Monkey Diaries Archive

I'm flying home to San Diego to help my father celebrate his 65th birthday. Of course, as things stand now, my family is one or two crisis' away from an all-out feud. My father who at one point was not only the most stable person I knew, has suddenly become very disagreeable. He is currently feuding with my brother's wife, who is quite disagreeable in her own right. She's manipulative, materialistic, condescending and incredibly juvenille but we expect that from her...this childlike behavior from my father is relatively new. Throw in the early stages of Alzheimer's and you've got one crusty old codger. I'm really worried about my father. Just the other day while I was on the phone with him, he'd lapse into fits of anger and moments later, forget about what we were talking about. Then he'd remember and repeat, almost verbatim, what he had said prior. It's almost as if he rewinds his thought process exactly. He is also becoming even more obstinate in his old age which is worrisome. What happens when he drives away everyone around him? Who'll take care of him? Certainly not my brothers as they're the ones currently putting up with his antics. Of course, I've spoken with my older brother to try to make him understand that my father's fits are not really him but the "alzheimer's" controlling my father. He gets confused and he lashes out. Hopefully, we can convince him to get a checkup soon.

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