Not Alzheimers but might as well be

[beelzebubba]

My 87 year old father was recently admitted to a hospital for pneumonia. Unrelated complications occured and he went through a dangerous and traumatic surgery during which his gallbladder was removed. He was in ICU for almost 3 weeks.
He was released to a regular room yesterday and I noticed something funny about his cognition. He was confused and even seeing things (not big halluncinations but small things).
Today he is completely disoriented and delusional. He wasn't even sure who I was. He has all these paranoid delusions that me, my brother, and my mother (who died three years ago) are trying to sue him for all his money and that he is in prison and I am responsible.
In other words he went from about a pre-hospital stay baseline of 95% normal mentality to something less than 15%.
I know it isn't Alzheimers (he was cleared of that diagnosis years ago, and I don't know if all these symptoms fit the Alzheimers profile).
What I'd like to know from the children of Alzheimers patients, is how do you handle it? Not the interacting with the parent afflicted, but how do you handle the abject cruelty of the disease and the deep deep sorrow and pain. Although we are now waiting for some tests to see what is going on with my dad, I may find myself in the position of having a severely disoriented parent.
I am already not handling it well... I couldn't stay with him longer than 30 minutes today. I can't even worry that I am over-reacting because the situation is just as upsetting as I think it is. I have spent the past 10 years taking care of my parents, the last 3 just my father. We are very close and as I said, for 87 he is pretty sharp. Was pretty sharp.
As I write this I guess there is no answer. Watching a loved one lose the function of their mind is just the most awful thing ever. No way to get through that unscathed.

[wineandroses]

I went thru the same thing when my 92 yr. old Dad had pneumonia.  My Dad would hallucinate and try to get out of the bed and eventually he was tied to the bed for his own safety.  This lasted a couple of weeks.  Once Daddy started getting over the pneumonia, he returned to his normal self.  I was told that when elderly are taken out of their normal routine and surroundings it is not uncommon for this behavior.  I do so hope your Dad gets better soon.

[beelzebubba]

Thanks for your reply. I'm not actually worried it is Alzheimers, as this would indeed be too quick an onset. My brother, a doctor at first thought it might be somethine called ICU psychosis, but isn't as sure now. My real concern is about how long it will last, and if it will eventually go away.

[MMahon]

My guess is that it is temporary dementia brought on by pain medication and/or anesthesia.
I don't know if alzheimers presents itself so quickly.
I went thru a tough gall bladder surgery a few years ago.  Afterwards I became extremely paranoid, I began hallucinating and sleepwalking.  The hospital enviornment was also of no help.  After a couple weeks I was completely fine.
Give your pop some time he may very well return to how he was in due course.