MsGizmo
GLP-1 Enthusiast
Here is the situation
My 77 year old mother is experiencing cognitive decline. Her husband (my stepfather) died in 2020 and since she lived more than and hour away my brother and I thought it best that she move closer to us. Which we did in 2021. Because of this I discovered just how badly she was taking care of herself. Her diabetes was out of control. She wasn't eating very well ... and to be honest its still pretty bad. Her food safety habits are weak and frankly her hygiene is pretty bad too. I have been working with her to get her in better shape. I started taking her to the doctor myself and tried to get her diabetes under control. At first we tried the metformin way .. but she wouldn't test her blood nor would she take her pills ... but she would tell me that she did if I asked. Then I tried to visit her daily to give her the pills in person and that was ok-ish. But she still wouldn't test herself and she was supposed to take the metformin twice a day so her A1C was still too high.
Finally in 2024 I learned more about Ozempic, aside from all the talk over weight loss. A once a week shot and it will control her blood sugar? Yes, please! Now that she is on that her A1C is in a normal range. Unfortunately that isn't the end of her problems. In the past year it seems she has lost all ability to use technology. Well ... I'm not so sure that she can't ... so much as she won't. If she has even the slightest problem with anything she gives up. For example she had a problem with her microwave and now basically refuses to even try to use it. I started her getting mobile meals ... but she won't put them in the freezer, while not ideal, isn't the worst thing in the world since they are eaten in less than a week. They are fine in the fridge for that long. Anyway ... since she won't use the microwave she is just eating everything cold. (I only discovered this is happening two days ago) She won't use the phone anymore even though I bought her a phone that only requires you hit one button to call its assigned person. She turns her TV on with the power button on the back and half of the time won't use the remote ... even after I taped off all the extra buttons. She also isn't bathing or cleaning the kitchen as often as I would like ... but who am I to judge? I continue to visit her every day. She is not in danger of falling or wandering off. She knows who everyone is and what is going on around her. She does have some problems with words ... like she will get stuck on knowing the name of something and if you ask her for something she might give you something else. Like if I ask her where her shoes are she might go and grab her coat instead. She is still taking care of her own needs and her house is fairly clean except for the kitchen. Sending her to a nursing home is completely out of the question.
Ok, now that you have the basics, here is my ethical dilemma ... do I try to give my mother peptides based on the possibility of improving her mental capacity? I don't think she currently has the ability to understand the alleged dangers of the Chinese mystery powders that I buy and use myself. I also don't think that she would refuse to take anything that I gave her. Money is not an issue at all.
Ok, give your opinions. I am very torn. I love my mother and I want her to get better. I also know that the Chinee mystery powders might not help her at all.
My 77 year old mother is experiencing cognitive decline. Her husband (my stepfather) died in 2020 and since she lived more than and hour away my brother and I thought it best that she move closer to us. Which we did in 2021. Because of this I discovered just how badly she was taking care of herself. Her diabetes was out of control. She wasn't eating very well ... and to be honest its still pretty bad. Her food safety habits are weak and frankly her hygiene is pretty bad too. I have been working with her to get her in better shape. I started taking her to the doctor myself and tried to get her diabetes under control. At first we tried the metformin way .. but she wouldn't test her blood nor would she take her pills ... but she would tell me that she did if I asked. Then I tried to visit her daily to give her the pills in person and that was ok-ish. But she still wouldn't test herself and she was supposed to take the metformin twice a day so her A1C was still too high.
Finally in 2024 I learned more about Ozempic, aside from all the talk over weight loss. A once a week shot and it will control her blood sugar? Yes, please! Now that she is on that her A1C is in a normal range. Unfortunately that isn't the end of her problems. In the past year it seems she has lost all ability to use technology. Well ... I'm not so sure that she can't ... so much as she won't. If she has even the slightest problem with anything she gives up. For example she had a problem with her microwave and now basically refuses to even try to use it. I started her getting mobile meals ... but she won't put them in the freezer, while not ideal, isn't the worst thing in the world since they are eaten in less than a week. They are fine in the fridge for that long. Anyway ... since she won't use the microwave she is just eating everything cold. (I only discovered this is happening two days ago) She won't use the phone anymore even though I bought her a phone that only requires you hit one button to call its assigned person. She turns her TV on with the power button on the back and half of the time won't use the remote ... even after I taped off all the extra buttons. She also isn't bathing or cleaning the kitchen as often as I would like ... but who am I to judge? I continue to visit her every day. She is not in danger of falling or wandering off. She knows who everyone is and what is going on around her. She does have some problems with words ... like she will get stuck on knowing the name of something and if you ask her for something she might give you something else. Like if I ask her where her shoes are she might go and grab her coat instead. She is still taking care of her own needs and her house is fairly clean except for the kitchen. Sending her to a nursing home is completely out of the question.
Ok, now that you have the basics, here is my ethical dilemma ... do I try to give my mother peptides based on the possibility of improving her mental capacity? I don't think she currently has the ability to understand the alleged dangers of the Chinese mystery powders that I buy and use myself. I also don't think that she would refuse to take anything that I gave her. Money is not an issue at all.
Ok, give your opinions. I am very torn. I love my mother and I want her to get better. I also know that the Chinee mystery powders might not help her at all.