High Blood Pressure, High Blood Sugar = Hallucinations

Things can change in a moment with a Lewy Bodies Dementia patient... one minute they can appear "normal" and the next minute they are confused, wondering how to get home. 

Last night, after dinner, my mom was happy to watch her buddy John on Family Feud, believing that he talks to her, winks and waves.  She tells me everyday that she is playing to win a car.  She REALLY believes that she can win the car.  I really don't know what I'll say to her when she tells me that she won the car.  A car that doesn't exist.  But, that's a problem to solve when and if it ever presents itself.

I gave her a little bit of ice cream, a treat.  I didn't put Fenugreek on the ice cream, I was afraid to raise her blood pressure, fenugreek raises blood pressure.  Within 10 minutes, my mom turned from happy to totally freaked out by her hallucinations.

"Susie, come on, let's get out of here.  I want to go home."  My mom said to me as I went to her room to see if she wanted a cup of tea.

"But Ma, we are home.  This is our home."  I said to her.

"Oh, don't tell me that.  This isn't my home.  I want to go to Lloyd Street.  Eddie is on Lloyd Street.  I want to go across the street, to our house across the street."  My mom continued on confused and convinced that we had a different home.

I checked her blood pressure and it was high, 184/74.  Her blood sugar, I didn't check it, I assumed it was high because of the ice cream that she had eaten.  It was only a 1/2 cup portion, but it was enough to bring on total confusion and fright.

"Come on.  Come in here with me."  She walked into her bathroom, holding my hand, bringing me in with her.  "Shut the door, I don't want them to hear."  she continued.

"Ma!  I don't know what to do.  You are home.  This is our home, there's no where for me to take you.  Why don't you put on your night gown?" I said, trying to convince her, knowing that I was wasting my breath.

"No!  Don't tell me that, it's not, I want to go across the street.  I want to see the rest of the house." My mom was spiralling out of control with the help her her hallucinations.

I began to cry.  I didn't know what to do.  She was a basket case and I was quickly following in step with her insanity.  When I began to cry, my mom snapped back, she became my mom... "Susie, it's OK.  Don't cry."  She walked over to the bathroom window and looked out and said, "Yup, that's my backyard.  Maybe this is my house." she added.

I was able to show her the things in her room, all of her belongings, right where they belonged in the closet.  I walked her to our sunroom, the room where she sits all day, a room that is remenesce of her bedroom in our home that we had lived 10 years before moving to our current home.

It was a time for Rescue Remedy, both of us needed a couple of squirts on our tongue in order to help bring down the stress, stress that was causing blood pressures to rise and make my mom crazier than usual.

Fortuantely my husband came up stairs just in time to talk my mom off her ledge.  He let her know that this is our home and she's welcome.  His words seemed to make sense to my mom because she calmed down.  Things began to become familiar again and my mom was ready to go back to her room and get dressed for bed.  I gave her a teaspoon of Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar in a shot of water.

Her blood pressure had come down within an hour.  She took her night time supplements and her drink of Ashwagandha, my mom fell asleep and slept until 6:30 this morning.  She woke happy and cheery.  Blood pressure is normal and her blood sugar is also in a great range.

Today, she'll spend the day with my nephew.  I'll have a day off to go to the Mall and have one of those deep relaxing massages, an hour long massage.  I can hardly wait.  Today will be a great day... Yay!

It's also a special day ... 45 years ago, my mom gave birth to my "little" brother.  Happy Birthday Marty!!!!