She has had batteries of tests and a recently series of appts with a psychologist has established it is not a mental thing but a physical thing, and although tests have ruled out stroke, alzheimers etc they still think it is more likely to be an "episode" like a stroke than a mental problem.
But the symptoms remain and they are getting worse. Her short term memory is gone, she cannot read anymore, or do any of the things whe used to (working in a charity shop, drive, antiques fairs, gold). She couldn't tell you the ages of my children. She cannot really talk in sentences anymore, particulary if there is any kind of distraction around her like someone else talking in the next room, a telly or radio on, the kids running around. She doesn't cook anymore, Dad did all of Christmas on his own, food, presents, wrapping, tree, the lot.
She is very sad alot of the time, she knows she is not right, and cannot cope at all with the way my dad has always been, which is quite abrupt, tactless, cruel sometimes, but he is very loving and caring underneath it all and is very upset watching my mum be this way. It has been a gradual thing, but everyone notices it now. She is often in tears about the slightest thing, and it's hard not to get frustrated with her.
I feel desparate for my dad, as it must be impossible to live with - he tells her things fifty times and she still doesn't know, she spends hours walking round the house to find her handbag/glasses/keys/purse, things which he has already located for her and she has forgotten.
So hard to watch this happen. My mum is gone really, although fine in body and physcial health. I miss her so much, we can no longer talk on the phone, no point telling her things as she doesn't really understand.
If anyone else has been through something similar I'd like to hear about it.