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Trip Trigger?
(I'm sure this has been addressed in the recesses of the forum, but not sure how to find it).We are 3-1/2 years in to my husband's diagnosis; he takes Memantine and Zoloft. We have taken overnight trips before, and no problem. This past week, I drove us to Palo Duro Canyon on Tuesday for a 3 night stay in a lovely cabin.…
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Tough Day Bounce Back
Sometimes I feel like a nut when I post things when I’m upset and then the next day they show me the other side I thought I was at my wits end yesterday and due to the support on these boards decided to hang in there for another day and guess what today was a remarkably different day probably the best my wife has had in…
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At Home Caregiver for Spouse
I've never been on this site before, and I hope that I can get some support. My problem right now is that DH is forgetting what somebody has told him on daily basis. His Dr., Nurse, friends, and family. I'm being very patience and if he forgets something, I'm just saying it again, as if he didn't hear me. If he forgets…
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Just need to talk to my friends (147)
Hi, Time to start another segment - this really rolls around fast, doesn't it? We're a talkative bunch of people - and that's because we enjoy visiting here on the porch and are good friends. The holly Bryon and Shane trimmed back is looking good - lots of new growth - still kind of sparse at the bottom but no fixing that.…
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husband in memory care
I moved my DH to a residential memory care facility 5 weeks ago. The home as 10 residents with 2-3 caregivers and a full time nurse. The residents can move freely throughout the home and into the garden which is fenced in. My husband is clean , well taken care of , and safe. The transition seems to have gone fairly…
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Self care while DH is in the psych hospital
I had a minor meltdown on Friday, when I could no longer ignore the fact that DH may not be returning to our home. God has put several angels in my life that have basically ordered me to rest and relax this weekend and practice self care. It does not come natural to me (except for the bubble baths). I am actively doing…
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2 first times today, I start to panic
Until now, when we saw friends, my partner managed to make up for it by putting a few thoughts into the discussion so that when I told them about my daily difficulties, they had a hard time believing that we were talking about the same person. But tonight, some friends we haven't seen many times came to dinner. He already…
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finding a place for LO
Hello, My husband is 35 years older than I am. and he's got stage 6 AD. After the diagnosis of stage 5 2.6 years ago, I quit my job, and I have been taking care of him 24/7. I am still young and thought I was managing our situation pretty well. Mostly, I have been in denial for some time, I guess. A few months ago, our…
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The Father
A cold and rainy holiday weekend here in the Hudson Valley, and with an aide to stay with my DW, I decided to go see a movie yesterday. First since Covid. (The nonprofit art house just reopened, with limited seating—three seats between filmgoers, only alternate rows, masks on for the entire show.) Only one movie was…
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Colonoscopy(2)
PCP ordered a colonoscopy for DW at her recent physical. She's six years into this disease and stage 5. Should she get the test or not?
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Win column???
Thought I would share what I suppose would be one for the win column. Yesterday when I got home from work, I check DH's bathroom daily, to make sure he is not sneaking a cigarette in there. No smoking is allowed in the house. To my surprise, there was poop in the tub! First thought, Oh no! Then quickly thought of the…
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DH was declined admittance to the psych hospital due to his acuity level
DH was declined admittance to several psych hospitals. I was hopeful (as was the local hospital) for a place in Austin. We all thought it was a done deal until I learned this morning that DH was declined due to his acuity level. I am at a loss of what to do now. DH has been in the ER since Sunday. He is not receiving…
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Memory medication provegan otc
DH in early stages of Dementia and May be Parkinson’s. He tried Aricept, had seizure side effect, memantine made him more confused. So both meds stopped. He tried Otc Provegan last year, seemed to work without side effects medication is expensive and often sold out. Any one had good experience with this or any other otc…
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Seizures, are they part of the journey?
My DH, just turned 56, diagnosed with FD and EOAD, has had what I thought were dizzy spells. He's had 5 in the last 12 days. He's aware and alerts me to what's happening, they last about 15 minutes and his arms shake with exaggerated motion. The doctor thinks they are seizures and has ordered a CT scan. Is this normal,…
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Awfully tough day
Today was another one of those that makes me think I can’t do this alone anymore! Then I read the thread from crushed and decided I am not done yet but wow what a day 3:15 AM started with prepping clothes breakfast and time allotment in order to try to offset the morning rage. Did not work. All of you know the path that…
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Seeing a Dementia Doctor
My wife is 80 years old, in good health, but with memory and cognitive problems growing steadily worse over the past 3 years. She does surprisingly well socially, I don't think any friends or relatives have noticed. However, I have had to take over many household duties such as grocery shopping, meal planning, bill paying,…
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grieving(4)
I have been on this road 11 years. No Idea how long it lasts. But I can no longer speak of her as "my wife" in the present tense. Marriage is a partnership and the wonderful woman I married is long gone. My therapist says I am deep into grieving. Oh the rush of memories. Yesterday 25 bags of her clothes went to charity and…
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Mice, humans, and memories
There may be many reasons why treatments for Alzheimer's-like disease work in mice but not in human beings, but one of them is that mice are given only one of the many factors that contribute to Alzheimer's disease (most often amyloid). You remove that one factor in mice (whatever it is) and you cure the mouse of…
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shirt of the day
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DH was admitted to the ER
DH is suicidal. Its heartbreaking. He doesn't want to live like he is. I thought I was doing a good job keeping him safe, because I got rid of the guns and ammo. I hid the knives and scissors. He went to the garage and got a sledge hammer and started pounding on the kitchen counter tops because he wanted to tear the house…
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Alzheimer's- An analogy
I posted this in a thread but I thought it was worth its own topic Remember there is the underlying Alzheimer's pathology and the symptoms we can see. As far as we know nothing stops the underlying pathology Think of a city with lots of streets and destinations and your taxi has a GPS. the utility company is digging up and…
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Will you still need me, will you still feed me?
Paul McCartney was a mere 16 years old when he wrote those lyrics, as he imagined what it would be like to be older. Last week, I reached the milestone in the song, age 64. I was 59 when DW was diagnosed, though there’d been clear signs of cognitive issues for at least a couple of years. We all know that each PWD’s journey…
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A Win For Me(1)
I just discovered that I could trim & clean DW fingernails while she’s sleeping & without waking her, WAHOO! Now if I could only figure out how to get her in the shower while she asleep I be golden.
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My DH diagnosed with Alzheimer's this week.
I knew he had some kind of dementia but he refused to go to the doctor. Finally got him to go to a neurologist last week. He was diagnosed with mid moderate Alzheimer's. My husband took the diagnosis well and is happy that he now knows what is wrong with him but he keeps asking me "What is Alzheimer's?" I explain it to him…
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Worried about our granddaughter’s visit
Hi everyone! I am worried about our granddaughter spending the night with us. My DH is very happy to see her and seems to act fine, but we have not been by ourselves with her. She comes to visit once a year out of state and she is 10 yrs old. Our son as explained the situation and she seems to understand some stuff. She…
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Hair washing sink
Cross posted in Caregivers Forum I couldn’t find what I needed in the archive, asking here: Does anyone wash their LO’s hair outside of the shower or tub? What do you use for a basin? I am looking for something like a hair washing sink found at a salon, but not so big and permanent. My DW showers with my help, but…
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DH will not bathe or shower
Period. Help! I am rarely speechless, but this is a stone wall that we cannot get over, around, under, or through. I don't know what to do. He seriously is just not willing to shower or bathe anymore, no matter what I do. It is not fear of the tub or shower, and it isn't room or body temperature, like being too cold. It is…
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My Turn in the Bucket
Well this week has really been terrible. Wife tried to run away twice this week. I don't mean wander as she was mad and wanted to leave. She was mad and having paranoia all this week. Did not think of UTI but went in on Thursday for a test. To show how well the medical profession is for Alzheimer's, I was in the treatment…
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Wept today
I was caught off guard today after getting off early hoping for a good weekend together myDW spent the morning with her sister. I stopped at grocery picked up the stuff for her new favorite pork chop stew got it started just bet they got back to the house. This week has been a week of new loss but she’s been in a pretty…
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Disappointed or maybe dismayed
Doctor says MRI doesn't show enough damage to intervene at this point. DW doesn't have the normal risk factors so there's nothing to treat or change at this point. WTF??? This is the most damning line from the MRI report: There is minimal bilateral periventricular and deep subcortical white matter disease compatible…