The Meaning of Life page 1
FedUpWithFaith
31st January 2012, 03:17 AM
I think you'll enjoy this - it's funny and poignant. It's my sister's view of the meaning of life after a traumatic brain injury (TBI).
http://www.youtube.com/user/AnitasAdventure?feature=mhee#p/u/3/py1JAYuZZwM (http://www.youtube.com/user/AnitasAdventure?feature=mhee#p/u/3/py1JAYuZZwM)
http://www.youtube.com/user/AnitasAdventure?feature=mhee#p/u/3/py1JAYuZZwM (http://www.youtube.com/user/AnitasAdventure?feature=mhee#p/u/3/py1JAYuZZwM)
Jerome
31st January 2012, 03:33 AM
Is that you there?
FedUpWithFaith
31st January 2012, 03:42 AM
yes. For the first month after she regained consciousness I was with her at least 10 hours a day. She didn't come ome until late November - too soon in my opinion.
Jerome
31st January 2012, 03:52 AM
I feel like i am prying, :o, are you married?
FedUpWithFaith
31st January 2012, 04:26 AM
I feel like i am prying, :o, are you married?
32 Years in June to High School sweetheart (wife is in some of the other videos).
(pic from 1980 - feel free to laugh at my ridiculous hair - just glad i still have it)
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd47/awk9876/Weddingpics002-2.jpg
32 Years in June to High School sweetheart (wife is in some of the other videos).
(pic from 1980 - feel free to laugh at my ridiculous hair - just glad i still have it)
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd47/awk9876/Weddingpics002-2.jpg
maiforpeace
31st January 2012, 07:33 AM
Sweetness - she's got her wits about her, be thankful for that.
Yes, simple things like pooping are quite a different experience for someone who can't just take themselves to the bathroom, take a shit and wipe their ass. Believe, I know.
I lost my sister, well her mind that is, (basically her) to early onset Alzheimer's. She can't speak, she doesn't know who I am. She's basically a vegetable. She's in full time nursing care. I am her guardian/conservator since my brother and her son want nothing to do with her.
She's less than 2 years older than me.
Yes, simple things like pooping are quite a different experience for someone who can't just take themselves to the bathroom, take a shit and wipe their ass. Believe, I know.
I lost my sister, well her mind that is, (basically her) to early onset Alzheimer's. She can't speak, she doesn't know who I am. She's basically a vegetable. She's in full time nursing care. I am her guardian/conservator since my brother and her son want nothing to do with her.
She's less than 2 years older than me.
nostrum
31st January 2012, 12:28 PM
That's a wonderful moment. If only we could all have at least one sibling like you :blinksmile:
nostrum
31st January 2012, 12:29 PM
Mai: :hug: I can't even imagine...
FedUpWithFaith
31st January 2012, 04:09 PM
Sweetness - she's got her wits about her, be thankful for that.
Yes, simple things like pooping are quite a different experience for someone who can't just take themselves to the bathroom, take a shit and wipe their ass. Believe, I know.
I lost my sister, well her mind that is, (basically her) to early onset Alzheimer's. She can't speak, she doesn't know who I am. She's basically a vegetable. She's in full time nursing care. I am her guardian/conservator since my brother and her son want nothing to do with her.
She's less than 2 years older than me.
That's terrible, Mai. I sympathize. With the exception perhaps of watching a dear one in excruciating long-term pain, Alzheimers has to be the worst thing to endure for the person close to the victim. I think I know how it feels a little because sometimes I've looked into my sister's eyes and they look dead, like a light went out. I can also imagine the terror of the victim during the stages where they know they are losing their mind, otherwise, it's seems worse for the loved ones. If it happened to me I would hope I'd have the presence of mind to kill myself, but it sneaks up so slowly in most cases... I'd rather die than put my wife through that.
I haven't mentioned it before by my sister's TBI has had a silver lining, at least so far. When she was "normal", she suffered frequent bouts of debiliitating headaches and was heavily medicated for depression and anxiety. That's all gone away and she's a much happier person now. I feel I'm having a form of "Flowers for Algernon" experience (or the movie Charley if you recall). If i had a choice of her going back to the way she was or the way she is now (significantly better than in the videos), I'd choose the later. Of course, my real hope is that she regain full cognitive ability and lose all the baggage too. She deserves it.
Yes, simple things like pooping are quite a different experience for someone who can't just take themselves to the bathroom, take a shit and wipe their ass. Believe, I know.
I lost my sister, well her mind that is, (basically her) to early onset Alzheimer's. She can't speak, she doesn't know who I am. She's basically a vegetable. She's in full time nursing care. I am her guardian/conservator since my brother and her son want nothing to do with her.
She's less than 2 years older than me.
That's terrible, Mai. I sympathize. With the exception perhaps of watching a dear one in excruciating long-term pain, Alzheimers has to be the worst thing to endure for the person close to the victim. I think I know how it feels a little because sometimes I've looked into my sister's eyes and they look dead, like a light went out. I can also imagine the terror of the victim during the stages where they know they are losing their mind, otherwise, it's seems worse for the loved ones. If it happened to me I would hope I'd have the presence of mind to kill myself, but it sneaks up so slowly in most cases... I'd rather die than put my wife through that.
I haven't mentioned it before by my sister's TBI has had a silver lining, at least so far. When she was "normal", she suffered frequent bouts of debiliitating headaches and was heavily medicated for depression and anxiety. That's all gone away and she's a much happier person now. I feel I'm having a form of "Flowers for Algernon" experience (or the movie Charley if you recall). If i had a choice of her going back to the way she was or the way she is now (significantly better than in the videos), I'd choose the later. Of course, my real hope is that she regain full cognitive ability and lose all the baggage too. She deserves it.
FedUpWithFaith
31st January 2012, 04:18 PM
[QUOTE=maiforpeace;11814]She's in full time nursing care. I am her guardian/conservator since my brother and her son want nothing to do with her.
QUOTE]
This probably deserves its own thread but one thing I'd like to warn everybody about is "MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A POWER OF ATTORNEY AND LIVING WILL", especially if you're unmarried.
My sister (single) didn't have these things and the process of my taking legal guardianship was costly and time consuming as a result. And that's with no family squabbling about me becoming guardian - if that happens it can be much, much worse. During the months it took me to gain legal control, my sister's finances were badly damaged unnecessarily and I had limited ability to direct her medical care.
QUOTE]
This probably deserves its own thread but one thing I'd like to warn everybody about is "MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A POWER OF ATTORNEY AND LIVING WILL", especially if you're unmarried.
My sister (single) didn't have these things and the process of my taking legal guardianship was costly and time consuming as a result. And that's with no family squabbling about me becoming guardian - if that happens it can be much, much worse. During the months it took me to gain legal control, my sister's finances were badly damaged unnecessarily and I had limited ability to direct her medical care.
maiforpeace
31st January 2012, 04:41 PM
She was living with her son before being admitted to the hospital - she had dropped down to 77 lbs. - I know it was because my nephew was clueless as to how to care for someone with Alzheimers, but since she was receiving SSI the social worker at the hospital was going to charge him with elder abuse, so it was pretty easy for me to gain emergency conservatorship/and guardianship and later on permanent, and it didn't cost me a dime. The judicial system was very supportive and I even got free legal help in the process of applying for Medicaid, which was needed since she receives an annuity from my father's estate. I was very impressed with how they do things in Kentucky. It would have been a nightmare here in CA.
So, do you still have POA and guardianship? Your sister seems pretty capable now.
So, do you still have POA and guardianship? Your sister seems pretty capable now.
FedUpWithFaith
31st January 2012, 05:24 PM
So, do you still have POA and guardianship? Your sister seems pretty capable now.
Guardianship - yes. My sister can still not be trusted to control her affairs. She is still not cognitively capable to do her taxes or run her finaances and she lacks impulse control.
Also, if you'd seen more of the videos (please do, there are some really funny ones) you'll see she's partially paralized and needs a lot of physical assistance too.
Guardianship - yes. My sister can still not be trusted to control her affairs. She is still not cognitively capable to do her taxes or run her finaances and she lacks impulse control.
Also, if you'd seen more of the videos (please do, there are some really funny ones) you'll see she's partially paralized and needs a lot of physical assistance too.
maiforpeace
1st February 2012, 04:57 AM
I watched a couple, it's very generous of your sister to share her experience.
Re: her partial paralysis:
This post was dictated - and I am navigating all around the net, my email, reading the news and making comments all with the command of my voice.
I learned word recognition when I had to be on my back in bed with back issues. It's fucking rad...and it's much much faster and more efficient than typing is for me now.
Plus, the process of using it can produce some rather hilarious results.
The best way to learn to use it is to simply dictate from a book.
Re: her partial paralysis:
This post was dictated - and I am navigating all around the net, my email, reading the news and making comments all with the command of my voice.
I learned word recognition when I had to be on my back in bed with back issues. It's fucking rad...and it's much much faster and more efficient than typing is for me now.
Plus, the process of using it can produce some rather hilarious results.
The best way to learn to use it is to simply dictate from a book.
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