Worried about my Mom...
I feel so helpless as far as my Mom is concerned. I wish so much that there was something I could do to help her. The only thing I can do is to keep on loving her just as much as I always have, and to keep her in my prayers. If only there as a cure for Parkinson's disease, but there isn't. Plus to make it even worse it's a very progressive disease. I've witnessed that over the last few years the way my Mom's condition has gotten steadily worse.
She's in her mid-80's, but that doesn't make things any easier. Of course all of us in my family would have hoped that my Mom could have lived out her later years as healthy as possible, for as long as possible. With this disease I'm afraid it's going to eventually end up cutting her life much shorter than it could have been if she had never been diagnosed with the disease.
I realize that life spans are never guaranteed. Still I have always hoped that both my Mom and Dad could have lived their lives as healthy as possible till in their late 90's. One of my Great Grandfathers lived till 95, so I've always hoped for that, or better, for my parents.
My Dad's in his mid-80's too, so the stress of taking care of Mom has not been good for him. I wish I was rich. If I was I would give every cent that I could of that to my parents so they could get the help that they need for Mom's care. Dad's in fairly good health for his age, but the stress of taking care of someone with Parkinson's would have been a lot for even a person in their 30's or 40's. My niece helps my parents as much as she can, but she can't be there as often as they need her to since she has a 6 year old boy, and a part-time job that sometimes borders on full-time. My parents need professional help for taking care of Mom, but that costs money that they don't have. Sure they have medicare, and possibly some other additional insurance. Those things don't pay for everything unfortunately.
My brother is a doctor, and makes a very substantial living. In my opinion he should be " stepping up " to help our parents right now. Yet he's too wrapped up in his own little world to seem to even care about them. I know for a fact that he doesn't visit them as often as he should, especially being a doctor. With his medical knowledge, he knows full well how terrible Mom's condition currently is, and he's very aware of the stress my Dad is under from taking care of her. My brother seems to care more about what " luxuries " he can spend his money on than lending a helping hand to our parents. Would it really be such a strain on him to give them some help during this time of great need ? NO ! I don't believe it would at all !
To top all of this off, just recently my Mom had a doctor's appointment. During that appointment the doctor was very blunt to them, and told them that Mom might have to end up going into a nursing home ! I would sell my hair.. sell one of my organs... sell my arm... anything it took.. if any of that would prevent that from happening ! My Mom would not survive in a nursing home. I'm sure of this. She depends on Dad far too much. I've witnessed how she gets extremely stressed out often when Dad merely leaves the room she's in for just five minutes, or so. How would she survive if she was in a nursing home without being able to be near Dad ?! She would die from pure heartbreak... complete sorrow, and despair.
I know what it's like in a nursing home from my own personal experience with it last year when I had to go in one for 10 months total out of last year - 2012. I had to do this because of being unable to walk, or stand, because of having extreme osteoarthritis in both of my knees. I got through that, and managed to do well enough to be released. But of course with my Mom there would be " no coming home ". I can't even wrap my mind around the thought of my Mom being in a place like that. I couldn't stand it, and I have all of my mental faculties. With my Mom's dementia symptoms brought on by her Parkinson's disease, she would not be able to stand being in a nursing home. There's no way she could. I'm certain of it.
One thing I know for certain among all of these current " uncertainties ", is that IF my brother - the doctor - allows our Mom to be put in a nursing home I will NEVER FORGIVE HIM ! NEVER ! There would be NO EXCUSE for him to allow that to happen ! I'm sure that he could step up and help enough to prevent it !
She's in her mid-80's, but that doesn't make things any easier. Of course all of us in my family would have hoped that my Mom could have lived out her later years as healthy as possible, for as long as possible. With this disease I'm afraid it's going to eventually end up cutting her life much shorter than it could have been if she had never been diagnosed with the disease.
I realize that life spans are never guaranteed. Still I have always hoped that both my Mom and Dad could have lived their lives as healthy as possible till in their late 90's. One of my Great Grandfathers lived till 95, so I've always hoped for that, or better, for my parents.
My Dad's in his mid-80's too, so the stress of taking care of Mom has not been good for him. I wish I was rich. If I was I would give every cent that I could of that to my parents so they could get the help that they need for Mom's care. Dad's in fairly good health for his age, but the stress of taking care of someone with Parkinson's would have been a lot for even a person in their 30's or 40's. My niece helps my parents as much as she can, but she can't be there as often as they need her to since she has a 6 year old boy, and a part-time job that sometimes borders on full-time. My parents need professional help for taking care of Mom, but that costs money that they don't have. Sure they have medicare, and possibly some other additional insurance. Those things don't pay for everything unfortunately.
My brother is a doctor, and makes a very substantial living. In my opinion he should be " stepping up " to help our parents right now. Yet he's too wrapped up in his own little world to seem to even care about them. I know for a fact that he doesn't visit them as often as he should, especially being a doctor. With his medical knowledge, he knows full well how terrible Mom's condition currently is, and he's very aware of the stress my Dad is under from taking care of her. My brother seems to care more about what " luxuries " he can spend his money on than lending a helping hand to our parents. Would it really be such a strain on him to give them some help during this time of great need ? NO ! I don't believe it would at all !
To top all of this off, just recently my Mom had a doctor's appointment. During that appointment the doctor was very blunt to them, and told them that Mom might have to end up going into a nursing home ! I would sell my hair.. sell one of my organs... sell my arm... anything it took.. if any of that would prevent that from happening ! My Mom would not survive in a nursing home. I'm sure of this. She depends on Dad far too much. I've witnessed how she gets extremely stressed out often when Dad merely leaves the room she's in for just five minutes, or so. How would she survive if she was in a nursing home without being able to be near Dad ?! She would die from pure heartbreak... complete sorrow, and despair.
I know what it's like in a nursing home from my own personal experience with it last year when I had to go in one for 10 months total out of last year - 2012. I had to do this because of being unable to walk, or stand, because of having extreme osteoarthritis in both of my knees. I got through that, and managed to do well enough to be released. But of course with my Mom there would be " no coming home ". I can't even wrap my mind around the thought of my Mom being in a place like that. I couldn't stand it, and I have all of my mental faculties. With my Mom's dementia symptoms brought on by her Parkinson's disease, she would not be able to stand being in a nursing home. There's no way she could. I'm certain of it.
One thing I know for certain among all of these current " uncertainties ", is that IF my brother - the doctor - allows our Mom to be put in a nursing home I will NEVER FORGIVE HIM ! NEVER ! There would be NO EXCUSE for him to allow that to happen ! I'm sure that he could step up and help enough to prevent it !
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