The Terror of Lewy Bodies Dementia

My mom seemed to have an OK day yesterday, my sister came over as a suprise.  She called as I was on my way out the door to go to the doctor.  The plan was to leave my mom home alone with my MIL and if there were any problems, she'd call my husband who could be home in 15 minutes.

But, my sister, called and said, "Sue, I'm coming over.  I'll be there in an hour."

She had no idea that I had a doctor's appointment let alone the worry I've been having with my own health these days. 

I took this as a sign of better things to come, Yay!  I'm grateful that I have one sibling who is willing to share some of the responsibility of caring for our mom.

I didn't take my mom out yesterday, it was a gray November day, the air felt raw with little twitches of winter.  She didn't exercise.

My mom went to bed around 8.  I didn't give her Reiki and Hypnosis like I usually do, she wanted to watch the comedians on the comedy channel.

2:30am... SQUEAK, SQUEAK, SQUEAK

My mom was up and walking around the floor above my bed.  I dashed up the stairs and saw her standing there, frightened.  Her eyes were wide open.  She was out of breath from fear.

I said, "Ma, what's wrong?"

"Oh, is every one safe?  Where is everyone, I need to know where every one is!"  she proclaims with the fear a mother has when a child is missing.

I assured her in a calm voice, gently stroking her back that everyone was safe. 

She said, "So, is it 2:30 in the morning?" 

"Yes, it's 2:30am, I really am tired.  You must be too."

I got her back in her bed and lay on her side so that I could rub her back.  Back rubs always help her to relax so that she could fall back to sleep.

Her eyes were wide with terror and she was panting in fear when she first laid down.  It came on so suddenly, this panic attack.  Not what I wanted to be experiencing with her in the middle of the night.  The dark circles under my eyes are starting to finally go away because I've been able to sleep at night.  I must be getting spoiled, having several nights in a row where my mom sleeps through the night.

She did calm down and seemed to be settling in to sleep.  I went back to my room for more sleep.

7:30am I woke up to a rainy day.  Not a good day to do anything outside.  Winter is approaching, the grayness of the sky tells me that it's just beginning.

My mom, she didn't appear to be up yet.  I walked to her room and found her laying on her bed fully dressed, sleeping.  I was wondering how long she had been awake?  I wondered why she didn't squeak the floor to wake me up?

I made coffee and got her morning supplements and pills for her. 

I set up her Ashwagandha in her blue shot glass and filled a large glass with cool water, exactly the way she likes it.

I went back to her room and woke her.

"Ma, how long have you been awaked?  When did you wake up and get dressed?"

She told me at 7am, not too long.

I asked her if she remembered waking up at 2am.  She didn't at first and then she said, "Oh yes, the kids, there were kids at my window throwing stones to wake me up.  They needed my help."

She is fine this morning.  Not all freaked out as she has been in the past.  I've given her the Ashwagandha in her shot glass and all her supplements.  Today, we'll get her on the treadmill and on the Wii Fit balance game.  She always seems to do better when she exercises.  She sleeps better at night.

Lewy Bodies Dementia brings on night terrors.  The patient, scared and frightened with what they believe to be seeing, can be talked off the proverbial ledge.  All it takes is a little patience and calm on the part of the care giver. 

Talking softly, gently stroking their head or their back, reassuring them that they are safe and everything is going to be alright, calm does return but you have to be totally calm for the patient to be calm. 

The terror of Lewy Bodies Dementia is giving me opportunities to practice patience and calm.  I am fortunate.