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New Here – Caring for My Husband and Our Young Family
Hi everyone, I’m new to the community and just wanted to introduce myself. I’m 45, and I’ve been caring for my 51-year-old husband who has dementia caused by Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (PPMS). We’ve been together for years, and it’s heartbreaking to see how much this disease has taken from him—and from us. He…
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New to the group
Hi everyone, I am so relieved to have found this group. Mh (67) was diagnosed in January. Early stage of dementia. He is also a type 1 diabetic. I’m trying my best to cope and get through each day. It is hard to say the least. I say to myself, let’s have a good day! Some days are better than others. I have ordered the 36…
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A good day!
I wanted to post something positive for a change. 🙂 Today was one of those days with my DH where I say to myself “I can take care of him, no problem”. He was a little bit confused and quiet when he first got up, but was in a good mood all day, no outbursts of anger, only a quick little mention of going “home”, easy to…
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Just need to talk to my friends (208)
HB, thanks for telling me about auto comprehensive paying for rodent damage. I doubt this will be over $1000 which is my deductible. JeriLynn, I would be interested in the device you mentioned that makes a noise to scare rodents. I have those scent packets but don't know how to keep them from falling out but maybe the…
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Angry
I’m not sure why, but all of a sudden I find myself angry at my husband. I snap at him when he asks me the same thing over and over. When he was diagnosed with ALZ I was able to stay calm and compassionate. Now I feel like I’m falling apart. Has anyone else experienced this. He’s in the early stages so he’s not even bad…
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Walks hunched over
DH walks hunched over and walks very slowly. He's basically looking down all the time. He walks with his head/neck bent downward but he also sits that way all the time. When I ask him to lift his head up when I shave him, he will lift it just a little but then drops it back downward. Best I can tell is he's in stage 6, is…
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Unmarried partner not living together
My bf of 77yrar d has had memory issues and I asked him to get evaluated. After months and months with several steps along the way he has been diagnosed with MCI. I can’t keep track of everything he does and it seems like he is forgetting a lot of things. Seems he thought he was scammed the other day and called ti make a…
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CELA question for those who have consulted
I am going to make an appt with a CELA soon eventhough we had our trust redone 6 months ago. I need to know answers about shielding assets in the event a MCF is needed in the future. I dont know if this is possible or if Medi-Cal is an option or if it even helps pay for sine MC costs. My question for all of you is: should…
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Sudden mental changes
My spouse (70) was recently retested using the MMSE test, her score went from 19 a year ago to 11. Over the past 6 weeks we have experienced significant shifts in personality and overall happiness. Before very generous, she has become very me/mine focused. She does recognize that we are married (48 years), last night…
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Taking Away Driving Privileges
My DH (57) was diagnosed a little over a year ago with EOAD. He’s not quite in stage 4 yet, and still drives only to places in a 5 mile radius of home. And only to places that he goes regularly like the grocery store and they gym. I know that eventually he will have to stop driving but I dread that because he feels that’s…
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Motor Skills help
DH is late stage 6/early 7. We have been told that the next milestones for him will be mobility issues and then eating issues. He seems to be unable to do things like lift his foot on command. He will go up and down stairs (slowly) but when I ask him to lift his foot to get his pajamas on he seems to be unable to do so. I…
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What I miss the most
No question just how I feel. I have had a couple of drinks and am sitting in an empty house thinking (drinking and thinking maybe a dangerous combination). I have been married for 49 years and during the first 25 years I thought we had as close to perfect marriage as possible. the last 24 years has been much less than…
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Seroquel / Quetiapine Dr. prescribed
In reading the posts here about this drug, it appears that it is given for those that are not sleeping at night. It was prescribed to my DH for hallucinations. The man does not have trouble sleeping at all. Just a few episodes when he had too much coffee or has had long naps during the day. Is this something that will work…
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Hello
I am new on this site and excited to have found a place where I can learn from those that have already gone through much of what we are dealing with. My DH is in the early stages of Alzheimer's. He was first diagnosed with MCI in early 2022, but I did not learn about the diagnosis until June 2023. He misunderstood the…
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Holidays are the worst
As a caregiver for my DH who has mixed dementia and is in a mid to late stage of the disease I dread holidays. On July 4th people will be going places and doing things. I will be home but not quite home alone. DH does sleep much and is in a constant state of rage to the point where it is best if I don't talk to him at all.…
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Bowel incontinence
My DH is still in the mild stage. I can leave him home alone for a few hours. He walks the dog without getting lost. But, he has urinary incontinence at night. Lately he has developed bowel incontinence. I’m not sure what to do about the bowel incontinence. Any ideas?
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Medications for mood
DH is in stage 5 EOAD. He takes 100 mg of Zoloft for depression and anxiety. It mostly helps but he continues to walk around the house saying he is lonely and nobody wants to be with him. I am always there except when I work. I have caregivers in the house so when he says he lonely I remind him I am right here. I actually…
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Numb to other causes of sadness now?
I’ve been grieving and sad since my husband’s diagnosis last month. This week, my mother unexpectedly passed. I cried the day she died. But then I haven’t been crying about that. I wonder if I’m emotionally numb from so much trauma or if someone unexpectedly passing is easier (for lack of a better term) than being with…
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Am I going to die?
Recently my DH (56 yo EOA & FTD) has been asking me if he is going to die from this? He’s progressing and he’s scared and noticing the problems he’s having. How do I answer this? I don’t want to scare him or get him upset. I try to answer as vague as I can without getting upset every time he asks.
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New member caregiver needing a support group
I would like to connect with other spouses whose loved one is in assisted living. I've tried Alz.support groups with all caregivers, but having DH in a facility (just starting year 6) creates some different feelings than when he was home.
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Paying for MC
we are in the earlier stages but I see so many of you talking about placing your LO in MC. How are you affording it? I am 55 and I can’t see spending all of our investments (which are not huge amounts) on MC because I will need that money to live on for the rest of my life. That sounds cold but I have potentially many…
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Peapod Mats
Until the last month or so I didn’t understand why I’d have to worry about the furniture or mattress. My husband wears the really good incontinence briefs from Parentgiving. But lately he seems to have forgotten what the toilet is for, and has multiple accidents a day. The briefs can only hold so much. I try to change him…
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Sexual Behavior in Husbands
Super sexed DH II feel like I am the only 75+ caregivers whose husband is constantly wanting to make love or touch, lay with, hug or kiss me. Do others deal with this and shadowing? Does anyone have help or suggestions? I'm over loved😗
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Learning stage 8
I spent so much time on this site while caring for my DH, and you all helped me so much more than you may know. I feel like I'm still in the 'middle ground' between caring for him and living without him. One thing that I didn't really expect is that grieving changed when he passed. I had been grieving the incremental…
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Stage 6 - How Much Medical Care is Appropriate?
My DH is in stage 6 in memory care. He has afib and CHF which is managed with meds. He has a cardiologist appointment the end of July for a check-up. It has become extremely challenging trying to take him for appointments because he is so confused. I am questioning why I should even take him. He is a DNR and I have already…
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Partner’s Legs Won’t Respond — Is This Common in Later Stages?
My partner is in a later stage of Alzheimer’s, and over the past few weeks, their ability to move has drastically declined. They used to be able to stand with some help, but now it’s like the brain isn’t sending the message to the legs anymore. No injury, just a complete lack of response. This has made daily care really…
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Home to his parents in the evening
For about a week, DH has been adamant about going hime to his parents or calling his father, etc. Usually it starts around 4:00 so I’m assuming he’s starting to sundown. It’s so hard coming up with fiblets that will satisfy him. I’ve tried so many of the ideas I’ve seen on this forum. Sometimes we drive around, going…
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Talking gibberish
My DH is Stage 6 b/c. Physically fit. But he is mostly incoherent, attempting to tell me something or ask me something. I used to be able to figure out what he meant, but very recently I truly have no idea what he is saying. He gets very frustrated with me. Impossible to redirect. We came back from taking our dogs to the…
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Trapped
Well we are at that stage where I’m feeling really trapped! DH has been obsessing about his car on a daily basis.(previous post about that) . I just nod and walk away as he follows me yelling he wants his car. He just finished with home PT and an aide 3 days a week for 3 weeks. He of course was so nice to them. Did…
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Help with getting a diagnosis
My DH has many AD symptoms. I've called his Drs office and notes were made to give to his med team. He refuses to let me accompany him for checkups. His false accusations, hallucinations and "hearing" things are really affecting my health. What more can I do, I'm at the point of leaving.