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Losing my DH of 58 years
My DH departed this earth and the chains of Alzheimer’s on August 5. Even though I know he would not have wanted to stay longer in his condition I miss my partner of a lifetime. I was his caregiver for the last 6 years. He was in MC for 10 months and was going to have to be moved to a SNF soon. I was with him one evening…
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Bringing in a caregiver
Hello everyone- this is my first post. My DW (age 76) is in stage 4. I am 67 and still working. Although she can get by during the day on her own while I am at work, she is spending increasing amounts of time watching TV and often forgets to eat. She also calls me regularly because she forgets how to operate the remote…
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Each time a new symptom appears it's a jolt to my system
We've been on this journey for two years and I've seen many symptoms of my DH's cognitive decline show up during this time. Each time one appears, it's a jolt to my system, even tho I know to expect more, it's just that each one arrives dressed up differently that expected! One example: We've rocked along for awhile with…
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LATEST "Diagnosis" ALZ - PCA not good news
UPDATE! I JUST WENT BACK IN HIS MEDICAL RECORDS FROM THE VA. BEFORE HIS HEART SURGERY IN 2014 THEY DID A CT SCAN BECAUSE HE SAID HE WAS HAVING HEADACHES. IN THEIR REPORT IT NOTED WHITE MATTER DISEASE & VOLUME LOSS AND VASCULAR CALCIFICATIONS. BACK THEN I WASN'T HIS CAREGIVER AND IF THEY TOLD HIM THAT HE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE…
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Caught in the crack
My 1st time to be here. My almost 70 yo husband was finally dx'd with AD about 2 months ago although we had started the process 3 years ago. I had a bout with colon cancer last year that put his problems on hold. Btw I'm cancer free. So I don't even know where to begin. He had to stop working a month ago and it's really…
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New Update on Peewee.
Hospice put Peewee on comfort care Yesterday and said he has about 32 to 72 hours left then his journey will be over. I am so heart broken. I feel so lost. Peewee is no longer sleeping in my bed and I can't bare to sleep in there without him. How will I get through this?
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A new thread started by Jan
Jan524 Member August 28 Hi, Denise1847. This is my first post. My 70 year old husband was tested and diagnosed with AD about 6 months ago. I estimate current stage 4. I came to this forum today specifically looking for answers about a problem with showering and wearing clean clothes that we're facing. He's a doctor and was…
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This doctor reversed heart disease. Now he wants to do it for Alzheimer’s
https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/30/health/dean-ornish-lifestyle-study-alzheimers-wellness/index.html
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Any recommendations for floor mat alarm?
Hello, We are in stage 6 and DH is having restlessness all night long. This has resulted in 2 falls in the past 2 nights, and no sleep for me. I want to get an alarm for the bed and for his chair so that i or a caregiver will be alerted to his movements but am clueless about what to buy. Any input would be helpful. Now i…
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My Wife is Dying
Hi. My wife has one or two more weeks to live and she’s coming home with me until the end. When I look at her I feel so overwhelming sad. We’ve had a good life and it’s hard to watch her go. She can’t talk well enough to communicate effectively but she tries. should I put aside my selfish sad feelings and try to put on a…
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DW now being discharged from hospice after 6 months on hospice.
It's been one year since I had to place DW in an MCF. Her care has been very good there. Six months ago she was experiencing a significant decline and the MCF recommended hospice. She was accepted without issue as she was losing weight, having trouble swallowing, required hand feeding and had become unable to walk without…
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Michiganpat
Pat, I hope you are still on the site. If you are anywhere near Saline, we have a member who was instrumental in making it a dementia friendly town. I'm sure he would talk to you, and he could offer suggestions. Just tell him that you heard about him from alzconnected.org. Here is his contact, although you might have to…
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How to find care
My husband who is 76 is in stage 6/7 at this time. I am the only person who can care for him. Family lives far away. How do I find outside help? His psychiatrist can offer no suggestions. He’s calm but confused during the day but these last five nights have found him confused delusional and up till early morning hours.…
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He fell today.
DH fell this morning outside and couldn’t get up. We had just gotten home from the grocery store. He just lost his balance and went down pretty hard on the sidewalk and against a tree. Thankfully, nothing was broken. He couldn’t get up though. Last year, the physical therapist told me that in a situation like that got me…
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My DH is obsessed with the news
My DH is stage 4 by my guestimate. He is obsessed with the news. He talks about it constantly and gets himself all worked up. I try to change the subject and it works for a few minutes but then he turns it right back to the news. He watches Fox and Cnn several hours a day and even tapes some of the late talk shows to see…
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New here and scared
Hello, I am new to support groups and to being a caregiver. My husband of 38 years started having memory issues in 2019 but we thought it was just stress and aging until last year he also starting having speech issues and even worse memory issues. After several doctor visits and test, we were told he had PPA (primary…
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Pull-up with more coverage in back?
My husband does not have dementia but I have not been able to find help on this issues anywhere else. I’m hoping someone can help me. He has started having occasional bowel leakage and “accidents”. I purchased him some Real Fit Depends for the flair ups and he loves how they look (refuses to wear regular depends because of…
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Anosognosia
I was reading an article that @Ed1937 posted about anosognosia (https://www.agingcare.com/articles/anosognosia-dementia-patients-cant-recognize-impairment-210090.htm) that mentioned the LEAP method. Wanting to know more, I ended up going down a rabbit hole and found this article:…
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Memory changes question
My DH progressed very slowly the last 7 years. About 7 months ago I started to notice more short term memory issues. It didn’t come overnight, but we both felt it was like he moved into the next stage. It definitely was gradual progression, but at the same time, I could no longer deny to myself that he was getting worse.…
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He wouldn't or couldn't get in the car, laid down on pavement. 911 called.
I'm facing another new hurdle and need some support and advice. DH and I went to the store yesterday. On returning to the car, he had trouble getting into the vehicle. He got partially in, but, started sliding down. I couldn't manage to push him back in, but helped him ease down to pavement. I couldn't get him up. Then he…
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DH Just Diagnosed
Hi, Amy here. My 63 yr old husband was diagnosed with Alzheimers 2 weeks ago. Been dealing with mild memory & cognitive issues for a while, super relieved to have found this group! I have already contacted Eldercare Attorney. Working on applying for SSDI. Any advice on what else I should do is appreciated. It is such a…
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Therapy
I'm a caregiver to my DH. He was in a semi-truck accident 9 years ago. He spent 18 months I 7 different facilities and has been at home with 24/7 care for over 7 years. He has a brain injury and although he can walk (with a gait belt/walker), he has always needed are for all ADL's. Last year he was diagnosed with…
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Hospice, or The Cavalry is Here
Following my DW’s hospitalization for aspiration pneumonia, she returned home with her cognitive condition substantially unchanged (so much had already been lost) but her physical condition notably weaker. In particular, there are very observable declines in ambulating and transferring. We had a follow up appointment with…
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i have now experienced the 36hour day
Hello fellow travelers, My DH who is probably in late stage 5 or early 6, had a dramatic shift in behavior, and became very weak and fatigued. So... i messaged the VA doc and we tested for UTI. Yes, he has one, not for the first time, but when the culture came back the Dr. added Levaquin to the bactrim that he is already…
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Stage 6 and 7
I have been on here since last September but never posted. My DH and and me have been married for 55 yrs. He has Dementia but now in stage 6-7 at home with me . I take care of him I have learned so much from here and reading books on the subject. I sometimes feel I could write my own book. He still listens to me and but…
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DW Between Walker and Wheelchair - Can PT help me help her?
My DW’s dementia started impacting her ability to walk about 18 months ago and her physical abilities have declined since then. I suspect it has been a common progression - furniture walking to walker, wheelchair increasingly needed at times. I think her cognitive decline would make any physical therapy futile. However, I…
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Never believe what I found!
About a year or two I had to remove my DW's wedding ring to put a band-aid on her finger. I left the ring on the bathroom counter and a few days later when I went to place the ring back on the ring was gone. I searched every square inch of the house multiple times over the last two years but could never find it. I'd given…
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I’m Not Attracted to My Husband Any Longer
I am learning so much and crying so much. But fewer tears today. I had more patience for my DH tonight but perhaps at the cost of attraction. He’s an affectionate person and so am I. But caring for him in this way turns me off. His affections are feeling yucky. Deep Sadness…Another manifesting loss.
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Question
So this morning my dw and for those who don't know, she is in a mcf. She tells me she has something to tell me but " not here" so we go to the bathroom mainly because she had to go and I wondered if she was going to remember about her question. She got done going and I just followed our routine and she said again she has…
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First time
This morning at 5:30 , I was shaving, and I heard someone talking and I went upstairs, and a neighbor was in the house. My wife thinking, I wasn't home apparently left our house and went to a neighbor. This is the first time she left the house. She said that she couldn't find me and where had I been? For the last two days…