The change has been absolutely mind-blowing. When I got here three months ago my mom barely talked. She could not use her hands, even to scratch her face. She basically slept all the time and was rigid and couldn't support her head. As she was gradually weaned off the drugs, more and more of her began to re-appear. Now more and more and more of her has come back. She is so alert and so aware and so there, most of the time, that it's like she doesn't have dementia. Well, not really, it's still very obvious that she has dementia, but the changes are heart warming and make everyday that much more enjoyable.
This morning when I went to get mom for mass, one of her care givers told me how she had to stop mom from trying to get out of bed, "She's trying to get outta of Dodge," she said with a big smile. We are all so amazed at the bounce back. The only medical explanation or reason for it is stopping the drug regime. In fact, the doctor who had her on all those drugs for all those years is in such disbelief that he is coming out this week to see for himself. At times, I myself can't believe it but I know because others notice the changes and differences in mom. I am though chalking up some of those changes to prayer and support. Many people besides me have been praying for mom and many people besides me come to see her regularly and let her know that although she may forget, they don't forget her. Really, I don't care if it's prayer, the universe, no drugs or support, I'm just glad that the times when she is 'there' now out number the times when she isn't 'there'.
Three months ago I was really quite pessimistic. Now, I'm optimistic. I know that not only will mom make to Christmas, but God willing she will be around for awhile. The joy that fills my heart when I see my mom turn the page of a magazine now and try to use her hands and then her even trying to get out of bed means that she feels the changes too and her zest for life has been renewed. She actually tells me now, that she's bored. To rid her of the boredom I keep her in a steady supply of books and magazines and colouring books and anything that occupies her time. I have a belief that if you snooze, you lose, so I have asked to Occupational therapists to work with mom so she can maintain using her hands and possibly even get more use back.
I am even hopeful that her swallowing will improve. I realize that I might be setting myself up for disappointment but I'm hoping and I will keep hoping because I never expected for her hands to come back or her mind to ever improve. Yes parts of her brain are gone and they won't come back. But, maybe because of persistence and determination on both my part and mom's, we have retrained parts of her brain or who knows, maybe parts that have never been used are now being utilized. The brain is still such a mystery that this is what I think has happened with mom. I'm no neurologist or doctor but what I have learnt from my own brain injury and rehab and from mom's great improvements, anything is possible.
For those of you who are still in doubt, below are two video's of my mom. The first is about 3 weeks ago and the second is from this morning. You be the judge, because I'm not imagining things.
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