10 years ago, after major, major surgery and pain meds, my husband began to decline mentally. 5 years ago I went away for 10 days and had to have someone come to stay with him (he said he was going to take a road trip by himself during that time). He got so bad I had to help him dress. This past March, when I had to have surgery, he seemed to "snap out of it" so he could take charge. There remains some long-term problems, like short term memory, motor skills, and following directions, but his mental capacity seems to have come to near normal.
The last factual thing I remember was going into the OR mid December. The next thing I was really aware of was six months later when I realized that I was in New Zealand on vacation. That was about 17 years ago and I still have some symptoms--like not being able to judge distances. That makes it easy for me to find in my car in the parking lot-- it is either sticking out in front of or behind all the other cars!!
All my "delirium" experiences were very real to me. It was "reality" that I had the problem with. I remember nothing factual from those six months because my brain was simply incapable to registering experiences. Along with, or as a cause of, my delirium, I was diagnosed with leucoencaphalopathy which basically meant that all my white brain cells were mush. My husband was told that I would never ever be able to work again--or at least, not as a nurse.
Just to prove them wrong --and not to boast in any way, but to prove the point--not only did I go back working as a nurse but I also attained my national (Canadian) certification as an Oncology Nurse Specialist, Hospice Palliative Care Nurse Specialist, got an undergraduate degree in Nursing (BSCN), followed by a masters degree in nursing (MN) and am now studying for my doctorate (ABD!!).
One year after my surgery/anaesthetic the MRI of my brain was totally "normal"--whatever normal means!! The 17 years in between have not been easy because I was left with a severe depression and PTSD because of some of the trauma I experienced but I am still here, still doing the best I can given my circumstances.
This may not help you with the situation with your husband but is sure helped me to write this down, to admit to what happened to me because I never quite got over the shame of the original misdiagnosis of "attention-seeking". Generally speaking an MRI and neuro-psych testing are rarely incorrect-- which is more that I could say for the physician who made my original "diagnosis". Never say die!!!!
But nobody "snaps out" of the commonest forms of dementia that tend to spring to mind - such as Alzheimers Disease and vascular dementia - even in the very stressful circumstances you describe; and particularly not once these horrible diseases have been on the scene for ten years.
So whatever is going on with your husband, it isn't a classic presentation of a typical dementia. You mention on another thread that his MD has "sprung" a series of mini mental state tests on him, which he consistently passes. What other neurological and psychological investigations have been done or considered? What other changes - for example, in his medications or his underlying health - have there been?
What was the major, major surgery about, if you don't mind my asking?
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