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I Would Pay Money for a Little Anosognosia

CindyBum
CindyBum Member Posts: 680
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in Caring For a Spouse or Partner

As my DW loses her ability to speak and has started becoming more anxious and paranoid, she will say to me, "I am about to lose it all." and then she'll cry. So I cry and think of how utterly unfair it is that she knows, really knows that her brain is failing her.

I know her thinking she has nothing wrong would bring it's own level of frustration and sadness for me, but damnit, I will take some agnosognosia at this stage. She doesn't need to be "here" for every friggin' painful step downward.

Do people develop anosognosia in later stages or is it really an earlier stage phenomenon? I so want to ease her pain and there's so damn little I can do.

Comments

  • northernlady
    northernlady Member Posts: 92
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    edited September 2024

    I never realized this. I'm so sorry.

    My HWD has no idea. He thinks his body is just getting old, and that's why i have to help him.

    And honestly, with family members pushing me to consider placing him (he's easy going, but I do everything for him), I'd pay for a bit of Anosognosia for myself.

  • elainechem
    elainechem Member Posts: 212
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    I've read studies that indicate, the longer a person has dementia, the more likely they are to have anosognosia. In my experience, both my late husband and, now, my brother had anosognosia from the start.

  • Stan2
    Stan2 Member Posts: 150
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    I hear you. My DW is not as far along as yours but she knows exactly what is happening to her and she is terrified. She is facing this with more strength than I ever knew she had but all I can do to help is assure her that I will be here with her. I feel so damned useless.

  • Bailey's Mom
    Bailey's Mom Member Posts: 207
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    I never thought of the flip side of this coin. Thank you for making me aware. My DH has anosognosia, but deep down I think he knows that he is losing his abilities day by day and is terrified by it. Sometimes I become so exhausted and frustrated that I don't think of what he must be going through.

  • Nicole5
    Nicole5 Member Posts: 5
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    I am sorry you are going through this, but thank you for sharing your perspective. My mother has anosognosia and we are so frustrated because she refuses to take her medication and even going to the Dr is a nightmare. She was diagnosed with mild dementia due to Alzheimer's. She "showboats" well and other than constant repetition and inconsistent confusion many people don't realize her diagnosis if they don't really know her to begin with . While frustrated at times I never considered that anosognosia could be a blessing in this disease, because she'll never really understand what is happening. Ugh. Hugs to you and your situation.

Commonly Used Abbreviations


DH = Dear Husband
DW= Dear Wife, Darling Wife
LO = Loved One
ES = Early Stage
EO = Early Onset
FTD = Frontotemporal Dementia
VD = Vascular Dementia
MC = Memory Care
AL = Assisted Living
POA = Power of Attorney
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