| presents excerpts from |
ISBN 0-9778140-0-9
326 pages, 68 photographs.
326 pages, 68 photographs.
 |
....The neurologist listened with rapt attention as I vividly
described the most sanity-threatening journey of my life—a
fourteen-hour drive with an Alzheimer’s disease patient
who was suffering a psychotic breakdown. The doctor gave
no indication that he wanted to interrupt my account of the
terror that Mother and I had been through. Perhaps it was
the manic tone of my voice as I was transported back to
the night while describing it all to him; or the unique
circumstances which allowed the episode to go on for so
long and create such a rare experience; whichever the
reason, he wasn’t about to move until he had heard every
word.
This office visit was taking place several days after our
return to Indianapolis—late April 1994. I had called Mother’
s primary care physician, and he had referred us to the
neurologist. Now Mother was waiting in another room as I
gave a detailed description of a nightmare which is beyond
most people’s comprehension.
After I finished speaking, the doctor said, “What you and
your mother experienced is called ‘the Catastrophic
Effect’.” He went on to say that the condition was not
common, and the degree and duration of our experience
made it rare if not unique. It occurs when the world of the
Alzheimer’s patient falls completely apart. It is a full
psychotic breakdown; at least it appeared to be that way in
our case.
The neurologist gave me some emergency medication for
her in the event anything similar should happen again
though he didn’t expect that we would need it. That is, we
wouldn’t be duplicating the circumstances which brought
the episode on. However, there was the possibility that
another situation could trigger it. As we were leaving his
office, the doctor said to me with apparent sincerity, “If I
can be of any help, please call me.” How often do you hear
that from a doctor? I believe he was truly moved.
I was still in shock from the recent experience on the long
drive. Mother was unaware that the disaster had even taken
place. Such is the fortunate side of AD—that brutal events
can be quickly forgotten. Although in this case, the effects
on her nervous system would take a couple of days to settle
down. My recuperation would be much slower.
Before going further, I should start from the beginning to
explain the horrible event. Also, I’ll write of the conditions
which set the stage for it all. Hopefully, our experience will
help other caregivers and patients to avoid the
circumstances and environment that are fertile grounds for
producing such a disaster.
I have written this account from the notes I made at the
time of the trip and shortly thereafter and portions I was
able to write after some time had passed. Also, most of the
elements of the journey—visions and emotions and endless
details—are still with me, eleven years after it occurred....
described the most sanity-threatening journey of my life—a
fourteen-hour drive with an Alzheimer’s disease patient
who was suffering a psychotic breakdown. The doctor gave
no indication that he wanted to interrupt my account of the
terror that Mother and I had been through. Perhaps it was
the manic tone of my voice as I was transported back to
the night while describing it all to him; or the unique
circumstances which allowed the episode to go on for so
long and create such a rare experience; whichever the
reason, he wasn’t about to move until he had heard every
word.
This office visit was taking place several days after our
return to Indianapolis—late April 1994. I had called Mother’
s primary care physician, and he had referred us to the
neurologist. Now Mother was waiting in another room as I
gave a detailed description of a nightmare which is beyond
most people’s comprehension.
After I finished speaking, the doctor said, “What you and
your mother experienced is called ‘the Catastrophic
Effect’.” He went on to say that the condition was not
common, and the degree and duration of our experience
made it rare if not unique. It occurs when the world of the
Alzheimer’s patient falls completely apart. It is a full
psychotic breakdown; at least it appeared to be that way in
our case.
The neurologist gave me some emergency medication for
her in the event anything similar should happen again
though he didn’t expect that we would need it. That is, we
wouldn’t be duplicating the circumstances which brought
the episode on. However, there was the possibility that
another situation could trigger it. As we were leaving his
office, the doctor said to me with apparent sincerity, “If I
can be of any help, please call me.” How often do you hear
that from a doctor? I believe he was truly moved.
I was still in shock from the recent experience on the long
drive. Mother was unaware that the disaster had even taken
place. Such is the fortunate side of AD—that brutal events
can be quickly forgotten. Although in this case, the effects
on her nervous system would take a couple of days to settle
down. My recuperation would be much slower.
Before going further, I should start from the beginning to
explain the horrible event. Also, I’ll write of the conditions
which set the stage for it all. Hopefully, our experience will
help other caregivers and patients to avoid the
circumstances and environment that are fertile grounds for
producing such a disaster.
I have written this account from the notes I made at the
time of the trip and shortly thereafter and portions I was
able to write after some time had passed. Also, most of the
elements of the journey—visions and emotions and endless
details—are still with me, eleven years after it occurred....
Copyright ©2006 Heydon Buchanan. All Rights Reserved.
| CHAPTER 7 WORST NIGHTMARE— THE CATASTROPHIC EFFECT |
If you learn from your suffering, and really come
to understand the lesson you were taught, you
might be able to help someone else who’s now in
the phase you may have just completed. Maybe
that’s what it’s all about after all.
—Unknown
to understand the lesson you were taught, you
might be able to help someone else who’s now in
the phase you may have just completed. Maybe
that’s what it’s all about after all.
—Unknown