Newbie

hasbroz

Hello there. I’ve been lurking in the background for weeks now and finally got the nerve to post. My DW was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in late 2023. We knew something wasn’t right and got confirmation in late November of 23.
I’m not really sure what to write. I guess I just want to be able to hear about other people’s experiences. It gets a bit lonely when you watch the person you love slowly start slipping away. You can’t really explain it to people. The world gets turned upside down and your ability to adapt is challenged. It’s nice to find a community of people that can relate. Thanks

Biggles

Hi Hasbroz as we say it's great that you have found us and it's such a shame that you need to be hear, but it is the best place for kindness, care and real knowledge. Alz and VD can be so isolating, people, I think feel confronted when they meet someone with alz or VD and don't know how to react. It's not just our partners with this disease it's us the careers that need help and gentle guidance through this. Ask anything and everything and vent as often as you want to. This wonderful group is always hear day and night.

Chance Rider

@hasbroz

Welcome, I’m glad you found this great community and decided to post. I’m sorry about your dear wife’s diagnosis, ALZ and what it does to our loved ones (and us) is truly heartbreaking. I’m relatively new here myself and find this to be a very helpful resource, even sometimes when it’s just good to be heard and seen by people who know what you’re going through.

Quilting brings calm

Welcome. We are here for you. Feel free to post about almost anything -ask advice, vent, just need to get thoughts out of your head, etc. There’s no need to be afraid to post. We don’t bite or judge, but we do give honest assessments. That can be off putting to some who aren’t ready to hear some hard facts.

wose

Hello Hasbroz… Same, glad you found us but so sorry you had to. It amazes and breaks me every day watching in real time how this disease takes hold and basically wreaks what we had. I was terrified in the beginning but then I found this site. The information and loving kindness from all these wonderful folks has made this journey possible for me. Even if you just need to blow off some steam…by all means please do. We are here and you are not alone.

Jeff H

Welcome. Feel free to post away. There are no bad posts. I'm sorry to hear about your DW. My DW was diagnosed in November2025 via a blood test. She is declining quickly. Stage 5 with some aspects in stage 6. It brings tears to my eyes to see her slipping away. It's such a terrible disease for everyone involved.

annie51

Welcome @hasbroz. I’m so sorry about your DW. I think you will find yourself posting more and more as time goes on once you realize what a lifeline this forum is. It makes you feel less lonely - we all can relate to what you’re going through. It’s a heartbreak that’s hard for others to really understand. They can support you though and you will need other’s help as your DW advances. But this forum is a like a 24/7 hotline of people who can and want to help.

SDianeL

Welcome to the place for info, support or to vent. We understand how you feel and what you are going through. I felt so lost and alone before I found this community. If you have questions about caring for your DW we’re here to help. You are not alone.

howhale

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/75266/newbie

So glad you found this wonderful group of people. This site and these people were a lifesaver for me during the caregiving process and continue to be afterwards as well. Take advantage of any moment you have to check in and see what others are sharing, it may be most helpful as you experience one change after the other. This is a place where you can ask any question, share any experiences, vent all you need, cry with others, and learn how to navigate the constant changes to come. In what may come as some of the darkest moments during your travel through this disease, come here to find support, help and a way through the darkness so you can provide great care for your wife and your self.

Bowerbird

I too am new to this community and have only posted a few times. The responses have been so helpful and kind, so I encourage you to post as often as you need to. It is truly a benefit knowing you are not alone in this, that there are others who understand what this unpredictable emotional journey is like. And, yes, you are so right that the ability to adapt is constantly challenged.

trottingalong

One of the many things I have found that’s wonderful about this group is, no matter the stage of your loved one you can benefit from the information. Then one day you realize you are no longer a newbie and you are the one providing helpful tips and lending an ear to someone else new to this group. Also, it’s a place to air frustrations or sadness where people understand and don’t judge. I miss people when they leave the group after months or years because it becomes a family of sorts.

White Crane

Welcome, hasbroz. I'm glad you found this forum. It has been a life saver for me and many others. It is the one place that I have found people who truly understand what it is like to care for someone with dementia/Alzheimer's.