HE can be awful.
Mike was really confused for a long time...almost a year before his transplant. And in addition to being confused and forgetful, he was beligerant, confrontational, angry, and obnoxious...often.
There were times I would just cry.
He was horrible about NOT driving, which he was unqualfied to do as he didn't know where he was going and was likely to make serious mistakes behind the wheel. The doc put it in his chart and told him IF he drove and got in a wreck, the insurance would'nt PAY because he'd be driving against medical advice!!!!! And what if he hurt an animal or child or a bunch of folks in a bad wreck?
He would say he was going to drive, and I would tell him that this was fine, but I would not drive WITH him, rather meet him whereever it was were supposed to be going. And since he couldn't remember any of the directions, he gave in and came along, then hollered at me every mile along the way...I was driving too fast/slow, in the wrong lane, stopping to soon/late, not passing/passing, etc. A year...grrrr.
He took the car one day when I was at a doctors apt and got tired of waiting and took off. I didn't know how I was oging to get home. But he came back. Sheepishly said he was restless so he went to get gas...grrr.
Now, a year later, and 3 months post transplant, he has been driving a month and it is great to have help behing the wheel... Help with meals, shopping, errands, etc. It is a lot to do everything..while someone is screaming at you.
We have been to the Transplant Center and Labs and Specialists at UMiami/Jackson for a year now. We are here now on a 3 day post transplant marathon of visits. For the first time...FIRST time...he remembered how to go the .3 mile drive with NO turns to the office building behind Jackson where the lab is. FIRST time. He did have to ask me where to park (on the 6th floor of the parking garage).
He would never have been able to find his comb, shoes, hat, shirt, etc. Every day was a scavinger hunt. You almost have to laugh it gets so ridiculous. But how must it be for the person with those symptoms...where one day you are a businessman or professional skiier and strong and handsome, and the next you are a jerk who can't find their (bad word) comb!!! That must be terrible.
When Mike got on the Xifaxan last December at Christmas time he got much better. He still couldn't find his comb and dropped everything on the floor. But he stopped shouting loudly at me for losing/taking/hiding his stuff(except in the car...he kept that up for the whole year...15,000 miles in a year driving to the doctors and AA meetings...screaming at me...it is a wonder I still love the man....but I do.)
It could get better with time, meds, and transplant if that is in the cards.
Good luck...
Mama Lama