Expert: Libby Bonner - 8/20/2008

Question
hi libby, im answering some of the questions u asked me about my sister.my sister lives in fla.,i am in az. she was diagnosed with major depression about 10 yrs ago when she was 31 then she had to have gallbladder surgery, well the dr left a rag inside her and also punctured her liver.no one knew of this until after dee dee was home from the hosp. for a few days and was not getting better.she was taken back to a different hosp, different surgeon, and she was 'fixed'. well she had to learn to walk again, talk again, and she 'forgot' all her childhood memories.it was then that they diagnosed her with 'post traumatic stress disorder'. i know this is long, im sorry.deedee was just recientantly diagnosed with the bipolar mix with major depression. along with still the 'post traumatic stress disorder'. she has been on calanapins for 5 yrs. her doses and meds are as follows...
calanapins 1 mg 4 times a day.
lithium 450 mgs in morning, 900 mg. at night.
seroquel 600 mg. at night.
visteril 50 mg. 2 times a day.
she has no memory of any one now except our dad and her husband. she has 3 children 14 yrs to 18 yrs. and she does not know them. she thinks her children are still 3 and under. she does not know any of our brothers and sisters. not even me and we are very close. so this is very hard for me to understand. she has been under the care of many drs. for a long time. some who my dad an i think are whacked...lol. but what can we do? yes the drs. that she has now are allowed to talk to my dad about everything, he also goes to the appts. everyday with her now. ms. bonner it just breaks my heart to know that my sister is going through life not knowing all the things in life that most people take for granted. i love her so much. when our mother passed 3 yrs. ago it was the two of us that helped each other try to get through it all. we both had a very hard time. can you please help me to try to understand all of this and to help her? thank you for responding to my question and for being so caring about this. god bless you.judie

Answer
Thank you for all the info - it certainly wasn't too long, and it certainly is heartbreaking.

I wish I now had the timeline more clear - it must be me.

Major depression, 10 yrs ago.
Gallbladder, when.  And when did she get out of rehab, learning to walk and talk again.  She had been short of oxygen during one of the surgeries, or what?
And the long ago memories were gone during rehab? Or date when PTSD was diagnosed?

I wasn't able to find Calanapins - and I can't think what it might be, but maybe a neurologist prescribes it???

When did she lose more recent memories??  She knew you at the time your mother died, and now doesn't??

I'm very glad your dad goes w/ her to appts and can ask some questions.  But she has appts every day?  These are for what - the same thing? He takes her to day therapy??


I'm sorry that I am still so much in the dark - as much as you and your dad are, I'm afraid.

A couple more questions.  She still lives w/ her family?  Can she cook and do other kinds of housework?

It's not fun to not understand what's happening w/ a loved one's care.  Does the husband know all her diagnoses and feel confident in the docs?  Does he know that you and your dad are puzzled??

If you can tell me a little more, especially the times when things happened AND the specialists [the names of their specialties, like neurology, etc.] that she shes regularly, or who prescribe meds for her, I can send you a list of questions for your dad to ask that may shake lose the info that will help you feel more like her care is OK, if it is.

I will also look up some websites that help pts' families ask doctors questions.

Last q - is she content w/ her life?  Or very disturbed and unhappy?

Pls write again, as a new question.