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Major Life Changes
I haven't been on this message board for awhile because we have had soooo much going on lately. DH has been in a steady decline in his Alzheimer's status this year which has required some major life changes for us. I had been overwhelmed with stress in balancing my job, managing home maintenance/repairs, and DH, so the…
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Feeling lost
I’m new here. My wife is at the early stages, she is 67 and I am 60. I still have to work so our lives have a lot of moving pieces. Slowly I have been watching my wife deteriorate. The past 6 months it seems like even the easier tasks are getting harder for her & take her a lot more time. It’s like her problem solving…
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Testing during early stages
I am wondering about testing to monitor progression during the early stages. DH is 60. Still working and has diagnosis of MCI. We have gone through all the tests. MRI, spinal tap, neuropsychological testing, countless blood tests. We are not sure if he has Alzheimer’s or FTD as he is presenting as atypical for both.…
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Thinking about meds….
While my husband was in the ER there was a day where he did not get his morning meds until 1:30. He was bright, alert, lucid, calm until the late meds kicked in then his nasty side returned. Many of you have been into this journey longer than I have so you probably know. I need to keep in mind that some symptoms may be…
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Thanks for Elder Care Lawyer help
I took the advice of my financial adviser on this elder care lawyer. But I will contact a CELA. I guess I’ll just pick someone under Nelf(thanks @M1 ) I had an eye infection and was sitting in my car taking notes when he called so maybe I didn’t every word right. But basically, it would be 2000.00 for documents only. I do…
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My turn in hospital
Unable to raise blood sugar when it got low. Came in Thursday to ER, and released Friday. Back in Friday with same issue. Released Sunday morning. 6 hours later, back in and admitted again. Just hoping they find an answer to the problem. Really hard for me to type, so I won't be posting much at all. Waiting for…
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Good days / no so good days
My DH is somewhere in the middle of dementia ?? We shared a couple of peaceful days and today the flip side. I now know to tread lightly by not discussing anything requiring a decision from him on these days, even so, the roller coaster is challenging. I'm new to this discussion forum and thank you all for being here.
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Sad and just need to talk with folks who understand
Our dear neighbor and friend died this morning. Hearing of her death made me so sad that DH asked what was wrong and I told him. But throughout the day he kept asking me "what's going on next door". He can't recall what happened but does have a glimmer that there is something not right. I am usually used to his repeated…
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Touching base
It’s been several months since my last post, altho I’ve been reading regularly. I’ve spent those months getting my legal ducks in a row and just generally taking charge. My DH no longer drives and has (reluctantly) surrendered his license. We agreed to turn our 2nd vehicle over to our youngest, who has moved in with us for…
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Too much drama
My DH has vascular dementia. He will "lock on" to something that bothers him and shake it to death like a dog with a toy. That is, he won't let it go. Today we had a blizzard. He can't shovel/snow blow because of a heart condition. He wants me to find someone to do this. I did find a service that has been quite good. But…
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Our Journey is Over
My husband passed 1/5/2024. I would like to remember him as the handsome, charming man I met 5 years ago and maybe that will come with time. This horrible disease takes everything. Surprisingly it wasn't ALZ but Stage 4 metastatic lung cancer, very aggressive small cell. We had no idea he had it. The doctors said the…
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Lethargic and a bit bitter....
I'm here, on Tuesday afternoon, and there's a howling wind outside and it's freezing cold. This may be contributing to the lethargy I'm experiencing. Last week, we met with the doc to discuss the results of DH's PETScan. It was inconclusive, noting mild diminished activity without a specific dementia pattern. DH has…
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I’m Sorry
I want to apologize to all of you lovely people here on this site that gave me such good advice,but you absolutely scared the living crap out of me. Each time I would read the remarks I would sink deeper and deeper into uncertainty. I am slowly trying to “put my big girl pants on” and also I’m trying not to be the frog in…
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Is it too soon for MC
I'm in over my head. My husband has beginnings of alzheimers, not sure what stage... no one has told me. But since his diagnosis he's had a seizure and mini stroke and his physical health has deteriorated drastically. I have to answer the same question multiple times each day, he mostly only sleeps but when he isn't…
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Severe Agitation - Seeking guidance on what works
Just reaching out to this community which has become a tremendous blessing and lifeline as I navigate the unknown territory of dementia as caregiver to my HWD. He is 76 and was diagnosed 11 yrs ago. Progression was slow until he had back surgery 2 yrs ago and was under anesthesia for 5 hrs. He has never been the same…
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Surgery tomorrow...I hope
I am scheduled to have surgery tomorrow morning on my right wrist and elbow. I have arranged for someone to be with DH while I am at the Surgery Center and for one of my sons to be here through the weekend. Another son and granddaughter will be here from Indiana Sunday night to spend the week. At least that's the plan. We…
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M1 and Jo
M1, I think about you quite often, and I'm wondering about the latest concerning your recent physical problems. Jo is another, and I don't think she has posted in some time because I've read several posts, but I don't see anything from her. Does anyone know what's going on with her? Good thoughts and prayers for both.
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Ukraine
Can you imagine how incredibly hard it would be to live with a PWD in a country going thru an invasion? It would be so hard to watch them and try to explain what is going on and we won’t even think about incontinence. Thruout it all them see so stoic and gracious and patient.
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Memory care- when
I’m interested in what criteria you have used to determine that it is time for memory care placement? My original plan was to keep him to the end if possible. But know I just don’t know. I don’t know how long I can deal with walking on eggshells, the agitation, verbal abuse when I try to keep him out of trouble, driving…
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Recognizing skill losses
My husband has been a master craftsman and woodworker for decades. These last few months he’s lost a great deal of his skills. Today he tried to get the square footage of our kitchen and couldn’t do it. It hit him hard. He’s still able to recognize that he can’t do something any longer. It’s so emasculating for him. I hate…
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Working and caring for spouse with AD
Last February, I abruptly had to leave my job to care full Time for DH. I thought it would be six months to get him through cancer treatment and then place in memory care. Almost a year later, still caring for him full time at home but am trying to find a part time position. We do not have children yo help us out. Any…
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Hallucinations
I am caregiver for my husband, second time for me, late husband died from ALZ in 2000. My husband has notions that I am having affairs with different men, I am not, and he sees one on our church website services. I have this sorta under control but he think that just because I don't want to have sexual relations every…
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DW very lethargic today
Last night about two am I took her to the bathroom, then cleaned and changed her. She was a bit wound up after and wouldn't go back to bed until she finally fell asleep on a recliner. It's now after 12p and she still hasn't moved. Somewhat incoherent, more so than usual, and seemingly lethargic. Another UTI perhaps or…
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Take your party elsewhere redirect
We had a somewhat normal day under the circumstances. A few trip to take my spouse ‘home’. Ran a couple of errands, as we do to help the day go by. Pre-Dinner trip was to daughters farm, where she got to visit with daughter and granddaughter. Made two post-dinner trips. The last one after a quiet discussion in our bedroom…
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Curious About Seroquel
My DH has been on Seroquel 50mg 2 weeks now and I’ve noticed he doesn’t get as agitated. He still has delusions, especially not recognizing me on & off during the day and all the way till bedtime. Has anyone had experience with this medication where the delusions totally disappear the longer you take it or am I hoping for…
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Bitterness Toward Family
My wife has now been in memory care for about a month. She seems to be doing pretty well but is bitter toward me her husband and to a lesser extent our daughter. We've been married for 61 years but when I last saw her she said she hadn't seen me for twenty years and that I should stop playing games. It's gotten to the…
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Post by glajha from the new caregivers group
glajha She/her/hers / Ella Member Posts: 1 New 3:16PM edited 3:22PM My husband is in the middle stages of Alzheimers. Is there one person, a doctor or someone else skilled specifically in care of Alzheimer's patients, who could help me map out daily caregiving and future caregiving? I try to use the internet for answers…
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Calling my DH at MCF - heartbreaking
To recap: I had to immediately place my DH in MCF Dec 5th because of my devastating diagnosis of a rare aggressive form of breast cancer that I needed immediate aggressive treatment for. I have only been able to visit him once on Christmas Day due to my low immune system from chemo. I call him and we can't carry on a…
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Take me Home
I know many of you hear this on a regular basis - my DH is fixated on this over the past few days more than usual. Usually I can just say "we are home" he goes and looks outside recognizes the house and comes back in. Not so much this morning. We are in MN and that was what it was all about this morning - having to "go…
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Bad day - just a vent
Today started with the discovery of a mess in the bathroom. My poor husband had accident and tried to clean it up, gave up and got back in bed. I apparently slept through it. So, after I cleaned the bathroom, showered him, and stripped the bed, I had him calmly eating breakfast. His aide arrived and things were going…