DH has not had a good day since August. We have an appointment with the neurologist in two weeks. I think I need to talk to the doctor one-on-one.
After this weekend with DH sleeping all the time, having trouble feeding himself, falling, messing up his pills and not coming to bed until the wee hours of Monday morning, there has to be something done. If this is just depression, it needs to be addressed. If it is something more I need help.
Pray for both of us and his mother. She is aware of what is happening and is frightened. He comes and goes as far as denial of the dementia. I am about at the end of my rope.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Update
Yesterday DH slept all day and all evening. I finally figured out why when I woke him to go to bed. He had taken his sleeping pills at supper time. He staggered down the hall and I had to help him undress.
I sure hope today is better or I will be calling the doctor.
God bless you and keep you.
I sure hope today is better or I will be calling the doctor.
God bless you and keep you.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
I don't know
DH fell today. The only injury was his dignity. He has slept through the last seven days with little or no interaction with the outside world. He is confused. He cannot figure out how to use the remote control on the TV or the Dish. He is having trouble eating. His hands are shaking so bad he cannot control them. He does not know what day of the week is. He wanted to know why I was at home and not at work today (it is Saturday). He moved the remote phone from the living room and I cannot find the base or receiver.
I have no one to lean on and no one to talk to. I am lost and crying.
I have no one to lean on and no one to talk to. I am lost and crying.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Up Hill Climb
DH is experiencing such depression that it is affecting his dementia. Since Friday of last week he has had no relief of his symptoms and in fact they are getting worse. When depression is fighting the medications depression wins hands down.
I need to get out my copy of "The 36 Hour Day" and use it as a reference and see what insight it may give me. Then I will pass it along to my daughter and SIL and ask them to please read or at least skim through it so that they can have an idea of what I am experiencing as a caregiver.
May the Lord bless you and keep you safe.
I need to get out my copy of "The 36 Hour Day" and use it as a reference and see what insight it may give me. Then I will pass it along to my daughter and SIL and ask them to please read or at least skim through it so that they can have an idea of what I am experiencing as a caregiver.
May the Lord bless you and keep you safe.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Depression from an artical on www.cbsnews.com
CDC: One In 20 Americans Depressed
Sept. 4, 2008
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(WebMD) More than one in 20 Americans aged 12 and older are depressed, according to the latest statistics from the CDC.
Of them, 80% report some level of functional impairment because of their illness, with 27% reporting that it is extremely difficult to work, get things done at home, or get along with others because of the symptoms of their depression.
Reflecting this high rate of functional impairment, almost two-thirds of the estimated $83 million that depression cost the United States in the year 2000 resulted from lowered productivity and workplace absenteeism, say study authors Laura A. Pratt, PhD, and Debra J. Brody, MPH, both at the CDC. The authors culled data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2005-2006, which comprised a nine-item screening tool asking about depressive symptoms during the past two weeks.
Baby Boomers, Women Hardest Hit by Depression
Rates of depression were higher in women and baby boomers aged 40-59 and non-Hispanic black people than other demographic groups, the study shows. And rates of depression were higher among poor people when compared to people with higher incomes.
A treatment gap also exists. Only 29% of depressed individuals said that they contacted a mental health professional in the past year, and just 39% of people with severe depression contacted a mental health professional in the past year.
Overall, these numbers are a bit lower than what we've seen in the past, but about five or more percent of people are currently depressed - that's one in 20 people who are impaired by an illness, says Donald Malone, MD, the section head of adult psychiatric services at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. If any other medical illness affected this many people, it would be a national crisis; but the reality is that depression is looked at differently and we don't hear those outcries for better treatment."
The stigma that is still attached to depression may be partially to blame.
Many people still come in and say depression is not real. It's a character flaw and people in my family say snap out of it, he says. The bottom line? People will not disclose something they feel stigmatized for.
Exactly how to lift the stigma associated with depression is a work in progress, he says.
Continuing to get the word out that this is an illness and something that is treatable with psychotherapy and medications is helpful, he says.
Depression is something real, not a character flaw or just who you are. It's an illness and we can make a difference.
Another tactic, he says, is to approach employers and let them know that one of 20 people working for them is not very productive because he or she is suffering from a treatable illness. This may encourage employers to develop programs that screen for and encourage treatment for depression.
By Denise Mann
Reviewed by Louise Chang
©2005-2008 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
Sept. 4, 2008
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(WebMD) More than one in 20 Americans aged 12 and older are depressed, according to the latest statistics from the CDC.
Of them, 80% report some level of functional impairment because of their illness, with 27% reporting that it is extremely difficult to work, get things done at home, or get along with others because of the symptoms of their depression.
Reflecting this high rate of functional impairment, almost two-thirds of the estimated $83 million that depression cost the United States in the year 2000 resulted from lowered productivity and workplace absenteeism, say study authors Laura A. Pratt, PhD, and Debra J. Brody, MPH, both at the CDC. The authors culled data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2005-2006, which comprised a nine-item screening tool asking about depressive symptoms during the past two weeks.
Baby Boomers, Women Hardest Hit by Depression
Rates of depression were higher in women and baby boomers aged 40-59 and non-Hispanic black people than other demographic groups, the study shows. And rates of depression were higher among poor people when compared to people with higher incomes.
A treatment gap also exists. Only 29% of depressed individuals said that they contacted a mental health professional in the past year, and just 39% of people with severe depression contacted a mental health professional in the past year.
Overall, these numbers are a bit lower than what we've seen in the past, but about five or more percent of people are currently depressed - that's one in 20 people who are impaired by an illness, says Donald Malone, MD, the section head of adult psychiatric services at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. If any other medical illness affected this many people, it would be a national crisis; but the reality is that depression is looked at differently and we don't hear those outcries for better treatment."
The stigma that is still attached to depression may be partially to blame.
Many people still come in and say depression is not real. It's a character flaw and people in my family say snap out of it, he says. The bottom line? People will not disclose something they feel stigmatized for.
Exactly how to lift the stigma associated with depression is a work in progress, he says.
Continuing to get the word out that this is an illness and something that is treatable with psychotherapy and medications is helpful, he says.
Depression is something real, not a character flaw or just who you are. It's an illness and we can make a difference.
Another tactic, he says, is to approach employers and let them know that one of 20 people working for them is not very productive because he or she is suffering from a treatable illness. This may encourage employers to develop programs that screen for and encourage treatment for depression.
By Denise Mann
Reviewed by Louise Chang
©2005-2008 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
Another long night
Last night I got home from work and DH was asleep on the recliner. I took advantage of the down time and did a few things around the house. When he woke up at 9 in the evening I made supper and while we were eating I asked if he even remembered me coming home from work. Nope.
It's very lonely in our home. Pray for us, please.
It's very lonely in our home. Pray for us, please.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
It's Tuesday and it must be a working day
This was the longest 3 day weekend I have ever spent. DH had three bad days in a row. Either he was sleeping, talking about going squirrel hunting or mixing up his days and time. He started to feed the dogs their supper at 12:35 and thought it was 7:00 in the evening. He didn't remember eating lunch on Sunday and Monday he though we had already eaten when it wasn't even lunch time.
I am not sure how long this stage of his illness will last, but I see that I must get out of the house for a few minutes every non-working day or I will loose what little control I have and step over the line. It is so hard not to have anyone to talk to. Whether or not the care giver's group in my hometown is of any value or not, I must make every effort to attend the meetings.
Please pray for me.
I am not sure how long this stage of his illness will last, but I see that I must get out of the house for a few minutes every non-working day or I will loose what little control I have and step over the line. It is so hard not to have anyone to talk to. Whether or not the care giver's group in my hometown is of any value or not, I must make every effort to attend the meetings.
Please pray for me.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)