I had written to you on September 6, regarding my mother's abrupt onset of paralysis of her left side. She also had a UTI.

Mother has had MANY UTI's before. She has been treated in skilled care with IV abx. The UTI's always bring changes in cognition and behavior.

Well, my mother did have a UTI, and she lost the use of her left side. As the week went on, mother sunk deeper and deeper into unresponsiveness.

Her eyes were always staring blankly at the ceiling or deviated to the side staring vacantly at the wall.

Her jaw was slack, her mouth agape. It appeared she could not close her mouth.

Neuro told us that it was a sudden and deep change in her dementia and that the decline would indeed worsen and that we were entering the last stage of her condition.

All week, my brother and I watched this dread decline. Thursday, mother looked absolutely cadaverous. In fact, my brother finalized mortuary plans in anticipation of what we all felt would be only a matter of weeks or so.

Friday, my brother and I went to visit Mom again, dreading what we would find lying in the hospital bed.

Well, there she was; awake, alert and conversant! What the heck!?!?!?!?!

By that afternoon she was eating, and was transferred back to her ALF and she was even MORE "up". In fact, she is more animated than she has been in six months or so.

Unfortunately she is back to cursing me, but that has lost it's power long ago.

I'm an RN. NEVER have I seen such a profound and lengthy change in cognition, behaviors and function in a UTI as I witnessed with this one.

She still has no ability to move her left arm, but her hand has regained function. I am beginning to think it is a Brachial Plexus Neuritis.

I wanted to tell you about this as it is a hugely dramatic example of what a simple UTI can do.

It is always best to rule out a UTI.

Amazing.

Hello Johanna C,

I'm sorry I did not see your post until today. Thank you for telling us what happened. That is really amazing that a simple UTI could cause that much damage. I am so glad that your mother is functioning better but what an ordeal for you and your family!

I hope you've had a chance to get some rest so that you can maintain your sense of humor and perspective about some of your mother's re-energized yet challenging behaviors.

I really am glad she's better.

take care,