she forgot the last name of my children (her grandchildren), forgets how to get to the mall she has been going to for twenty years,doesn't remember people who she has met numerous times before. I have to remind her of something over and over again. She cannot remember where her doctor's office is.
Both me and my adult children and at least four other people notice that something is wrong. Her dr. said for her to go for an assessment at a geriatric center. The appointment was over three hours long. They did a cognitive test on her (she got 27 out of 30) and they said she does not have dementia. They said she has mild cognitive impairment.
So here's my question: if EVERY SINGLE DAY I see her I am having to remind her about something, sometimes multiple times, how on earth is that mild?
Should I go somewhere else to have her tested and if so where? Has anyone else run into this. It's so frustrating to be told she doesn't have dementia when something is very wrong. She has had her car since 2000 and couldn't figure out how to turn the wipers on. How is that mild? Wouldn't you think that's kind of major?!
Also, she NEVER entered sweepstakes, "They are a waste of money. They are scams. I would never send my money there." Now she has brought three of them here the past week and is sending money to them. They even sent her a book of about twelve different sweepstakes and she told me she was going to "enter them all." If I tell her " No mom, they are scams" she gets angry with me.
Was she misdiagnosed?
I also agree with the others who said to ask her doc to rule out UTIs, reactions to new meds., or a slight stroke...all can have the same symptoms...however, her memory would improve after you take care of the cause.
If she is headed toward more memory loss, then it is best to prepare for housing and most importantly doing all the things to help her be safe in her/your home.
Good luck. So many diseases are really "umbrellas" for a variety of symptoms... that is why they are so hard for docs to diagnose.
She is scheduled to see a neurologist on the 14th of this month.
We now have the problem of some other family members wanting to put her in a nursing home and I am not in agreement with them.
Her physical health is great and when she and I realized in 1997 the start of this she gave me her power of atty. Now that her memory has progressively gotten worse these other family members have taken her from her home where she had 24 hr. company with family and was very happy and they are swapping her around, back and forth each of there homes one to another. On Jan. 19th of this year they had her to sign a power of atty. to them and I am certain that she did not understand what she was signing.
I can feel for you in your situation and I don't just say this; I do pray for you and your family and I need help too.
Any prayers or suggestions anyone?