explaining the ups and downs

Hope, et. al. In most (not all) cases, Alzheimer's moves steadily and inexorably (like a glacier) and behavioral changes are only noted over time. What seems to be happening now are mini-strokes. I, too, have witnessed scenes such as you describe just last week, like an angry "who are you and what are you doing in my house" look and others, like telling Scott to get a plumber to fix the toilet then giving Gary money to go buy a new toilet 10 minutes later. It was all very upsetting. Mini-strokes alter behavior when they happen, "all of a sudden" if you will. But then, you still have AD at work too and it can at times be hard to distinguish which one is the culprit. Both, I suppose. Like I said, the CT scan was extremely telling. There is a lot (and I mean a heck of a lot) of mini-stroke damage and also a heck of a lot of AD damage as well. It left me wondering how is Helen even functioning and fretting about how much worse this is going to become over time.

It is emotionally hard as heck on me and you all, too. An RN with clinical depression caring for a loved one with progressive dementia. It would be comical if it didn't hurt so.