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Serenity(1)
Have you ever prayed the serenity prayer? Today I googled it and was amazed by the history of it and the number of versions there are. A variation of one or two words gives a slight change of the meaning. I was going to type the version that I remembered but thought better of it. I hope you will google “serenity prayer”…
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Conversation with DH's Treatment Team @ the Psych Hospital
Today I had the 1st phone call with my DH's treatment team. The team is made up of a medical doctor, the psychiatric practitioner, nurse and someone else...maybe a social worker. It happened so fast that I did not get all the names or the related credentials. There will be a follow-up call tomorrow. Today is DH's 5th…
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Teepa Snow(2)
Several posters here suggested Teepa Snow's videos to learn about dementia. VERY helpful, thank you. If you are just beginning this journey, I encourage you to seek out her videos on youtube. She has the ability to bring it down to our level so we can understand and tells us some things no doctor would ever think of.
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Travel(3)
My wife has early to intermediate stage Alzheimer's. We are going away for a few days next week. We're going to a place that we have been to before and staying in a hotel where we have stayed before. We will also be travelling with her sister and brother-in-law with whom we are very close. I would appreciate any hints on…
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Uptick in USA covid deaths.
Despite all the vaccination effort there has been an uptick in 7 day average Covid deaths over the last few days. The average hit a low on June 4 and is up about 10% since then
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MOCA, MMSE at time of diagnosis
I've often wondered what other's LO scored when they were finally diagnosed. My DHs general practitioner had scored him a 20 on the MOCA scale 2 years before actual diagnosis, ( I was not aware of this!) When finally diagnosed he scored a 17 on the MMSE. Just curious as to what others' scores were when diagnosis finally…
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How talk openly with your spouse about their diagnosis
My significant other is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s and I try to talk to him about what is happening but he just wants to make jokes about it and I find nothing funny about this at all. He is the sweetest person. I met him 10 years ago. Gentle voice, peace maker, animal lover. Today he angers at the the slightest…
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Should my LO be told of his diagnosis?
On our first appointment with the neurologist after testing was done, we expected to be given a diagnosis. The doctor walked into the exam room and said "I'm going to start you on some medication to help your memory." No diagnosis. No discussion of test results at all. I thought that the diagnosis, whatever it was, would…
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Anger issues(3)
My LO is usually pleasant in the mornings. She's very polite and thanks me for helping her. Come noon, (I've starting calling it the "witching hour"), it's like Jekyl & Hyde. Nothing I say or do is right. Her brother & his wife were visiting this week and they couldn't believe the drastic & immediate change. I've tried…
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So hard to fathom it again
After caregiving my mother with AD, she passed away in April of 2020. Now I find myself reading up on all of the symptoms of Alzheimers again, as I see signs in my 63 year old partner.It feels surreal. These are the symptoms he is exhibiting: Repeating questions over and over Forgetting things he has already told me…
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The elephant in the room.(1)
Lets talk about that elephant that few discuss. Sex and dementia. My wife's been on anti depression meds for years, which cut off any drive she might have had earlier...but lately, her behavior is more like a shy teenaged girl, makes huge efforts so that I can't even see her naked accidently. Intimacy? Furgetaboutit. I can…
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Hair trigger temper...new symptom?
My DW is in just the beginnings of this process but these past 2 weeks a new problem cropped up and Im wondering if this is the dementia at work or something else. She's always been "disagreeable" but lately, any small infraction or what she perceives as a slight towards her triggers a near screaming match. Is this common?
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Writing activity for bedbound dementia patients
Hi all,My DH has been bedbound since late October. He has ALS & FTD and is non-verbal. He seems very content but I continue to try to find activities he can do. Some have been a hit...some not so much. The best one has been children's writing tablets from Amazon. They are plastic and use a battery. They come in different…
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He is at peace(1)
DH passed away Sunday, June 6th and was released from his earthly binds. He had been in the care of hospice at home for the past several weeks and I was grateful that I was with him as he took his last breath. I can not put into words the support, love, education and encouragement that I have received on this site. My wish…
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Now we have Hospice, etc
Husband became dehydrated from not drinking enough liquids. He also had come to where he would barely eat. I tried different methods for feeding and providing liquids. Most times he would refuse both or take very little of either. DH became very weak and had to take him to Emergency where they did testing and then had him…
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Placed DH in skilled nursing last week
I am fairly new to this forum and haven't commented here often. But thanks in part to the excellent advice I've received here, I was able to make the decision to place my DH in a skilled nursing facility close to our home last week. I had the NY State Personal Review Instrument completed for him at the end of February,…
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Spouse is in memory care relationship - do I visit?!
My dh has moved to a new memory care facility. Six weeks (and three window breaks) later he is in a new “relationship and reportedly more “calm”. This time the woman’s family is okay with their mom being involved. She is independent with her ADLs as is he. She can also communicate language well. He is severely cognitively…
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What to tell friends?
I had a text recently from friends we haven’t seen since well before Covid—2 years, anyway. They would like to get together with us. I’d like to do that, but feel obligated to tell them where things stand with my DW—I can’t recall if we’ve ever spoken about the AD dx, but even if so the progression from a couple of years…
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Asking for a friend (should she stop driving?)
(first post, here) Hello everyone, The partner of my good friend was diagnosed with EOAD about a year ago. She, the PWD, is in her mid-fifties and seems to be solidly in Stage 4, maybe dipping into Stage 5. My friend is in his late fifties. Ideally, he should be the one composing this post and seeking advice, but he seems…
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Largescale brain epigenetics study provides new insights into dementia
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-06/uoe-lbe060921.php
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5 year anniversary of diagnosis
Not a happy day. DH was diagnosed 5 years ago today at age 60. It seems so long ago, yet it seems like yesterday. He was probably stage 3 or 4 when he was diagnosed. Now he's early stage 7 and in MC. The grieving never ends. The losses never end. The sadness never ends. I hate this disease and watching what it's doing to…
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Looking for Real Life
I have always thought that before it would be determined that wife was in end stage that she would be someone bed bound. Well she still gets around the house fine but has multipul problems. Well today went to the Neuro and he informed me she is is end stage. That was like a shot to the teeth. I am so down but do not want…
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I'd like door number 2 please!
I said this to a friend the other day......wouldn't it be nice if it was that easy! I've really been struggling with accepting this new "normal" that I've been thrown into since DH was diagnosed 8 months ago. Some days seem okay, but others are a constant battle over every little thing. How did we get here! Can we just…
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Choosing a Alzheimer’s doctor and paying care bills
DH has early Alzheimer’s and had seizures. The neurologist treats seizures & prescribed Keppra. He doesn’t treat AD or memory issues. Which dr would be suitable for AD? Also what legal documents should be in place? How does one afforded the monthly bill of $8000. Per month in Virginia for care community?
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responsibility and guilt
Sounds like a Jane Austen title (pride and prejudice, sense and sensibility). This is what I feel the most, a tug of war between too much responsibility and guilt whenever I decide not to take on a responsibility. He walks around the room, I have a choice between keeping him busy or going to another room to isolate myself…
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Lady Texan
Just want you to know I'm thinking of you. I know many of us are. I hope the telehealth appointment goes well tomorrow morning and will give you peace of mind. Please keep us posted. I also hope your dear husband is getting the help he needs and deserves.
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a surprising health problem for me
I take care of my soon to be 91 yr old husband. I am 81. I noticed my eyes seemed blurry and bought some eyedrops thinking I could have dry eyes. Then I saw wavy lines so I got in to see the eye Dr today. I had the beginnings of macular degeneration but after tests today he said blood is leaking into my eye and thus I have…
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questionable expensive Alzheimer's drug may get FDA approval
It would become a blockbuster drug within several years, analysts predict, costing tens of thousands of dollars annually per patient and bringing a windfall to its manufacturer, Biogen. Patient groups, desperate for treatments, are pushing for approval. But greenlighting the drug would fly in the face of objections from…
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outstanding caregiver
https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/munster-man-accused-of-raping-elderly-relative-suffering-from-dementia/article_5b870be5-c778-5d19-8448-02d8aa9d6d1b.html
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That conversation
I have just come back from visiting DH in the NH, where he has been for almost 5 years. Today we went through almost all of the photos in his album, which he still seems to enjoy. Did not mention his brother's death (heart problems, but DH is convinced it was suicide). He did get somewhat anxious afterwards, saying the…