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For the past 2 years my mother has been sliding down the rabbit hole. Periods of great confusion, paranoia (well she's always been paranoid) short term memory worsening. Two weeks ago she got the flu as did many of the residents in her AL. No visiting. I've talked to on the phone daily. When the flu was worst she was worse than ever, confused, angry , thought I hadn't called. Then she got better. For the past 3 days it's as if her mind's function has rolled back ten years. Conversations are coherent. We were able to talk about selling her house...she brought it up. I don't know how long this will last. It is eerie when I've become accustomed to incoherence and anger.

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Rosyday, makes you wonder what type of medicine was Mom taking for her flu. Apparently something worked to help clear her mind :)
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What a lovely gift. Enjoy it while it lasts!!!
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Sometimes the minds of people with dementia clear up. Unfortunately it doesn't usually last. I agree with suzeeQ: enjoy it while it lasts.
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my wife , 68, is not able to walk. She has beginning stages of demensia and peripheral neuropathy. Not able to bathe, so I wash her myself best I can. Anyone have a "trick" for adaquetly washing her rear end. She is not able to raise herself very much onto her hip either (from a lying position), even by pulling on the side rail of her (hospital) bed (not very strong). She recently went through a spell of 3 days not able to get out of bed so there is much urine residue. Thanks
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sgtrock: I recommend you please start a new thread in the "Bathing & Hygiene" section to get focused answers.
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You leave her in bed....get a water proof sheet under her...above that a regular sheet folded so it only covers the area from her shoulders to her knees.

Now.... stand on one side and grab the edge of the sheet farthest away from you...gently roll her toward you by pulling on the sheet. Get her to put her leg (top on) bent toward you. Now she is stable..walk around her and wash her back side.... now, carefully have her straighten that top,leg...roll her toward you by first lower her ttill she is flat on her back..now roll her toward you. Same technique as before. Walk back around her and wash her back side.

This time...roll the sheet till you can tuck it under her while she is still on her side.

Now roll her gently till she is back laying on her back...go to the other side...roll her over gently till you can pull the sheet out from under her.

Lay her back down. You now have her clean and the wet sheet in you hand. Done.
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Freqflyer. I know! I thought the same thing. She was taking Tamiflu. Can't see how that would do it. Oh well, I will appreciate it while it lasts.
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Tamiflu makes me hallucinate! Last time I took it, I tripped on (an imaginary) banana peel the kids put right where they knew I'd step, and another time they dragged a child's desk into my bedroom to trip over. I remember these things like they were yesterday they were so vivid! I wonder if the Tamiflu actually helps cement memory for a lot of people?
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I wonder if they gave her an analgesic like tylenol or ibuprophen. Anti-inflammitory , perhaps some sort of brain inflammation. ?
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That's great news. I hope it lasts.
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Pretty amazing!!
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Thanks everyone. Welp. I knew it was too good to last. She's back down the rabbit hole and our good conversations just provided new fodor for her paranoia. I knew we were back there when she called using her special "voice" saying, This is your daughter speaking." Still I'm glad I had those moments.
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