The Grump:

Having been told that we can’t even go on the NHS waiting list for a memory assessment for Mum as it’s so long, but that we are on a waiting list to go on the waiting list – I took Mum to a private appointment for a memory assessment last Thursday.  The secondary reason was for the doctor to look at the MRI scans and reports done after her 999 trip to hospital in June to see if she had a stroke that day (another appointment on the NHS that we’re still waiting for…).

As you’re probably expecting, it didn’t go to plan.  Due to the severity of Mums stroke in 2021 and the fact that it affected the area of her brain that uses communication, the doctor couldn’t do the memory assessment he does, which is purely verbal.  And even if he could, Mum would not be able to take any of the four medications available to support people with dementia because the combination of tests strongly suggest that Mum didn’t have a stroke in June – she had a grand mal epileptic seizure and is probably having mini ones which are affecting her further. And apparently she also has a heart condition.  Some of the tablets can’t be taken with uncontrolled epilepsy, some can’t be taken with a heart condition.

So now we need to fix those things before going through the NHS assessment which we are on the waiting list for the waiting list for.  I guess the good news is that we have a significant amount of time to do that fixing in.  The less good news is that he can see evidence of dementia on Mums scans but that’s considered insufficient to be able to give a diagnosis…  Argh!

The Smile:

However, after getting rather shouty about going to see the doctor, and then telling me she was worried that he’d say she didn’t work properly so should be shot (!) Mum decided she liked the doctor.  I videoed this so I can play it back to her next time when we have the same conversation. (please excuse the chewing – I’d promised her a sweet if she was ‘good’ at the appointment 🙂):

And once I’d explained to her what the doctor had said (which obviously ten minutes later was an irretrievable memory) she agreed that I was right to make her go:

And The (Nursey) Percy Tuesday:

Mum wasn’t feeling great on Tuesday.  Dad told me not to visit as she wasn’t very chatty, but I have a secret weapon in (Nursey) Percy:

While I went to Tesco he worked his magic, and when I got back he supervised me showering Mum:

(‘Pog, do I have to make all my clothes inside out?’

‘You have to take your PJs off, Mum, yes’

‘Oh this is going to take ages!’)

Stole her slipper to encourage a bit of exercise:

Kept mum company while I broke her bed while I was changing the bedding, then fixed it:

And ultimately got her up and about and feeling a lot better:

The roller coaster continues… 🙂