Yeah, it must get really hard for Grandpa and we can only hope for his sake as much as Granny's that her memory doesn't deteriorate. But you have to see it from his side: can he have a good conversation with her? Not really. Can he tell her something and await an accurate response? Hardly ever. She always makes reference to the past (table tennis table), but she can't remember what the answer is: remember how she always was asking Grandpa whether they had one and where it got to? He told her about 5 times that they did but that it had been disposed of. She just wouldn't drop the subject. He must get quite bored and now that Uncle John has died, he must be quite lonely. Maybe we could send him letters or videotapes of us (or DVDs when we get around to buying them a DVD [at least player] recorder). Once you've programmed in the channels (most difficult part), it is easy peasy to use. Just put it on the right channel and press record. Grandpa would figure it out if we showed him how to use it! As your mother said though, those pills probably do more good than we realize. It's most likely not Alzheimer's though, because:

• a) her memory loss started after her operation about 7 (maybe more) or so years ago. We have already witnessed on other accounts older people suffering from short term memory loss. Granny had to have that operation, my great aunt however did not. What they both have in common is being several hours under a general anesthetic and that can not be good. Both now suffer from short term memory loss. Even if doctors will never admit it, I'm sure that being under general anesthetic affects the brain in a negative way.

• b) People who suffer from Alzheimer's know they forget things, at least they do at the beginning. Ususally the patient's mental health degrades slowly over a period of 7 years. At the end of that period, they can no longer fulfill their own needs and basically are like children (one of my other great aunts had it, but she's not part of the family, she's married into it). Granny's memory loss started about 7 or 8 years ago, had she had Alzheimer's her condition should be a lot worse by now, even whilst taking those pills.

• c) Doctors can only diagnose Alzheimer's for sure after death. Can't remember why except that there is some kind of change in the brain, which one can't see without having a look inside. Ok, this does not prove that Granny doesn't have the disease, but fact is that her condition started abruptly whereas Alzheimer's progresses in steps. Most likely she has some kind of Dimensia due to her operation. It probably would have happened anyway though, because Granny acts exactly the way her mother acted (They both got fat, obsessed with food, interrupt people to ask whether they want more food, become ''aggressive'' when one doesn't answer and memory loss). I still say it's partly because of the operation though. If we gathered a hundred old people who had an operation and who know suffer memory loss, I'm pretty sure 75-90 would have had an abrupt memory loss. It's hard to prove though: ''They're old anyway, blablabla, they already had it, blablabla..''.
  

Of course we should always try to involve her though, it's just that her acute loss of interest makes it hard to do anything with her. If we played cards she probably would forget what we are playing, but we should do it anyway. We could play Monopoly or something, maybe not what's that game you bought from e-bay called again? Oh yes Echelon. Maybe not that. Too much memory involved in that, but yes... The only way to get her to loose weight is by asking some one professional, who could help around the house and so on, to do the shopping and only to by low fat stuff and no chocolate, only healthy things. But what's the point in that? She's old, she should be able to enjoy life. Either way, she's still Granny and we can't exclude her.