She thinks the frozen solid food is warm, she's going to hire a whirlpool specialist to come out and check it. She is 2 months post cerebellar stroke today. I am worried she is getting vascular dementia. She has been very argumentative and combative and now is telling me maybe she doesn't need her BP meds and her elequis!!! any one else experience this behavior?
What daily help does your Mother have coming in? She may now need all day supervision.
Two months is still early days in your mum's recovery, so it's possible that this sensory misperception will improve. Were you given any indication of the level of brain damage that the stroke has caused, or how long your mum's recovery is likely to be?
Also, is your mum getting any occupational therapy to help her look after herself? Stimulation - both mental and physical - is important for helping the brain to create new neurological pathways.
I don't know how much you're involved in your mum's care, but if you take her shopping, or do it for her, I would try and reduce how much is stored in the fridge and freezer. Hopefully, this particular obsession will pass. If it doesn't, your mum might need more care.
If possible, find out if your mum qualifies for any carers to assist her with day to day tasks. And I do mean assist, not take over completely. My mum's husband took over and she never completely recovered from her stroke. She can't even make herself a cup of tea, but there's no reason why she couldn't have re-learned how to look after herself, even though she has now been diagnosed with vascular dementia.
I hope that it's a different outcome for your mum.
In that case, the cognitive decline will continue and it may be time for you to look into how you can persuade your mum to move into a suitable memory care facility. I wish you all the best.
It sounds like she should not be living alone and/or absolutely needs a caregiver, perhaps 24/7. In addition, 'if' she hires a whirpool specialist - or thinks she can - could she call someone? what is she gets argumentative / combative with a stranger? Suppose this or any stranger (to her) coming into her home acts inappropriately towards her? Rummaged through her belongings? Or she forgets who or why the person is in her home and gets very frightened.
I do not know why you haven't taken these steps yet (medical assessment) vs writing here? It is imperative that you take needed action for her well being ASAP.
Gena / Touch Matters
It looks like crazyone's mother needs more care now, but there's no reason to assume that they should have taken any emergency action. Sensory perception can be changed by trauma to the brain, but that doesn't mean that the mother has had another stroke.
My mum knew who I was in the first months following her stroke, then suddenly didn't recognise me. I thought she was joking, at first. After a few weeks, she knew who I was again. I was told that it was to do with blood flow and oxygen to the brain, and also to do with "rewiring". It takes the brain a while to heal.
Crazyone said that their mum has been argumentative recently, not that she always is. So, it's a good idea to be aware of the possible consequences if this aspect of mum's condition doesn't improve, as you pointed out, but not a good idea to catastrophise the situation.
It's really difficult to tell whether someone who is still in recovery after a major stroke is having difficulties due to brain damage that can improve, or whether they are in cognitive decline that won't improve. So rushing in and taking someone out of their home should be done only when you're sure they're not improving.
My mum had extreme ups and downs for well over a year after her cerebral hemorrhage. Epilepsy also had an impact. It was some years before a clear downwards trend became apparent and vascular dementia was diagnosed.
food ok at temperature xxx
And tell her no need to throw food out you are monitoring it with the official food thermostat and you will get rid of food if the temperature goes down
then on visits confirm temperature all ok
routine helps and reinforcing it
— saying that my fridge keeps playing up and going warm or freezing stuff so there might be a point there with the fridge! Good luck
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4620514/
Above is a hard-to-read article on the subject.
Your mother requires Memory Care Assisted Living now where no kitchens are available in her suite, so this issue won't be a problem. Medication will be doled out to her daily as well. My mother lived in Memory Care Assisted Living for just under 3 years and decided one day her meds were "killing" her. The doctor ordered them ground up and put into her food so she still received them, but was unaware of it.
It is common to develop a dementia after a stroke which affects the brain. My mother had several and wound up with vascular dementia that progressed for 6 years.
Definitely get her checked at the ER and if she's admitted, insist on having her tested for dementia, as I did with my mother.
Good luck to you.
This is actually severe enough if sudden that it indicates a need for transport to hospital.
There could be another stoke or a severe UTI.
Given how long it now takes to see MD I would call Monday. If you cannot be seen right away let them know you will be calling for transport to ER. This needs a total assessment, including, as you said a check for dementia.