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Items we found useful
M5M was looking for a thread that had a list of things we found useful during this caregiving experience, but couldn't find it. Neither could I. Let's make a new list for people to easily find. Things I can initially think of: (Please add to the list) High quality incontinence products. Parentgiving.com has some.…
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Sometimes I wonder. . .
I'm still new here and possibly a little naive when it comes to too much information. I know I'm with others that know the struggle is real so I've felt safe bearing my soul, sort of speak. but I wonder sometimes if I'm sharing too many private details about my life and struggles and then I remember I'm with all of you.
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“Don’t Forget Me”
That’s what my DW said to me a couple nights ago, as I was putting her to bed. I assured her I wouldn’t, and asked her not to forget me. Her reply? “I never will.” This, from my DW who doesn’t know my name or our relationship. Beautiful and heart-breaking. Reminds me, in a new context, of the Maya Angelou line that people…
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Update: DH is home
It has been a while since I posted, but wanted to give an update. I brought DH home on November 10th from the MCF. Hard to believe that was almost a month ago. When my daughter and I picked him up, they had not ordered refills on some medications and thank goodness my PCP placed orders immediately for meds that had run…
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Lost years--Off topic? Maybe not.
Just feeling reflective. Just got home from lunch with a work friend---first time in a restaurant, literally, since October 2019 (38 months), when my partner and I went to her 60th high school reunion. Tomorrow, going to see the Nutcracker with my daughter and granddaughter--what better way to see it than with a six year…
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Not sure how to cope
Recently my wife gets up from bed and starts the morning complaining about what I am doing, or how I am doing it or what I did not do. Every morning she is taking shots at me. She can no longer drive, her short term memory is very bad etc. I am doing my best to keep everything going, but it is hard to start off the day…
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Prosopagnosia
This is my first post on the website. My DW had a stroke seven years ago, and the cause was a buildup of protein in the brain (amyloid angiopathy). The doctors said that this it would more than likely lead to Dementia. I have been tracking her symptoms on a Dementia Severity Scale and have seen her move into a Moderate…
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Bedridden Opinion, Please.
Do you believe that once bedridden the loved one's health declines faster? I've noticed a significant decline over the five weeks my DH has been in bed. Less consumption of calories (2000 a week), more tired, more confusion, and difficulty of following directions are a few of the changes I've seen. Judi
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Best way to handle....?
Today, DH was at an event downtown, by himself. I had dropped him off and was waiting to hear from him that it was time to come pick him up. At around 4pm, he showed up at home, dropped off in front of the house from an unknown car (later found out it was a friend of his who drove him home). He walked in and after a bit,…
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Smoker with Dementia
My DH smokes. He used to drink quite a lot, but has given up all alcohol on his own in the past several months. Smoking is not something he has any desire to quit. I smoked right along side him until about 6 -7 years ago, I was able to give up the cigarettes for vaping. It may not be ideal, but it definitely better then…
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I'm going to challenge you
This thread might not get any replies at all, but here goes -- Just about everyone here will be forced to deal with a not so friendly situation, daily. Here's my challenge to you. When you have to deal with that situation, stop to think how you can respond to it in a way that might make it easier. This can even be done as…
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Choosing “my battles”
I’m realizing more and more that I need to accept the things I cannot change. With that being said I am waving the white flag to a few things that only seem to be an issue to me. So now I am working on not getting upset when DH sleeps till 9:30/10:00. Then sits around in his pjs until 1:00. He tells me it’s too cold to go…
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I'm new here(7)
Hi Everyone. Here's my story. My DH was diagnosed with Alzheimer's about 5 years ago. We are in the late middle stages. He also has a bunch of comorbidities, including insulin dependent diabetes, kidney failure, hypertension and all the others that go with them. I am his soul caregiver and have been for ever it seems. He…
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Nothing but a good thread
Tell me one thing good that has happened with or without your LO lately. It doesn't have to be earth shattering, just something positive. Friday evening, I went to see a high school BB game. One of our g-grandsons is on the team. They lost, but I got to sit in the bleachers with family and friends. I had to force myself to…
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Peewee has started eating.
For months now I have been trying to get Peewee to eat. He refused all food except a bite or two, but drinks all the Yahoo drinks he can stand. Since he was in the hospital and came home he has been telling me what he wants to eat, he can't always tell me the name of the food he wants but he can describe it to me. for…
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Caegivers that ask for advice
I'm still on here quite a bit even though my wife has passed on. What bothers me is ones' who ask for advice in life threatening situations and are given it and than we never hear from them again. LO getting violent and putting Caregivers' in danger. All I can do is keep them in my prayers. We are a big caring family here…
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How my husband escaped
Thank you all so much. I’ve learned a lot from this forum. And it helped to have the shared experience. Now it’s my turn to share. In 2015 my husband started having trouble with his executive function His father had dementia and so I knew it was the beginning of the end. A few years later we moved to a senior community…
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Dealing With Adult Day Care Refusal
I am working on a solution to help DH have a better quality of daily life while its still possible. He sleeps at least 10-12 hours per night, gets up to take his medication and assist with caring for the dogs, then goes back to bed. Some days he does not get up until mid to late afternoon, then he's still able to sleep all…
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Rough couple of weeks
My wife has been on a pretty effective med cocktail for about 3 months. That is about how long they usually last before her brain figures a way around them and returns to some of the behavior that got them prescribed. Hallucinations, agitation, confusion, depression, anger. all abated with meds slowly creep their way back…
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Finally Saw New Neurologist
Hello all: I had posted a few weeks ago about firing my DH neurologist and the issues I was having about my husband's care. We finally saw the new doctor, so far it is like night and day. The doctor spent 45 minutes with us and has determined that the symptoms that my husband is experiencing are not the type of symptoms of…
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Stuck (in the middle)
Just thinking about you this morning and realized no posts in a while. Hope all is well with you and your family.
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Another crisis
I am ready, I have looked at homes and have narrowed the choices down to five.I know it is time, my husband will no longer allow me to give him a shower or wash him at the sink. I am allowed to clean his backside after he has left me a turd in the sink. His words now are jumbled and he asks for things and I don’t…
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Can a person tell you they have alzheimer's, and still have anosognosia?
I posted this on the caregiver's forum, but I know not everybody keeps up with that. Gothic Gremlin had a thread that made me think about that. Here's what I came up with. This is interesting. Can a person tell you they have alzheimer's, and still have anosognosia? I think the answer comes down to if they understand they…
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Compromised and Covid
We have a storage unit that's inside a building where we store our holiday decorations. Think three trees, (one just Star Trek ornaments) garland and enough to decorate every room in the house. There were pictures, mirrors, some furniture and old computers and printers. So on 11-29 I got an email from the storage units…
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Life after covid in a mcf
My dw is one of 2 who didn't get covid. Today they cleared it to let everyone out of their rooms. Talk about joy. My dw interacted with another lady. My dw was worried about her, they hugged and shared. It made my heart full to see this interaction. All the residents are aware they have been in isolation or at least apart…
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Hiccups(2)
Seems when I problem solve one issue, another one pops up. DH caught the flu after Thanksgiving and with his fever came the hiccups. Now that he recovered from the flu the hiccups are still a problem. He gets them several times per day and they sometimes last an hour or so. Nothing I try seems to get rid of them. Has…
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Tough week continuing....
My husband got placed in a supportive nursing facility last Friday where he could recover from his fall and get stronger. Today, the facility social worker said that they are going to discharge him because he was combative and kicked people when they tried to change his diapers. And he was inappropriately touching the…
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Gibberish talk
What a day yesterday. I was napping on the couch and I'm awaken by my th talking gibberish. I think he stood up from his chair and lost.his balance and caught himself from falling. I wake up and he is trying to say something but only weird words like, walk walker wa wa and some other pronunciation of some words. I had no…
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Bring him home from assisted living?
My husband has been in assisted living for more than a year, and he’s doing very well - made friends, involved in activities- but the problem is that I am very lonely without him. He is mid-stage AD, but completely verbal and funny and warm. His short term memory is gone, but he’s sweet, charming, and worried about me.…
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Dementia and mobility issues
Hi everyone! Is anyone starting to have problems getting around and have to depends on others to get around? I’m not getting out much. So I don’t walk much anymore but I do around house up/down stairs at night. I now use walker when going outside the house. I’m now having trouble standing more than 30 minutes. I no longer…