Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Remember What?

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Mom has been having more periods of confusion as well as the failure to recall nouns in everyday conversation. Time and days are becoming more illusive for her also. This morning I brought up the subject again of having the doctor go ahead and order the MRI and other tests that may help in a diagnosis.

In a previous post, I reported on brief testing done at the memory clinic of our local hospital. At that time, the doctor reading the results felt enough concern that he suggested the full battery of tests to understand what was happening to her and, if it was Alzheimer's, possibly slow things down with the proper medication. At first, Mom was receptive to the idea. Then, because a friend suggested they take a "memory class", she wanted to fore go the tests until a later time, if at all.

Well, the class never happened and I think the time for testing has come. Her regular doctor's appointment is the first week in July. When I eased into the subject this morning, she was agreeable and said yes, she would do anything. I don't want to force her...some people may not want to know their future. Especially if that future includes memory loss.

Mother and I will be away for two weeks before her doctor's appointment, having the time of her life, I hope. We'll be seeing old friends, relatives and familiar places for what will surely be the last time in my mother's life. Traveling is becoming a hardship for her, but I feel this may well be the last gift of this type I can give her that she will enjoy...and hopefully, remember.

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