My very best friend of 43 years is 68 and has been exhibiting signs of early onset for about 6 years now, probably longer. She has holed herself up in her mobile home and lets nobody in. We used to visit each other all the time! 43 years of it! My friend has always had extreme emotions-both ways. She is the last of her siblings, she just lost her sister yesterday. I know how she is when she was in her right mind when dealing with grief now-very, very emotional. She lost her brother Ziggy (her fave) about 6 years ago...she is still grieving...stays in it, does not go through it. She lives alone, with her little dog inside what was once a beautiful mobile home. Her love for the Lord once exceeded no other that I knew. I envied her love and devotion to Him. She quit everything immediately, smoking, drugging, drinking...smashed up all of her secular CD's and some vinyl!!! Bottom line-extreme. My heart breaks everyday for her now. If you challange her memory, she gets very volatile. Family, which are few, 1 nephew who couldn't find himself out of a paper bag...2 nieces in Tennessee and 1 niece in this area who seems not to want to get involved. All the decades I have known her, she was ALWAYS there for any and every one of them, NO questions asked. Now that she needs desperate help...they keep their distance. She calls me daily, sometimes several times..she sometimes forgets we had the same conversation just 20 minutes ago.
I am looking into Medical P.O.A. and if I get it, I will have to do one of the hardest things of my life...seperate her from her dog.
crazy clean. I do not have words to describe what I saw after finally being allowed to enter her mobile home after YEARS of begging her to let me, she'd say, nah, I gotta clean house, she would say that everytime I thought I was prepared for a mess but this, this was no less than living in a dumpster only. Not hording just total chaotic, garbage, food...dog feces, urine that almost knocked me over,papers, food containers, everywhere. Pizza boxes to my shoulders, and THAT was just the 1st round. You could not find the kitchen floor for the piles and piles of tossed...garbage! U will not explain what else I saw. I opened the door, she was sitting in her chair, my heart was so broken my eyes just stung with tears immediately when I saw my friend. There is so much to this story but, I;ll just throw a few more things in here...she has nobody stepping up to the plate. I have been able to have a nice long conversation with the last Doctor she had (she keeps getting divorced from the practices for non compliance) again, she was divorced now, I am trying to get her to let me bring her to this practice I know of. Sry all over here can't get this all out, lol. My friends younger sister died of EA, My friend took care of her got her into a good home, went everyday even though she worked full time, was paying rent on her sisters Lot rent for months because nobody was buying. I'm sorry this post is all over the place, and it ain't even the half of it. Bottom line, this is a horrible disease which effects not just the patient but all those in their lives as well. I will humbly ask for you prayer for strength and patience to help my friend. She has pushed everyone away over the years with her angry outbursts when asked a simple question, or challanged on her memory...she has lived in total denial for a long time. I am the only one she has, and I never, until my friend, have asked Him "Why God, why?" She cannot help this and she is very difficult to be around at times, not that I see her anymore as she doesn't come out but for food. Thanks for your patience to those who read this through.
love you guys and gals,
-nancy