How wierd is this?

[kuozzman]

My grandpa, about 75 w/alzheimers, became completely unresponsive to anything/anybody around him this morning. Same thing happened once before, he was breathing and everything, just seemed like he was in trance or something. That's not the wierd thing. My Mom got scared and called the ambulance and they took him to the hospital. After running some tests, etc., the nurse pointed out to my Mom that the other time that this happened to my Grandpa was not only on this day, one year ago, but within an hour of the same time!

[LosinIt]

1. real weird

[Journeyman]

2. Does it have anything to do with Pearl Harbor. . .

The 7th was the 63rd anniversary of the attack. Your grandfather would have been 12 years old at the time, an age (and certainly an experience) that many Alzheimer's patients retain despite their affliction. Was there anything unduly traumatic about the experience -- a brother who was at Pearl, or guilt that he never made it into the War (he would have been about 17 or so when it finished) -- something that may have triggered a recollection or caused this present situation?

[kuozzman]

3. Quite possibly, and his age of 75 was a "guestimate", he may be

a few years older than that. And he was in the Navy, spent quite a bit of time at sea after he graduated from the Naval Acadamy. I'll ask my Mom tomorrow about any traumatic experiences he may have had.

[Journeyman]

4. It's a possibility. . .

for years, a friend's mother would get all twisted out of mind on the anniversary of Pearl. Her husband was in the Navy on that day, but here in the States on leave. My friend told me his parents saw film reports of the attack, saw some of their friends running and the explosion that probably killed them. She was never the same again, though her husband passed through the war without visible wounds.

I'd say your grandfather is definitely over 75, especially if he spent time at sea during the war after graduation from Anapolis. For those who fought, even though they may not have been at Pearl or had any direct connection to it, their experiences in the War could be made more vivid when the Pearl anniversary rolls around. For my Dad, there were other anniversaries that brought back the horror. For him, though his physical wounds scarred over his mental problems never lessened. He challenged the demons in his mind daily, and they contributed greatly to his early grave.

I wish your Grandfather -- and you -- nothing but peace.

[billyskank]

5. Coincidence, probably

[kuozzman]

6. True, but still very wierd.....and a BIG coincidence