Thank you

The comment on the previous blog was a much needed reminder. As spouse and caregiver it is very easy to get angry at DH when the symptoms of his illnes frustrate me. Another blogger suggested I go into a different room and count to 10 or 100 or what ever I need so that I can be supportive when my DH needs help.

Thank you dear friend.

DH was up to his old tricks last night. The was a movie that I wanted to watch and he said he had already seen it and didn't want to watch it. I really wanted to see it and didn't change the TV channel. DH got angry and stomped out of the living room and went to bed. That was fine with me. I read until 1:45 am and then went to bed. This morning I am exhausted, but working as best I can. Before I left for work I told DH that if it happened in the future I would leave the living room and watch what I wanted on a different TV. This kills three birds with one stone. 1) I get to watch what I want. 2) He cannot get angry with me and flounce out of the living room. 3) I won't get angry at him by exiting the room and watching the program of my choice. This is the best of all worlds. We are both in a win/win situation. Why oh why didn't I think of this before?????

Please continue to pray for all dementia patients, their families, friends and caregivers. I really need it and I know that they do too.

Here we go again

I use this blog to keep track of my DH dementia symptoms. It seems we are starting down that slippery slope again. Last night he was having problems signing on to the internet with his computer. He has to connect via Sprint before starting Internet Explorer, but he wanted to do it the opposite way. He insisted that it was the correct way and he had always done it so.

My difficulty is not reacting with love, understanding and compassion. I get so experated with him that my voice starts yelling when my heart and mind tell me not to. What a visicous circle.

Please continue to pray for all dementia patients.

Oh Dear and Alas

When talking to DH a week ago we were discussing the inheritance that I got from my father after he passed away. We used the money to purchase a new furnace, replace the shingles on the roof of the house and garage and to buy a security system. DH did not remember anything about the inheritance or how we had paid for these things.

Then yesterday DH told me that when he got home from visiting his mom the locks on the front door were different. We have gotten in the habit of locking them a different way in the last few months and they were locked the opposite of our current method. Then he could not find a special key that he had in his wallet, carefully placed so that it couldn't fall out. Oh dear, here we go again. Not a good thing.

Otherwise he is alert and aware. He does not appear to be having any major memory problems. That is God's blessing.

Please continue to pray for all dementia patients, their caregivers, family and friends.

Update

DH had reverse shoulder replacement on June 9. He was home after one night in the hospital and is recovering as well as can be expected. The pain is greater than he had thought it would be.

DH is still visiting his mother daily. I have been taking him since his surgery, but today I think he is going to sneak out and drive himself to his mother's. It is all side streets and less than one mile. I hope I have not given him a choice that he should not make. He is stubborn and wants to be independent. I cannot blame him for that.

The surgery did not worsen the dementia symptoms. That is one issue that I was worried about and thank God that it didn't happen.

Please keep praying for all dementia patients, their families and friends and their caregivers.

Changes for the better

After my last post I had resigned myself to letting DH go. Then what I will call a miracle happened. Due to some personal events that happened in DH life he has decided that he does want to live. He will do everything to keep himself healthy and if he starts getting sick he will pursue it. He has seen the doctor about his sleepiness and had another sleep study. They feel that they have ruled out an infection at this time.

DH is still adamant that if he is very ill no extreme measures will be taken to keep him alive. At the same time he is going to make sure that he takes care of himself. BIG hooray!

This is the best news in a very long time. We have a plan of action that does not involve letting him get ill again and then dieing. This is real progress for a very stubborn man.

Please keep praying for all dementia patients, their families and friends and caregivers. Bless you.