Update on both parents in hospitals at the same time

SunnyMeadow · February 23, 2022, 10:25:49 AM

Hi everyone,

It's been non-stop uNPDmother and enabling step-dad since Jan 30.

Mom is being moved from rehab to an assisted living apartment today. S-dad is still in the hospital, then to rehab, then moving to assisted living with my mother. No timeline on him yet. Dh and I have busted our behinds getting them this assisted living place, getting movers and putting the apartment together for them. Plus me visiting them, each at hospitals 45 minutes away from the other. This is WAY MORE interaction than I ever wanted or expected to be having. I'm ready for it to be over so we can get back to our own lives!

The type of stroke she had likely didn't have any effect on her losing her memory. It was a small stroke. Instead the doctor says it's likely from Covid!! Now my parents didn't get the vaccines, didn't believe in them. They each got covid and it turned their worlds upside down. It's like my mother has instant dementia. She is incapable of doing much.

The weird and oddly good news is that she doesn't remember her long held grudges and beefs with people. My husband went NC about a year and a half ago after another incident, never saw her or s-dad again. (he likes s-dad so it was a bummer for dh to lose him). Well, my mother doesn't remember any issue with my husband!! She asks about him but not in a snarky way. She hasn't brought up any issues with anyone else either and she had plenty of issues, arguments and perceived slights with dozens and dozens of people.

In other good news, while my mother was in the hospital and rehab, dh was able to see and reconnect with s-dad. They both welcomed this. Dad was happy to interact with him and had dh doing projects and running to the hardware stores just like old times when they would work on projects together

I have no idea if this memory issue and being unable to put thoughts into words will last but it's a welcome break from her usual mean, gossipy and

ways.
If anyone has any info about covid brain fog or seemingly instant dementia, I would welcome any experiences you've heard of.

Andeza · February 23, 2022, 10:59:32 AM

Here you go, Sunny Meadows. A little report on brain fog/cognitive decline and Covid. (There were tons when I searched it up, so I may poke around a bit more as I'm a naturally curious person.)

https://www.alz.org/aaic/releases_2021/covid-19-cognitive-impact.asp

If I understand the basic premise, they're reasoning that the lowered blood oxygen levels that some patients experience for an extended period of time can cause the sudden onset of Alzheimer's-like symptoms. Which makes sense. When the brain is starved of oxygen it begins to prioritize survival over other functions, keeping the body running but sacrificing non-essential functions. (Like memory)

This is a really bad spot you and your DH are going through. I'm sorry you've found yourself in this position and I hope that you get back to your regular schedule once more quickly.

Sneezy · February 23, 2022, 11:27:29 AM

SunnyMeadow - I'm so glad you are getting your parents settled. Here's to getting your life back to normal

I have a relative who experienced the brain fog of covid. She was out of work for over a month. In addition to the brain fog, she experienced extreme anxiety. It took over a month for her to start feeling like herself again. She is in her late forties. I can see how older people may experience dementia symptoms with covid, though. It sure makes sense. Unfortunately, every time an older person goes through a dementia-type incident (whether it's delusions or other dementia symptoms), I think there can be some permanent cognitive decline. Hopefully, with your parents the good side effects stick and maybe they will be a little easier to deal with in the future. Getting them both into assisted living is wonderful news!!!

Andeza · February 23, 2022, 11:32:03 AM

Yes, Covid has had some, eh, interesting and unforeseen effects. I had massive driving anxiety for a year after I recovered. I hated it, fought it, but it had to run its course. It has mostly gone away now, but I don't know that memory issues have the same possibility for recovery. That I have not studied. As for brain fog - maybe? It's hard to say because I've also got a toddler and just had a baby last year, so how much is "mom brain"? I don't know.

SunnyMeadow · February 24, 2022, 07:52:16 AM

Thanks Andeza and Sneezy!

I appreciate the link, really interesting. I'm going to poke around more also as I get time. I'd hear about Covid brain fog on the news and just equate it to when I had mom brain, like you said or menopause brain fog. But her brain fog is life changing or I'm even wondering if she's having mini strokes.

She's in assisted living and I'm thinking she really needs full care. She's weak, and needs assistance going to the bathroom, the bed or in and out of her recliner, The nurse who did her assessment for assisted living maybe didn't notice all the care she needs.

The money I dished out from their checking account is scary! Time to put the house on the market. I wish they didn't still have a mortgage in their late 80s. I'm wondering how long they can live in AL at these prices.

Also the anxiety you both mentioned....yikes!! What an awful virus. Thanks for sharing your experiences.

I'm going to hope for the best but getting prepared that she won't have any improvement.

GentleSoul · February 26, 2022, 06:16:38 AM

I had covid in Feb 2020, it left me with Long Covid.

One of the symptoms being brain fog. It was very strange feeling. Like my brain was moving through treacle. Everything very slow. Lots of things I simply could not understand or do. Obviously it caused great difficulty running my life. I was navigating around my covert narc husband too which probably added to it all. That in itself added to the confusion, of course.

I wasn't able to focus, concentrate or read. I would look at the tv and just see moving pictures, no idea what was going on. Could not follow conversations with people.

I was 56 at the time, super fit and active. It knocked the stuffing out of me.

It lasted about 18 months although still some issues now.

Hope this helps.

SunnyMeadow · February 26, 2022, 07:14:22 AM

I'm very sorry GentleSoul, how awful for you. My mother seems the same when she's looking at the tv and can't even look at a word search or magazine.

I am the same age as you and I can't imagine how terrible this is when you've been super fit and active. 18 months, wow, that certainly is Long Covid. Thanks for the info. I'll be thinking of you and wishing you a full recovery.

1footouttadefog · February 26, 2022, 11:22:20 AM

Being super nasty can be a phase of dementia that a person can later move through to another phase. I have seen this happen with alot of elderly folks over the years. One old friend of mine became nasty for a while when he had never been like that in his life then it went as quickly as it came.

My MIL seemed to become much less if a Narc suddenly at the end of her life. She was more like a child at that point.

Not all dementias are memory related.

GentleSoul · February 26, 2022, 12:27:23 PM

Quote from: SunnyMeadow on February 26, 2022, 07:14:22 AM
I'm very sorry GentleSoul, how awful for you. My mother seems the same when she's looking at the tv and can't even look at a word search or magazine.

I am the same age as you and I can't imagine how terrible this is when you've been super fit and active. 18 months, wow, that certainly is Long Covid. Thanks for the info. I'll be thinking of you and wishing you a full recovery.

Thank you, that is very kind of you. I am hopeful I will fully recover.

I was the same way with word search, crosswords, jigsaw puzzles, books, magazines. My brain just could not make sense of them.