (aka Cowboy) either has Alzheimers or something called Dementia with Lewy bodies.  Everyone seems to have heard of Alzheimers but the other was new to me.  The neurologist said it is difficult to tell which we are dealing with at this point but the treatment will be the same either way.  Although similar the second diagnosis would explain  him falling down about 6 times in the past 12 months.  There is also some indications he has experienced some hallucinations.  We have started taking Aricept.  Not a cure but it MAY slow down the progression.

I have known for a long time that something wasn't right.  It started out with him not being able to remember little things.  Sometimes he seemed disoriented or confused.  He shuffles rather than walking a lot of the time.  There have also been some unusual changes in his tastes.  Things he always liked to eat, he no longer will.  He took a liking to scented candles.  Here we have this fellow that grew up on a ranch smelling all of those smells and then 30 years in the army and he now insists on lighting scented candles all the time.

Not too long ago he was frantically looking for his boot jack and when I showed him there it was he said "No the other one".  He doesn't have another one.  Next time I turned around he was on all fours looking for this imaginary boot jack.

I had been letting him put his own meds together in the daily dispenser and then checking on it to be sure it was right.  I knew this had to change when he threw away a new prescription.  And there was the night I asked him to go put them together and when I check on him he was sitting in front of my bureau with my underwear drawer open.  When I asked what he was doing, he asked me "Where are my pills?"

There are personality changes.  I hope we continue in the present mode.  A very strong, outgoing and in charge type of personality with strong opinions and stubborness has turned into a "pussycat".  He is quite docile, cooperative and sweet tempered.  I guess I should qualify that.  What used to take 30 minutes (showering, shaving, dressing) now takes 1 to 2 hours.  It is sort of like dealing with a dawdling child.