No Longer Me: Linda and Don Dyson

Linda Dyson takes care of her brother Don Dyson who was diagnosed with Wernicke--Korsakoff syndrome, a type of Dementia brought on by alcoholism.

[@gerardorevilla89]

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast. It is not proud, it is not rude, it is not self seeking. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. Bless you my precious sister.

[@deborahmarch1060]

I also have a brother that has Wernicke-Korsakoff. We found him unresponsive on July 5, 2015. He was in intensive care 10 days then 7 days with 24 hour care. He was later transferred to a nursing/rehab facility. He goes through periods where he fabricates stories. He remembers from 10 years ago and back. His short term memory is gone. This really frustrates him. He writes down questions to asks us, which are usually the same questions as the day before. His appetite is good, but he does sleep alot. My father and I keep a close eye him and even take him out & about, but we both have to work & are unable to take him home. It is very sad he is only 53 and to think he has to live the rest of his life like this is very sad. Thanks for listening and God Bless You !

[@tatonkaa]

+Deborah March It's crazy, the similarities of yours and Linda's stories too mine. My dad won't stop walking in circles though.

[@DetroitHomeInspector]

Had a nearly identical experience with a relative. He was a greedy jerk, hoarded every dime. Now a nursing home is getting his SS check and his pension.

[@luismiguelgutierrezjimenez4950]

Prayers for your family my friend

[@mekat861]

Thank you for sharing my sister was diagnosed about a week ago. She is only 45. I am no stranger to disabilities and care for a severely disabled son. I feel like this is harder to come to terms with. My son was born that way and it was all he was ever going to be; My sister on the other hand had so much potential and her addiction stole her life. I don't even have it in me to be angry with her. I just feel sorrow because you can't fix it, you just have to move forward.

[@DeeBee2013]

mekat861 I've seen lots of websites that say it can be reversed within one week by giving the person high dose vitamin B1, very high doses, Google it.

[@TehNetherlands]

@@DeeBee2013 No, the neurological damage is permanent and irreversible.

[@bonariablackie4047]

@@DeeBee2013 Wernick's Encephalopathy can be treated with very high doses of intravenous Thiamin, which is vitamin B1. But once it has progressed to Korsakoff Syndrome, it is too late. Korsakoff Syndrome is Alcohol induced dementia.

[@dom38701]

linda, you are amazing, don is so lucky to have you...god bless you always

[@groundedbyyoga]

Your a good human

[@vanessaortizrosado737]

Thanks for sharing! It was very helpful 🙏🏽

[@doriemckay6935]

2 was ago my mid age son was admitted to icu for alcohol withdrawal. med coma was given, and anti seize meds. he has good labs now but is unconscious and on feeding tube. I fear he won't wake up ever and has perm brain damage. this is my worst nightmare. he drank gallons of beer daily. he'd been to rehab twice, has a 8 yr old child who's too young to understand this. I keep praying he'll wake up.

[@larryroyovitz7829]

This breaks my heart.

[@rebekkad.2092]

God love you. Thanks for sharing your story.

[@daniellefrank007]

Bless you for your efforts ❣️🙏 I'm 31 and my mom is in the beginning stages..She's going to rehab Mon..she's on vit B1 and I'm doing all I can

[@Finally4Christ]

This just happened to my ex husband. He is very mixed up. It feels like a death, but we have to figure out how he is going to live the rest of his life with full time care. He is 45 with 3 children. 23, 21, and 17. Its tragic

[@MIL-STD]

How are you doing?

[@mammadingo9165]

This is devastating. I'm so sorry for you and his children

[@ravenvilla2538]

Bless your heart💜

[@sissi8610]

Linda, you are such a good person. It is so nice to see that the world isn't full of uncaring, selfish pricks. Found my way here due to my alcoholic neighbour being in hospital right now, I've never seen him so unresponsive. After one week, they still don't know what's going on. I might call them tomorrow morning and ask them if they've given him B1 shots, he looked like someone with "wet brain", another video I looked at before yours. Hope you are doing ok, might check out if you uploaded any other more recent videos.

[@drpoundsign]

I had a female patient like this. She was verbal but had memory problems. She drank vodka like water after her husband shot himself.

[@kaylacarpenter272]

Sounds like you're talking about my parents.

[@melissawilliams4603]

My mom was diagnosed 2 months ago, age 66. She does not have the advanced form of the dementia, her long term & short term memory are great. It’s her body that’s not cooperating. She shakes uncontrollably when trying to make purposeful movements like eating or standing. She hasn’t walked since the day she left the hospital. Wernicke is the strangest syndrome I’ve ever encountered. I feel it’s a widely unknown syndrome and not many experts in the field. It’s sad and frustrating to witness.

[@infoManiac-rf5db]

She can't understand how people can turn away from this because she didn't live with the decades of him abusing alcohol and everyone in his life, which preceeded and caused his condition. She admits they weren't a close contact family before this. She wasn't there to witness or be the brunt of the abuse. The ones that went through it during the abuse phase are the innocent victims deserving of some understanding and moral support.

[@glenvilleashby2872]

So she should dump her brother? Do you know that he was an abuser? Everyone is on need of our compassion.

[@katrionalaurenm]

@glenvilleashby2872 That's not at all what she said

[@g00ts]

Alcoholism is hard for the family, but not every alcoholic abusing people.

[@pieretteturner822]

You lovely lady, are you still looking after your brother?

[@gerardorevilla89]

I lost my little sister from this illness this year.

[@sarahelmick7473]

I have Wernicke syndrome and I'm not an alcoholic. It's not easy. It's very hard to deal with but I'm trying to press on. Good luck to them!

[@DeeBee2013]

Sara Helmick mekat861 I've seen lots of websites that say it can be reversed within one week by giving the person high dose vitamin B1, very high doses, Google it.

[@patience9154]

Dee yeah it has to be through injections. I think I have this

[@simonaburling9545]

Can be oral B1, just bigger doses, check Dr. Lonsdale

[@courtneyc5736]

Not if its progressed

[@jacobhansen6450]

Dear Sara Helmick:) Heavy alcohol abuse is NOT the ONLY background of getting the WE (Wernicke encephalopathy)...no, no!! If you undergo a SEVERE brain stroke, if you are HEAVILY malnutritioned (due to the lack of essential B-vitamins (like the B 1, B12 and so on)), you also are in the risk zone of developing the WE!! BUT...in MANY cases, the alcoholism is the fundamental source of the WE!! Do you mind me ask about how you, as of present, deal with the illness? REGARDS, Jacob Hansen, Haugesund, Scandinavia.

[@Venomskye00]

This Is happening to my brother and it just came out of the blew.... it makes me sad

[@bellkopley1714]

It’s been a while since this video was posted. Can we have an update please

[@blazeit505]

They usually end up in nursing homes after the family can't no longer care for them.

[@dee2448]

I think my youngest sister has this

[@dmgsoultogetherness6667]

is it lack of thiamine

[@larryroyovitz7829]

I wonder if alcohol could be fortified with vitamins? At least thiamin? So many things we consume ARE, why not alcohol?

[@99glen]

It really doesn’t matter if you take vitamins while drinking. Your body won’t absorb them due to alcohol.

[@nothingness9296]

lol, kinda counterproductive. the damage you’re doing to you’re liver is going to also effect the absorption of the vitamins, it basically would just cancel out. alcohol is literally poison. so i don’t think you can fortify it and honestly you sound a bit delusional.

[@jeancater1388]

Very sad.

[@TheLoobis]

This is so sad. I recently heard of this condition. Years of alcohol abuse does this. Then the very thing that was killing you is taken away and you will live. This may sound cruel but I don't understand why we wouldn't be able to just put the person down. Like my Dog. Something went wrong. Her legs weren't working, thought it was arthritis, took her to the vet, vet said it's neurological, something with her brain. IMMEDIATELY We said "put her down, right now!" I'd rather suffer killing my dog that have my dog suffer. This is a messed up condition.

[@JW-yr1qs]

All my respects for families who take care of each other instead of shoving them in a cold, depressing nursing home where most of the time they don't give a crap about the person. I can't stand when families just dump them. That's how I feel and my opinion. If you don't like it I don't care.

[@courtneyc5736]

Not always able to do so though.

[@kr1221E]

He was traumatised as a child. Childhood trauma is always at the root of addiction. Maybe you are the empathic family member who is there for him. Maybe your parents were traumatised as children, maybe they had addictions, may not have been drink/drugs, but work, sex, any compulsive behaviour.

[@mollycollins498]

It's not always trauma at the root... I had no childhood trauma, became an addict before I was a teenager.

[@kr1221E]

@@mollycollins498 Childhood trauma can take many forms. I believed my parents to be my benefactors and guides, when they emotionally neglected me. I thought I deserved physical punishment.