Health Issues in Family - Dementia & Alcohol

Hello again. It has been a very long time. I've been through a busy period with family duties, and also work [teaching and marking duties] taking up my time. There is good news though - my son who has suffered from alcoholic problems for many years, has been free of alcohol for a good 8 months! The "penny has dropped" and he is now working his AA programme well. I gave him a small present for this - a DVD and a music CD. We also got him a better but not expensive bike, as his old one had totally given up and had to be scrapped. This is for his birthday, but in advance, as his birthday is in October. He is really pleased - over the moon with it. Although he still has ups and downs with moods, he is much better and looks it too - he has lost over a stone, runs and swims. He is thinking about training to do something useful...

We tried adopting a young kitten in May - but unfortunately our older neuter male cat Charlie and she did not get on - Charlie was vey hostile. We had to give the kitten [a pretty little tortoiseshell aged 6 months, called Jasmine] back - such a shame. I heard she later got a very good home. This means that Charlie will continue his days with us as an only cat, despite the fact we had his sister Cleo here too until she died in late 2006. He fights off the others that come round - he likes the garden to himself!

My husband is in the process of getting a diagnosis for the early stages of dementia. This has been provisionally diagnosed -we saw the doctor 2 days ago. D. was given a test of 30 items, which showed whether his brain was working OK. He scored about 25, which puts him into a category of giving cause for concern. For over two years he has shown problems with his memory, and gets confused over "business" matters. He will now wait to get a letter which will entitle him to go for further tests - including a CAT scan (of his brain). It is rather scary for me - I may well end up as his carer - but it is early days. I know that the dementias can lead to great dependency, but there are drugs which can help. if theya re prescribed. I've already looked up stuff about it on the Alzheimer's Society website, and found this very helpful. There are other dementias too - eg. vascular dementia. George Melly [UK jazz singer and art expert] died from this type. D. could have this form of it.

I shall sign off now - this has been a more serious entry than usual. There are family concerns now - in the past it was our parents' generation that we worried about. Now it is ourselves. My partner is 66, but he is old enough to have dementia, though it's less common at under 70 years. I have now to go and get our meals - so have to stop. I am having 2 more holidays this year, while it's still possible.

I hope we shall soon have a better summer in the UK [after all our monsoon type rain.] I have to sign off now - it is getting late! Hope to blog again sooner.
Love and peace - Tigey