My Dad will be 93 next week. He was independent until being hospitalized in mid October. He would
dress himself, make his own cereal, read the paper, watch tv. I took him to the ER because 2 days
prior was getting confused and started wheezing. ER diagnosed him with an electrolyte inbalance and
edema - which was accumulating in and around his lungs. He got very confused and agitated in the
hospital and they gave him Haldol and Ativan to calm him --- restrained him in bed with a halter. After
5 days and not getting any calmer, I demanded Haldol to be stopped. He was no longer agitated, but
still confused as to time and place. The discharge planner suggested placing him in an Alzheimers home.
This was the very first time "Alzheimers" or "dementia" had ever been used in respect to my Dad.
I decided to bring him home again and give him a chance for the drugs to get out of his system. He has
home for 6 wks now. He now needs direct supervision on getting dressed, washed and cannot make even
cereal for himself. Has no interest in the newspaper, television nor the current political situation. He
was always very political. He now wants to sleep 24hrs a day. I have to beg him to get out of bed long
enough to eat 3 meals a day. No information I have found on Alzheimers or dementia mentions constant
sleeping as a symptom. Supposedly the CAT scan in the ER didn't show any signs of a stroke. I have
been requesting a MRI - but the doctor is dragging his feet. The doctor moreorless says "He's 93, what
do expect"! All I know is that 2 months ago my Dad was relatively independent and active. Now he needs
constant direction and is very confused. The only thing that changed was a hospitalization. He didn't just
get OLD overnite! Anybody have any suggestions?????
- Re: SLEEPS ALL THE TIME!! christine 00:43:01 12/23/00
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- Re: SLEEPS ALL THE TIME!! Susan Collins 18:10:34 12/14/00
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