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Doctor ordered an MRI just to rule out mini-strokes. But over the last few months she barely walks, forgets how i'm related to her. Can't recall when her husband died or his name and has frequent incontinence. She also sleeps or lays in bed for what seems like around 12 out of 24 hours.
Anyone experience something like this? She was diagnosed stage 6 some time ago. It feels like she may be transitioning to late stage 6 or early stage 7 to me but the neurologist didn't want to classify it saying there aren't that many stages left.

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Just to be safe, have her tested for a UTI. In the elderly they often don't have any symptoms (not even fever) other than neurological/behavioral. They can get these infections very frequently.
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Reply to Geaton777
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Your mother appears to be approaching end of life now. Neurologists cannot tell us much of anything, really, and we become our own doctors after awhile. If your mom was at stage 6 awhile ago and is now a lot worse, I'd ask the doctor to order a hospice evaluation for her stat. She needs to be kept comfortable as she takes the last phase of her journey now. I was in the same position with my mother and had her evaluated for hospice in November. She passed in February. Hospice kept her comfortable and gave her waffle boots to prevent heel sores from developing. Make sure you reposition mom every few hours in bed, a quarter turn, to insure she doesn't get bedsores. Hospice will bring her a hospital bed and plenty of free supplies, a CNA to bathe her 2x a week, and meds for comfort care.

Best of luck with a difficult situation.
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Reply to lealonnie1
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What an odd statement by a neurologist!
Quite shocking really.
I say that as an RN and you can repeat it to him/her.

You ask if anyone else has experienced this.
Yes, of course, you are on a world wide forum of caregivers. While we may not have experienced your EXACT situation, many have taken on care and seen this rapid progression; but our lives are as individual as our thumbprints, and our own experiences will not mirror yours exactly.

Yes, it does sound as though this is a very rapid progression. Do keep a diary now DAILY, and within the next three months I would return to the neurologist with said diary and demand that diagnosis be as correct as his/her expertise allows.

Can you elaborate a bit on your "plans" as this becomes more dire? Do you intend to continue to attempt one on one care when mom progresses to a place where really she is in need of 24/7 care of several shifts with several workers each?
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Reply to AlvaDeer
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