Does it make you just want to scream when a "professional," someone you count on to lead you, makes an irresponsible, off the wall comment that scares the hell out of everyone?

Rick’s dad is 86, and he fell last week. Long story short, he is in the hospital, had surgery last week. He’s recovering physically, but the mental recovery is much slower. He’s been stressed, physically and emotionally. He can’t get a good stretch of sleep because someone, doctors, nurses, family, is popping in every 30 minutes and waking him up. He’s sometimes combative, bound and determined to leave. Often he’s talking out of his head, and there is some concern because his mental state doesn’t seem to be improving much, and it’s been over a week.

Well, some Doctor casually mentioned to the family that Dad had “Sundown Syndrome,” which basically means elderly people, especially when they’re out of their element, start going a little nutty and get combative when their regular night time sleep cycle comes along, although in Dad’s case it happens all through the day, just gets a little worse at night.

Well, the family googled “Sundown Syndrome.” Guess what——nothing but page after page referencing ALZHEIMER’S! (Actually, more properly, drugs ads for Alzheimer’s. Surprise, surprise.) So now the family thinks he has Alzheimer’s! He doesn’t! Alzheimer’s comes on gradually, very slowly over years. IT DOESN’T HAPPEN OVER NIGHT!!! I should know. My Mom died from it. His biggest problem is that he’s sleep deprived, and the family doesn’t understand that, and further, they’re part of the problem!

So now everybody is freaking out and I’m so mad I could spit. That doctor oughta be to tossed window.