<p> Some of you may remember that I contributed to the June 6 daily thread by ranting about my dad's 84th birthday and his declining health. My conversation with him upset me enough that I changed my travel arrangements for a business trip I had scheduled to the Bay area so that I could go up to Oregon to visit him.</p>
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<p> Except for one incident of low blood sugar that had us calling out the paramedics, the visit was much more pleasant than I was afraid it might be. The dad I know is still there and still comes through in most casual chats, although he is getting buried more and more often. He was officially diagnosed with early dementia the day before I showed up, and the signs of it are fairly obvious. He repeats himself regularly and has trouble understanding both what time it is and what day it is. Physically he's very slow, and he doesn't have enough strength to get himself back up if he falls down (or sometimes if he just sits). He did okay while I was there, but he's often going to bed before five in the evening, then getting up in the middle of the night.</p>
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<p> Mom and Dad both seem to be taking his diagnosis fairly well. I think they're both happy to know that there's a reason for some of the troubles he's going through. The doctor wants him to exercise both physically and mentally, but I think dad's so depressed about growing old that he just can't get up the ambition to do either.</p>
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<p> Our (my siblings and I) are most concerned about mom, because she keeps acting like she's going to be the big martyr and take care of everything by herself. Fortunately she has accepted the Visiting Angels volunteer (who I met and talked to), so she is getting some help. My sister is meanwhile trying to convince mom that she should start considering an assisted living center.</p>
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<p> I'll be taking the rest of my family back home in about three weeks for a previously scheduled vacation (dad had originally wanted to make it their 60th anniversary celebration). I'm now comfortable that the visit won't be too upsetting for DW and DS.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> Except for one incident of low blood sugar that had us calling out the paramedics, the visit was much more pleasant than I was afraid it might be. The dad I know is still there and still comes through in most casual chats, although he is getting buried more and more often. He was officially diagnosed with early dementia the day before I showed up, and the signs of it are fairly obvious. He repeats himself regularly and has trouble understanding both what time it is and what day it is. Physically he's very slow, and he doesn't have enough strength to get himself back up if he falls down (or sometimes if he just sits). He did okay while I was there, but he's often going to bed before five in the evening, then getting up in the middle of the night.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> Mom and Dad both seem to be taking his diagnosis fairly well. I think they're both happy to know that there's a reason for some of the troubles he's going through. The doctor wants him to exercise both physically and mentally, but I think dad's so depressed about growing old that he just can't get up the ambition to do either.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> Our (my siblings and I) are most concerned about mom, because she keeps acting like she's going to be the big martyr and take care of everything by herself. Fortunately she has accepted the Visiting Angels volunteer (who I met and talked to), so she is getting some help. My sister is meanwhile trying to convince mom that she should start considering an assisted living center.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> I'll be taking the rest of my family back home in about three weeks for a previously scheduled vacation (dad had originally wanted to make it their 60th anniversary celebration). I'm now comfortable that the visit won't be too upsetting for DW and DS.</p>
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