My mom had two anneurisyms that she wasnt aware of . She often had headaches and the pain always started from neck up . she also had high blood pressure and was on medication. On October 28,2013 i came home from work and had 5 minutes to talk to mom before going to my other job . i was going to be back in an hour. however right when i left my job i got a phone call from my brother and he told me that my mom was on the floor unconscious , after calling 911 she was rushed to hospital where we found out thay she had an anny ruptured and had 5% chance to live. The hospital transferred my mom to Yale where she had her coiling surgery done . however she didnt have much time to recover after the surgery bc during those 21 days she had vasospasms which caused her to have cerebellum stroke on both sides , then hydrocephelus which she needed a shunt , then pnemonia bc she was hospitalized and in a come for so long , the. infection in shunt resulting in meningitis and on and on … Now anyone wondering if she is alive ? yes ! two years later , she talks walks and most importantly remembers us!! however due to her strokes she has balance issues while walking so i constantly follow her around at home , her left arm is also not strong enough and most importantly she asks the same questions at times and wonders about if she is dreaming or things around her are real. she moved to united states 9 years ago however she at times thinks she just moved here few months ago . but other times she tells me she is going to get better so she can take care of her future grand children . It is just so sad to see her memory come and go . My biggest fear is for her to have alzheimers because i know there is no cure for it 
im here to see if anyone had the same symptoms with mixing up the dream with reality and such a bad short term memory. Please help !!!
Lusi... welcome to this site...and so hope you get lots of responses...
Re: AD potential...one thing I have been researching is: "cognitive impairment" that can/many expand into 'some' dementia(s)...not necessarily what is commonly called AD...
You may want to research online: limbic system anatomy and physiology
For any other med terms...add the: anatomy and physiology
Our lower category of "resources"...has some referral data...and some basic typed verbiage...
One of high interest to me has been the "Limbic system"...aka the 'medial temporal lobe'...
And, any other brain/body words used in your searches...suggest adding: anatomy and physiology
As you note your concern for AD...there are many other dementias...Secondly, when we have the neuro-psychological testing...there is reference to "cognitive impairment"....which I am now researching to find which cognitive impairments can/may expand to a dementia...I have strong personal reasons...
Recently (a couple of months?)I called my psychologist who had done my last testing and asked about which tests (by their names) could compare/qualify which cognitive impairments can/may advance to some dementia...She asked me to put my "chatter" into written form (due to my aphasias - expressive and receptive) ...I can write more clearly than my speech...especially in my initial attempt to learn something...as basic as "cognitive impairment"...expanding to "dementias"...
Prayers that I have made this clear enough for you/others to understand...
Last week...I was watching PBS...w/a Charlie Rose discussion w/scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson...then had to research on-line to find his one statement...as Tyson noted "in fact, I've left instructions for my Epitaph - a quote from the educator, Horace Mann: "Be Ashamed to Die, Until You Have Scored Some Victory for Humanity"... And, I will now be adding that to mine...
Because we are not being advised by neuro-doc after neuro-doc...educated, degreed, and licensed w/that 'neuro-title'...I have been imagining that diagnostic records and procedural records be formatted similar to their (and our) IRS deduction forms...vs the story-formatted pages...their ethos...
I have to thank our member "starbirder" for the Dr. Patel she notes in our "resources" category...my minimal research on him is sooo impressive...tho my cognitive memory restricts/delays me to readily type some of his data...but relates to the middle layer of the walls of our arteries...missing in our aneurysms...
I have been researching that for some time...learned of the layers...and, not of a MD-neuro who specifically qualifies it... (and, hey, that is assuming I interpreted it all correctly!)
Please keep us informed...and share any all you learn on your research steps...and, what you may ask her doctors over time...My first to you, is ...has your mother had any of the neuropsych testing done?
thank you so much for your response . My mom had a test done however it was with an interpreter and i was not allowed in the room . it was after 6 months of anneurisym rupture. they said she showed the symptoms of vascular dememtia . when i test her at home i show her flash cards with math problems and most of th time she is able to do adding and multiplying single integers pretty good. her memory has definetely suffered however she is able to remember names. we got a puppy few months back and she is able to remember her name also her therapists name. So she retains some new information . when you have dementia is it possible to retain information? Her biggest thing is at times she doesnt make sense. she will say what if she is pregnant but when i ask her " mom you are 62 you are in menoupouse you cant have a baby " she says i hope . she is also fatigue at all times she always wants to sleep. She has a sleep study this month so i will keep you guys updated with results because what i notice is when she is sleeping she is always moving either her leg muscles or her arms so im not sure she is ever falling into REM . I know my mom has gone trough so much starting with a rupture , coma, meningitis , hydrcephaulus, pnemonia, vasospasms , 2 cerebelum strokes and on and on and she is definetely a miracle however seeing her improvement in the long run its great so i just expect to have more . the doctor says she has pleautauted bc it had been two years now . is that correct ? can she improve more? would she able to get rid of this fatigueness and start cooking again or doing thing she enjoys??? any one with the same experience or any medications that has helped them with the fatiguemess???
Lusi...response to your last above...
Was your mom's test the 'neuropsych' or some other?
I am assuming you know both languages...and, should be able to get the written test records...?
Now w/mine...family was in the intro... not during the specific tests...but then somewhat in the (right word?)...mini-overview of completion... like after the psychologist wrote his story format...off the tests..
An interesting part...he states how well I have improved...to 'live independently' ... and "her sis is here taking notes for her later use..."... and, there are more similar comments...
Your note on math is of interest; mine was quicker.. and, our math and language are in diff structures/areas...
NOW...vascular dementia... I have noted several times on this site of my research on 'cognitive impairments' which can/may advance to some dementia(s)... NO, I have no specific info put together yet....because I am sooo slow...and, I also need to go back thru and pull data off my med records...
including my neuropsych test results... I am very familiar w/Lumosity and w/brainhq of PositScience.
Retention of data in memory can vary tremendously...from short-term to long-term... and, there are diff parts/areas of long-term storage/types...and, the specific areas of our brain that have been damaged... Please remember...I have no expertise...
I do thank you for the term "vascular dementia"...several reasons ...to finally understand why a standard regular neurologist referred me a vascular neurologist...
You may want to search online (or already have) and select: Vascular Dementia - Mayo Clinic
Lusi...thank you for your tremendous help to me...only thing I can readily share...the vascular neurologist I saw/interpreted vascular as "vessels" ...and, did not have the mental capacity to relate all those words together w/the brain structures/tissues... Worse, that vascular neurologist is also co-director of a major stroke clinic...even that did not trigger my thoughts together...nor did the neuropsych tests...which I always viewed / suggested / recommended for selecting therapies to improve our brain...and, not thinking of any of the negative potentials...
Please keep us updated...and, I will write more later on... have to put the rest or my thought together...
I had the "Restless leg syndrome" when sleeping and. still have the tingling/falling asleep of my left lower arm/hand...also...intermittently have blood streaking under my skin (a bright red bruise?) in my lower arm...never yet...into my hand...Recently did have one on my arm...up near my elbow that break thru the skin...and, is in healing now...I cannot remember IF I have had any of that prior...
Also check your mother's fingernails for any psoriatic-type changes...and, also learn to know (iof nto already)...her GI/bowel-bladder status...Prayers others who have experienced and/or know of other related oddities...they will share them....
Lusi, think of a plateau as a level resting area. Your mom’s brain has gone through a tremendous amount of healing to get her where she is now. It’s taking a break. Sort of like walking up the mountain to a field. She still needs to keep working her brain and her stability. The rest of the mountain is steeper but she needs to keep working all her muscles.
When you research brain information on healing, etc, stay within the last 3-5 years. There is so much change, so quickly! I can recall one of my professors teaching that after age 5 the brain has done all its growth and any head injury after that age would be detrimental. Well another professor did not agree and it became quite the controversy for awhile! But happy to report all the latest research indicates the brain will continue to adapt until the day we are no longer part of this world. So if a person has damage in one area, the neurotransmitters can eventually reroute to let’s say an “unused space” (because I can’t remember the word)
Get her on Lumosity it’s one of the best rated exercises and it feels and works like a game. I know there are some things on it I still cannot do as it really mucks my brain up and I can’t explain it, so I don’t do those parts, or stay limited. It’s only a short time everyday. The other thing is have her read out loud. I cannot cook anymore, it’s too complicated for me now. But I can do the prep work, I just start earlier. Oh and when my mom finally decided she was going to get back in the kitchen, it felt like I was a kid again and learning how to cook. My dad couldn’t supervise me, he talked too much, I would forget what I was doing and we ate burned food. The rule for him was he had to come into the kitchen if I was cooking, it didn’t help.
I would suggest letting your mom be, don’t follow her all over the house. Does she use a walker or a cane? If not have the physical therapist assess her, she may not need one. Or has she gotten stronger and no longer needs these things. Remember when babies start walking we are right there to catch them and then they start moving more on their own and they fall. They get up and they learn a little more about balance. She has to learn and my guess she is probably wanting a little more independence. Also the physical therapist and occupational therapist can show her exercises to help build her weak arm. My dad had a ball as well as weights. The muscles have to be used or they are lost.
Have her help with the cooking. I grew up in Southern California and can remember baking parties, tamale parties, bar b ques, and a myriad of other food centered activities that involved many women laughing and working around the kitchen table. What I remember best, is no matter the age (or skill) there was always something for everyone to do. Maybe bring some young people over so she can teach them.