Jiminy Cricket! This day has been exhausting!

LadyTexan

I didn't get much sleep last night. DH was restless and we got up multiple times so he could  pee. DH is having leg cramps at night which are very painful and they make the trip to the bathroom an ordeal. I try to get him to eat potassium rich food which are supposed to help the crampy...alas I have not yet been effective.

In another post, I talked about taking my DH to the grocery store. I awarded myself an imaginary trophy because it was not an easy task.

Later in the day, I gave him a shower. DH was miserable all through the shower and didn't miss an opportunity to let me know. DH was clean and shiney AND VERY WHINEY. I got him dressed in fresh clothes. I told him I was going into the other room. He sat in the chair in the bedroom and pouted.

Shortly thereafter, he walked into the living room wanting a cigarette. His shorts were half down and he had peed all over himself. ARGH. AND there was a giant puddle in the bathroom. In my mind, I started to think he is behaving like a toddler. But I know in my heart he is not doing this on purpose.

DH's disease is progressing and I am not adapting well. I am exhausted. I HATE this disease.

Ed1937

I'm sorry, Lady. It seems you can't get a break! I had leg cramps most every night, then I found that many people said that if they put a bar of soap in bed, it helps. Nothing to lose, so I tried it. I don't know if it's a mental thing or not, but it sure helped me.

LadyTexan

@Ed - where in the bed do you put the bar of soap? What kind of soap do you use?

June45

I can really identify with a lot of what you have written.  The last time I took my husband into a grocery store or any store was this past March and that was only to get our vaccinations at the Walmart pharmacy.  You definitely should get an award for the grocery store expedition.  And I just noticed the blue glove on your award.

Doityourselfer

Nice trophy!   I hope you can get some rest tonight.

Quilting brings calm

LT-  try magnesium or apple cider vinegar tablets or tonic water for the leg cramps.  We have even tried rubbing  apple cider vinegar on my spouse’s calves.

Chammer

Magnesium and calcium (giant horse pills) at bedtime help DH with leg cramps (when he takes them!).  There is also a magnesium tea that is supposed to help at night. My DH has neuropathy in his legs and hands and restless leg.  He does much better at night when he lets me rub his legs and feet with a triple strength CBD cream.

M1

Another suggestion LT: quinine is good for muscle cramps; I personally love tonic water (without the gin) and that works well for me. He's not on a statin is he? Those cause cramps galore.

loveskitties

Hi Lady,

Regarding the soap under the bottom bed sheet, I originally saw it on the thread Lorita keeps up.

The only soap I have heard that doesn't work is Dove, which I guess technically is not a real soap.  Some have used the small bars from hotel stays, some have used Dial.  

I have read it either works fairly quickly ( immediate to several days) or not at all.  No study has determined what exactly is in soap that causes it to help.

They say to change the bar out every 3 months or just shave it down to get new surface exposed.

Hope this helps.

Elshack

Re: leg cramps. A bar of Ivory soap put under the bottom sheet where his legs are should help. I have tried it for leg cramps and it works!

abc123

Tonight I witnessed a friend (75) take a table spoon of yellow mustard. She said the tumeric helps relieve the leg and foot cramps. It started working quickly, 10 minutes later the cramps were gone. If I had not seen this with my own eyes I would have second thoughts. I sure hope you can find a remedy to help him. 

PS Tell Hap hello for me.

LadyTexan

Thanks everyone. DH already takes a Magnesium 250 mg supplement. I will try the bar soap. The spoonful of mustard will be hard to watch, but its on the list of home remedies.

The rest of my day included a pouting husband. DH was unhappy with his dinner. DH asked why we don't have any food. This is such a sore spot for me because we have enough food. We don't have the never ending variety of food that he wants, which is basically whatever he wants ON DEMAND. At bed time, the cat puked on an antique vanity right next to the bed. Overall, not a fun day. I kept thinking of the commercial Calgon, take me away!

I got some sleep last night. My wishes for all, including DH and me, is a better day for all.

@abc - Hap says howdy and is sending a tail wag too

ElaineD

Dear Lady Texan,

My heart goes out to you.  It is so hard when all the work you just did (shower, clean clothes) are undone in a flash!    And THEN all the work to clean up.  Exhausting!  I would be screaming inside; and maybe out.

I'm only at this start, but this morning DH asked, "Do I have a dermatology appointment.  Did they call you back?"   He asked the exact question twice yesterday, and twice I told him.

So this morning I said, "You asked me yesterday, and I told you." Then I looked up the date of his appointment (that I made for him) and told him again.

He doesn't remember.  He's worried about the new spot on his head (he's had several removed before).  He isn't asking to annoy me, and reminding that he asked the same question before is just me being impatient, which is pointless.  

So I read the posts about LOWD who are far progressed and I just do not know how I could ever learn the patience and love shown by everyone.

I know that children do all these things, but there is always knowledge that  children will grow up, improve, etc.  "But things are only going to go one way" (my son keeps telling me that when I'm so amazed and annoyed by new behaviors of my DH)  So I think in addition to the frustration of the moment is the fear of the future.  More loss, more pain.

And in addition to all this, my DH is my caretaker.  He has become patient and gentle with me (for now) and is the nicest he's ever been. 

I'm just sad.

ElaineD

Ed1937

LadyTexan wrote:

@Ed - where in the bed do you put the bar of soap? What kind of soap do you use?

I use Dial, but I don't think the brand makes a difference. I put it between my legs, close to my calves. It didn't seem to make a difference if it was wrapped or not.

 

Ed1937

LadyTexan wrote:

I got some sleep last night. 

I'm glad there was at least one bright spot. Those have been really hard to come by for you. I wish you a much better day, and a much better week.

Paris20

Lady Texan, I feel your frustration, and your exhaustion. The other day, I gave DH his shower, helped him dress, and brought him downstairs, guiding him so that he wouldn’t have another fall. Success! Clean and ready to start the day after two hours that would have taken twenty minutes in the old days, BA, before Alzheimer’s.

Sleeping has been my husband’s latest symptom. He can sleep all day and all night. I have to shake him to wake him for meals. As a prostate cancer survivor, DH has incontinence problems that are exacerbated by Alzheimer’s…a double whammy. 

After a small breakfast, DH went to the couch and promptly fell asleep on top of old blankets placed there to protect the furniture. It was raining, a good day for napping, but when I woke DH for lunch, the entire length of the couch was soaked, as were DH’s clothes including, of course, his so-called incontinence pad. After a massive clean-up, I finally sat down and waited for the laundry to finish. Another exhausting day, and it wasn’t even half over.