DH Just Diagnosed

planetamy

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 relief to have a place to talk about how surreal this is. We'll be going about our day (neither of us work anymore), and all of the sudden he'll say something that shows he's confused or forgotten something. It just keeps surprising me.

Luckily so far our lives haven't changed much.

Thanks for listening.

Pat6177

Amy, welcome to the forum! I’m glad you found us though, as they say, I’m sorry you have a need to be here. Most of what I know about dementia, I have learned on this forum. The best advice I have to offer is to read a lot of posts on here - both current and old posts. And post when you have questions or comments or need to vent. Reading the posts on here will give you an idea of what to expect as the disease progresses so that it doesn’t come as such a surprise. One person posted that her PWD had forgotten where to find rooms in their home. She had even tried putting signs on the doors but even that didn’t work. So she needed to lead him to the bathroom whenever he needed it. LO and behold, my husband is forgetting where certain rooms are in the house. If I hadn’t read that post… Not a big deal but I’m calmer knowing it’s not unusual.

Jeanne C.

Hi Amy - you've found an incredibly helpful and welcoming place. One piece of advice that I received early on is to accept help when it's offered (I think Ed told me that - he'll be along soon I'm sure to say hi). And I'll add that you need to take moments for yourself. I've been up since 5:00 so I could read and have some coffee in peace - once my husband is up (I can hear him stirring now) my day will be busy. These quiet times save me. Take care of yourself and welcome.

M1

Welcome Amy, you have indeed found a good place for support. Good for you for getting your legal and financial affairs in order..the SSDI will help as he can qualify for Medicare early. Yes it is surreal, and difficult. Glad there is still some normalcy, do try to enjoy it while you can and do things on your bucket list while he still can. When my partner was about stage 4 in 2019, we took two trips that were memorable, and I'm so glad we did: the north rim of the Grand Canyon for our 25th anniversary, and her 60th high school reunion. Very good and important memories....for me; she doesn't remember them any more, but responds when I show her pictures.

Denise1847

Hi Amy, Welcome to the forum. You will make many friends here. Of all the things I do to keep sane, this forum helps me the most. Keep in touch and take care of yourself.

Ed1937

Hi Amy. Welcome. Yes, you found a great place to help you through this disease. It sounds like you have a great start, meeting with an attorney and getting the ball rolling with SSDI. Those are both very important, and when done, will take some weight off your shoulders.

Here is a link that you might find helpful. https://www.smashwords.com/extreader/read/210580/1/understanding-the-dementia-experience

And I had a link for anosognosia, but I'm not able to access it. Someone else will probably post the link for you. If you're not familiar with it, you need to be.

I hope you have family or someone else close to you who will help you just by giving you a little time for yourself when he progresses. Or maybe do a little cooking for you. NEVER refuse help. And don't be afraid to ask for it. This is too much for one person to do alone if there are other choices.

lmfchapman

Hi Amy. I’m new here also. My 64 year old husband was diagnosed a few years ago but it has been mild until recently. I have been in denial for a while but seeing your post has hit a nerve that there are other people out there dealing with a young ( I think) husband going through this. I still work and don’t feel I have anyone to talk to that understands. This group will help

SDianeL

Welcome Amy. This is the place for help and understanding and venting if/when you need it. If you haven't yet, please read the book "The 36 Hour Day" it helped me so much in the beginning. Learn as much as you can about the behaviors. It's overwhelming for the caregiver. I just read another comment here today about the "jolts" when a new behavior surfaces. It's always a shock to the caregiver.