Is your spouse showing signs...

Well she did visit her Primary Care physician, she's gotten blood lab results showing pre-diabetic A1C levels , and elevated cholesterol. I don't recall her mentioning any discussion about cognitive levels, so probably didn't happen. I see signs of decline...so hard to call attention to...
 

Hopeful1 said:
Could the decline be a side effect of a medication she’s taking?
Has she been taking medications long term?
Just a thought.
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Sorry for the late reply. She only takes calcium supplements these days. Your medication question got me thinking: she's been through chemotherapy for 3 separate cancer cases. Even she self-reports that her mental facilities have taken a hit .
To her credit as well as benefit, she stays active mentally and socially with her quilting guild activities.
 
@Nathan, my husband and my boss at the time both went through chemo. They both suffered with memory and language issues. Both of them though failed to accept it. I just got used to repeating a lot of conversations we had already.

The boss got cancer free but the problem continued to be present. My husband did not recover from the cancer and he also had the issue until his death. I think it is well document that this is a very common side effect of some chemo drugs.
 
If it is minor and bothering her, i had spouse take one of the supplements like Nuriva or previgen which helped him with focus and everyday functioning / memory. Made a difference for spouse and a close friend who also takes these. I too worry about him forgetting a few things or lost a step.
The cognitive issues comes at all ages and health conditions IMO ... so it is always worth being proactive if we see signs.... earlier the better
My spouse recently has a low hum noise of a C-pap and the noise has in half asleep mode, sounded like whispers to me.
That has happened to spouse too when air-conditioner was running in summer.
 
Pappy said:
My sweet wife has been diagnosed with mild to moderate dementia and I’m scared to death how fast this horrible disease is taking over.
It’s so easy to get frustrated and upset having to repeat everything. So when I start getting down, I read this with a tear in my eye.
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That's a beautiful reminder and I'm so sorry you and she are going through this. When you love someone, it must be the saddest thing to watch them slip away.
 
I think it might be best to make an appointment for both of you to openly discuss the symptoms, concerns, etc…

For me, the biggest concern with all of this is the doubt and uncertainty it creates in everyday life.

The checking and double checking, did I lock the door, did I turn off the coffee pot, did I put the check in the envelope.

The first step is the toughest, make the appointment and be honest with your PCP and each other. 🤗
 
Nathan said:
She doesn't seem disturbed by the voices, they are apparently just random voices of strangers, the exact words are unintelligible. She doesn't use any sleep meds, has trouble getting asleep, then staying asleep( don't we all?).

I don't know, sometimes her condition seems problematic, other times quite normal...maybe I'm the one who's circling the drain! View attachment 352139
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Hearing voices is not something to overlook because medical conditions can cause that to happen. I googled for information and you might to do that.

I am seeing my primary 10/15 because my driving judgment has gone to hell. I have not been fully honest with my primary because I am afraid she will take my license, which will be the end of the life I have enjoyed for many years as a Senior Companion. But I can't deny the problem to myself any longer. My only hope is to be diagnosed with a medical problem that can be. That is not likely, so here I sit terrified of how I am going to live with this new reality and not being the one who is giving to others. 😭

Sorry folks I am not taking to this change gracefully. I studied gerontology and I am the know-it-all who can take charge. I cared for my grandmother who had Alzheimer's and my sister's DNA shows the markers for it so I expected this to happen. But it isn't easy being rational about being the one who needs help.
 
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Pappy said:
My sweet wife has been diagnosed with mild to moderate dementia and I’m scared to death how fast this horrible disease is taking over.
It’s so easy to get frustrated and upset having to repeat everything. So when I start getting down, I read this with a tear in my eye.
View attachment 368045
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😭 💔 I need to go to the community room and use the computer in there to get a hard copy of the message. I am going to print out many copies of it and distribute them at the Community Center annual bazaar. I want everyone who needs others to know that message, but can not speak for themselves, to have a copy of it. I am very thankful to have something positive to do now that I face the reality of those words.
 
Aunt Bea said:
I think it might be best to make an appointment for both of you to openly discuss the symptoms, concerns, etc…

For me, the biggest concern with all of this is the doubt and uncertainty it creates in everyday life.

The checking and double checking, did I lock the door, did I turn off the coffee pot, did I put the check in the envelope.

The first step is the toughest, make the appointment and be honest with your PCP and each other. 🤗
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Those are wise words. 😂I can even laugh reading that mental checklist. I didn't want anyone to know I was creating rituals to manage those concerns. Every night I open my front door and use my hand to be sure I didn't leave my key in the door. Then I go to the stove and make sure every knob is in the right position. Do you know a cast iron skillet can sit on a warm burner for 24 hours and not be ruined, or meltdown? Thank you for helping me remember the humor of this situation.

It was wonderful to laugh but I am also considering getting the device that automatically turns off the stove and syncs with the fire alarm when there is smoke. I rarely use my stove and may just unplug it and totally rely on the electric cooking devices with timers- microwave, steam cooker, toaster oven. 😀 And to heck with the health concerns, all those prepared foods that just microwave. Or, if I do get a helper, we could cook a week's worth of dinners. :unsure: That sounds better than prepackaged dinners.
 
Vida May said:
Hearing voices is not something to overlook because medical conditions can cause that to happen. I googled for information and you might to do that.

I am seeing my primary 10/15 because my driving judgment has gone to hell. I have not been fully honest with my primary because I am afraid she will take my license, which will be the end of the life I have enjoyed for many years as a Senior Companion. But I can't deny the problem to myself any longer. My only hope is to be diagnosed with a medical problem that can be. That is not likely, so here I sit terrified of how I am going to live with this new reality and not being the one who is giving to others. 😭

Sorry folks I am not taking to this change gracefully. I studied gerontology and I am the know-it-all who can take charge. I cared for my grandmother who had Alzheimer's and my sister's DNA shows the markers for it so I expected this to happen. But it isn't easy being rational about being the one who needs help.
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I share your plight, the Peripheral Neuropathy (numbness) particularly in my Right foot makes it difficult(and risky) to drive, as my foot has trouble distinguishing the brake pedal from the gas pedal. This summer I've been driving barefoot, which helps, but I'm not sure how that's going to play, when the weather is cold.
 
ElCastor said:
My wife has been diagnosed, but currently getting along fine. I help her with her meds twice a day.
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I like reading about men who care for their wives. It seems that caregiving is expected of women but not so much of men, so when a man does it he is super attractive.

There are some outstanding movies. "Still Mine" is an excellent movie about a man caring for his wife who developes dementia while government bureaucracy makes his efforts to build a smaller more manageable home very stressful. It is based on a true story.

 
Nathan said:
I share your plight, the Peripheral Neuropathy (numbness) particularly in my Right foot makes it difficult(and risky) to drive, as my foot has trouble distinguishing the brake pedal from the gas pedal. This summer I've been driving barefoot, which helps, but I'm not sure how that's going to play, when the weather is cold.
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Wow, I didn't think of that of the peripheral neuropathy. It is worse in my left foot. I saw 2 chiropractors who could greatly decrease the numbness in my feet. Insurance is a problem when it comes to chiropractors, but maybe a chiropractor could help with the sensation of pressure in my head too? I have to get on that. I feel a ray of hope. :love: Thank you.

But I am still quitting as a senior companion. Next month our senior center is doing the annual Holiday bazaar and I bought a lot of stuff for the bazaar at a yard sale. It was $5 for a whole box of stuff and I bought four of them. I am busy cleaning, sorting, and repairing so this is a good time to make the transition to life without all the driving I was doing.

I just don't want the stress of being obligated to others. 10 years ago it was no big deal to care for many people. It has taken me a long time to admit to myself that I have changed.
 
Teacher Terry said:
My second ex husband cares for his wife with dementia and does it well. When the kids and I go to visit we help too. However, he’s picked out a memory care center in case he dies or becomes disabled since he’s 78.
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It doesn't matter what gender a person is when it comes to age. When we pass 70, life gets harder and I have been told it is noticeably harder when we pass 80. When we must also care for someone, that is rough. It can be hard to get housekeeping services because of a shortage of people who give services, but that extra help can make a big difference.
 
I have mentioned this before, and still doing more research, but there are several universities that are doing research on using the nootropic nicotine patches to help people with memory loss.
This is NOT nicotine from tobacco, this is plain nicotine, which is not addictive, helps with Parkinson’s and also with memory loss, so very different from any kind of tobacco use of any kind.

I called Vanderbilt University (in Nashville) because they are the closest university doing research for this to where I live. they called me back, did an assessment of my memory right over the phone , and explained how their program works.
I have read that other universities are also doing similar research, and do not recall which ones, but there is information on line if you do some research.

We have all been so programmed against nicotine in any form, because of the terrible effects from smoking tobacco, but it is also found in all nightshade foods, as well as other plants that we eat, so it is just a matter of using it in a way that is beneficial to the brain, and not destructive to the body.
It has also been shown to help heart patients, so beneficial for both the brain and the body, when used in proper medical ways.
 
Vida May said:
I like reading about men who care for their wives. It seems that caregiving is expected of women but not so much of men, so when a man does it he is super attractive.

There are some outstanding movies. "Still Mine" is an excellent movie about a man caring for his wife who developes dementia while government bureaucracy makes his efforts to build a smaller more manageable home very stressful. It is based on a true story.

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That movie looks wonderful so I'm going to have to look this one up.

Another movie I watched years ago was called Away From Her. Can't remember the actors names but same idea, wife got dementia and her husband had to deal with first caring for her and then hospitalizing her. It was very sad for him ultimately.
 
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Debrah N. said:
That movie looks wonderful so I'm going to have to look this one up.

Another movie I watched years ago was called Away From Her. Can't remember the actors names but same idea, wife got dementia and her husband had to deal with first caring for her and then hospitalizing her. It was very sad for him ultimately.
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Here is the trailer for that movie. It made me cry.
It is possible to buy a DVD of the movie but I think it would be hard to watch.
 

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