| Author |
Message |
Colordeagua
Member
10-24-2003
| Thursday, November 14, 2019 - 5:54 am 
My mom didn't like bananas. I don't remember eating bananas as a child. I love 'em now. 
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Jimmer
Board Administrator
08-29-2000
| Thursday, November 14, 2019 - 8:13 am
Are these things hereditary?
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Babyjaxmom
Member
10-20-2002
| Thursday, November 14, 2019 - 2:45 pm
Jimmer, if you're talking about dementia, I'm not sure anybody knows. My mother's dementia is caused by leaky blood vessels in her brain. Don't think that's hereditary.
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Kookliebird
Member
08-04-2005
| Thursday, November 14, 2019 - 2:59 pm
They thought that my dad's was caused by small, undetectable strokes. Whereas, I've read that Alzheimer's can be hereditary, but they just don't have enough data to be sure yet.
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Heckagirl631
Member
09-08-2010
| Thursday, November 14, 2019 - 7:38 pm
My mother's dad had Alzheimer's. She and all of her siblings had it. My husband's mother has it, but she is 85. Not when she was young like him. So far none of his brothers has it. It's considered early onset at his age.
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Texannie
Member
07-15-2001
| Thursday, November 14, 2019 - 8:14 pm
My husband's grandparents had it. His mother died in May after dealing 7 long, long, long yearss with it. There was nothing else physically wrong with her. It's just a horrible way to go. I worry for my husband .
I buried my father today who died with a combo of dementia and leukemia . Thankfully, the leukemia took him first.
I wouldn't wish dementia on a dog.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Thursday, November 14, 2019 - 9:07 pm
Babyjax, I have seen that!
JD is still doing ok musically. Our group leader went through caring for her husband and has been a music friend of his for quite some time. I keep an eye out too. Sometimes he will get restless during practice of at a gig but we are watching..
He is more likely to give a big these days.
Singing is good for one side of the brain and playing an instrument for the other, so he is hitting both sides.
Such a cruel thing.
And double cruel for people with Down syndrome. It seems they are almost guaranteed to develop it by age 40. So the catch 22 is that with more support those with Down live longer.. But..
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Thursday, November 14, 2019 - 9:10 pm
There are associated genes.
Can Alzheimer's be passed genetically?
Experts say that in the overwhelming majority of cases, Alzheimer’s disease is not passed down to patients’ children and grandchildren. The National Institute on Aging says fewer than 5% of all cases are early-onset Alzheimer’s, which affects people between the ages of 30 and 60 and often has a direct genetic component.
Is Dementia Hereditary? - SeniorAdvisor.com Blog
www.senioradvisor.com/blog/2016/07/is-dementia-her…
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Thursday, November 14, 2019 - 9:17 pm
Annie, today? Sending big hugs your way.
Hecka, that is a lot!
Music..
At some places, family members come in to be with their loved one when we sing there and participate.
It is always interesting to see different people react to different songs.
At one place, with a mix of patients, a man slept through everything until our accordion player did a solo of a Russian took dance, Korabuska. It is very lively. He woke up and was dancing in his wheelchair, and with real moves!
At one place we have a canary that sings with us!
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Colordeagua
Member
10-24-2003
| Thursday, November 14, 2019 - 10:22 pm
Canary.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Thursday, November 14, 2019 - 11:09 pm
Well it is a cage of finches, but the yellow one is the singer. Yellow ones are often canaries and though a bit different,they are a type of finch.
Anyway, he is The star and he knows it! He makes me so happy.
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Mameblanche
Member
08-24-2002
| Friday, November 15, 2019 - 12:18 am
(((Texannie)))
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Texannie
Member
07-15-2001
| Friday, November 15, 2019 - 9:22 am
Seamonkey, yes, he died November 8th and the burial was yesterday. Thank you.
Thank you Mame.
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Strategist
Member
07-01-2014
| Friday, November 15, 2019 - 10:06 am
I am so sorry for your loss, Texannie.
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Colordeagua
Member
10-24-2003
| Friday, November 15, 2019 - 12:01 pm
Back to canaries . . . I had a rare grey singing finch years ago ('86 - '96). Chloe Anne Suzanna Carolina Savannah was the sweetest little thing. She got sick. I took her to a vet. Had to give her med by dropper so had to catch her. She became tame. Finches are flighty little things. Rarely become tame. Out of her whole ten years, she sang like a canary for about two weeks near the end of her life. She died on the same days as my mom. Chloe went in the box with mom.
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Babyjaxmom
Member
10-20-2002
| Friday, November 15, 2019 - 12:26 pm
I'm so sorry for your loss, Texannie! I understand about being thankful that the leukemia took him before the Alzheimers did. I have a friend whose husband had Alz. She was just beginning to look at care facilities for him when he had a brain aneurysm and died at home. She was thankful, too.
I took my mom to the dentist yesterday. She is 96, has dementia and lives in memory care. She was so out of it yesterday that she couldn't speak more than a mumble. Usually she can put sentences together, but not yesterday. I didn't even try to take her to lunch, just took her back to her care facility. They had saved her a plate, even though they'd already had lunch. She is running out of money (she's been in memory care over 5 years), and I'm going to have to move her at the end of the year. I would be content if she passed before I had to move her. I think it will be hard on her.
That is a sweet story about your mom, Colordeagua. Our little animal friends give us so much during their short lives! Love her name, too! 
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Friday, November 15, 2019 - 1:36 pm
I suspect that this plotline is causing lots of conversations like this one..
For Mandy Moore, what an amazing acting gig, to play Rebecca as a young mom, as a youngish widow, as the matriarch and now the Alzheimer's plot line.. All at once!
No one else gets that range in ages. It really is remarkable.
..
I do worry that my favorite yellow bird will be gone. I always look for him the minute we arrive in that room.
He is such a star!
...
I agree that it can be a blessing if something takes you before the dementia. And the laws in some states, like here in California, that allow a person to legally end their life require that the person be able to make the decision and self administer the drugs when a certain timeframe exists.. That simply does not work for dementia.
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Texannie
Member
07-15-2001
| Friday, November 15, 2019 - 2:01 pm
Thank you all very much.
Babyjax, the cost of care is ridiculous . My mother in law almost outlived hers.
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Jimmer
Board Administrator
08-29-2000
| Friday, November 15, 2019 - 2:02 pm
This is probably going to be unpopular but I find this story direction very depressing. Now I understand that this show is about all aspects of life, the good and the bad and happy and sad, and that a major plot point has been the death of a beloved major character and the impact that has had on the people that cared about him.
However, I'm not sure that I want to continue watching a show that details the slow and inevitable mental decline of someone over multiple episodes and seasons. Yes Jack died and it was sad. However, it's not like he died in the burning house with episode after episode showing him slowly burning and suffocating to death.
I understand that people have to deal with dementia and mental decline in real life. I'm just not sure I want to watch it for my entertainment. So while this is an important plot point and important to people, I hope it's not something they show over and over.
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Strategist
Member
07-01-2014
| Friday, November 15, 2019 - 2:27 pm
I see it differently. It is sad, but I think it's an important story to tell. Besides, they will be telling multiple different stories from many angles and timelines, so it will break things up.
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Jimmer
Board Administrator
08-29-2000
| Friday, November 15, 2019 - 2:39 pm
Well that is the wonderful thing about this show. It shows each character's life in many different times and from many different perspectives and experiences.
I don't know who said this but one of my favorite quotes goes something like, "Whether or not a book has a happy ending depends on when the author chooses to stop telling the story."
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Friday, November 15, 2019 - 7:56 pm
I see your point and it will depend on how they handle it.
The journey is one that affects too many families and as baby boomers, the oldest of whom are now 74, continue to age, it is overwhelming to many. But there are potentially sweet moments too and those who caregiver are true heroes, as are those who support those caregivers and other family members. So they need to show all aspects and outcomes.. Like will a grandchild decide to be a neuroscientist or doctor or nurse, who will step up for Rebecca besides Miguel? Randall? Kevin?
I think it is important. My brother's mother-in-law, my cousin's mother-in-law and though he may not have known since he died at 66 of lung cancer, his wife also developed Alzheimer's. And increasingly, my friends have kids spouses, my longevity stick teacher just died of it. More posters here are telling their experiences.
If they do this right, many people will feel a bit more heard.
As for stopping the story, the writers on this show say they do know how it ends.. But we certainly do not! So, fingers crossed that they will not mess this up.
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Pamy
Member
01-01-2002
| Friday, November 15, 2019 - 8:03 pm
(((Annie)))
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Texannie
Member
07-15-2001
| Friday, November 15, 2019 - 10:19 pm
Thank you Pamy
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Babyjaxmom
Member
10-20-2002
| Saturday, November 16, 2019 - 9:54 am
I think it's an important story and obviously one that resonates with so many of us. Life is tough and messy. It's helpful to feel that we're not alone in the issues we struggle with.
The church I go to is starting a support group for caregivers next week. I'm so excited about it, since so many are dealing with caring for family members suffering from one condition or another. Caregivers can ruin their own health while taking care of another. It's important for us to remember to care for ourselves, too!
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