Expert: Ronald Levy, M.D. - 8/2/2010

Question
Hi Dr. Levy,
My 69 year old Mother recently underwent an operation on her wrist and she is not the same.  Her memory is terrible.  She seems to lapse back many years, to before I was born, I am 40.  She asks the same question 3 to 4 times in the time it takes a kettle to boil.  Every night she asks me the same questions regarding where I am going to sleep (my hubby and I have sort of moved into the house to look after her.) She walks around the house during the night looking for things.  

I really don't know what to do or how to help.  Any suggestions?

Answer
My first suggestion would be to have her seen by a neurologist to make sure she didn't have a srtoke or something like that. This is not anesthesia related so there is probably some underliying organic problem going on here. She needs a full workup to determine what that is.

Ronald Levy, MD
Professor of Anesthesiology
UTMB-Galveston