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Dear Maddysgirl,

How about clarifying it with your mother's doctor? Or perhaps getting second opinion? Here is some information about Alzheimer's , and more about Dementia which mentions schizophrenia.

You may also want to ask on the Alzheimer's Exchange , too.

My best,

Byroney

My mother is 88 and a week ago Thursday was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Her problem is some confusion, but mostly hallucinations. She sees ghosts and feels rats licking her feet and climbing on her. She had a CT scan that confirmed the diagnosis, but now the neurosycologist has scheduled an MRI as he is suspecting Lewy Bodies which is a diffeent form of dimentia than Alzheimer's. Lewy Bodies include hallucinations which she has, a shuffled walk, and slight trembling of the hands, all of which she has.

I don't know what tomorrow will bring. She fell on Easter Sunday just three days after diagnosis. She said the "people" chased her and took her pocketbook and hearing aid, and that was why she was all bruised. Thank goodness nothing was broken!

We found the pocketbook cleverly hidden later on, but the hearing aid is gone. She didn't hear very good with the hearing aid, but at least I could get her to understand me if I worked at it. Now she can't hear at all. In addition, she has macular degeneration and can't see out of her left eye.

This has been a challange, as I'm sure you know, but I'll do the best I can for her as long as I can. As she lives with my husband and I and has for 33 years, we are not going to leave her now.

My two sisters and brother live a thousand miles away, so I can't rely on them, and my daughter helps as much as she can but she has two small children.

This probably doesn't help you with your question, but you can ask about Lewy Bodies at the next appointment.

I will let you know how she makes out. Do the best you can that's all you can do.

Dear Wantherback,

Thank you for sharing your story, about your mother, and about the Lewy Bodies. Here's an article on Dementia with Lewy Bodies that might be interesting to you or Maddysgirl.

You and your husband really deserve praise for thirty-three years of taking care of mom. Please keep us updated on how your mom is doing. I hope you were able to find her hearing aid and that she hasn't had any further falls.

Best wishes,

Byroney