My husband called the VA Sunday to check on his dad. To refresh: he was diagnosed around 1986. They both decided they did not want to try any of the drugs, so she gave him St John's Wart, Gingko, vitamins and tea 4 times a day. She kept him busy, went on drives all the time, etc. When she died suddenly in 2001 he was beyond what any of us was capable of and was a runner. We got him into the AD unit of the VA. I asked the nurse if he was on any drugs and he is: mementine, resperdol (sp?), vitamins, B12. His days are spent walking the hallways with a smile on his face. I asked if he feeds himself and she said some days he can, other days not. I guess it does prolong life.

We are upset that he is on medication to prolong his existence - I would say life, but it is not. We are 3000+ miles away so can't visit, his daughter is in a facility north but she has AD and can't drive so can't visit. His other son, who lives in his parents house and is executor of the estate, is too busy to visit but maybe once a year. Who knows, he could be in a VA study to see how the drug works.

He also called his sister who was diagnosed in 2005 at age 55. She is on galantamine, the same as my husband. She couldn't take aricept due to stomach upset.

I am going to email his brother since he won't return calls about getting him off the drug. This was the last thing he wanted was to exist like he is (remember he told this when he was diagnosed).