HelloJoe: I have been following your journey on the thread, You really have gone through the mill....I have never known a man with such patience and Love, your wife is very lucky to have you caring for her. Glad to hear you finally took your Meds,, that should help you. When you are up to it, can I sign your dance book for a jitterbug???Bless you both. Rosalie
Sure, Rosalie, but you'll have to wait 'til I practice up (and rest up). It's been about 30 years or more since we danced. When I was courting her (only took six weeks), we would go to a place in the Santa Cruz mountains with our very good friends, who were also dating, and have a couple of drinks and danced the nights away until we had to leave (work the next day). The place was a lodge-style bar/club in the redwoods with a view thru picture windows of the woods below. Good times!
RB13, Don't hear the name Rosalie very often. That's my middle name. That's why The gypsy is my screen name. Don't know if you're old enough to remember Gypsy Rose Lee.
Hello Joe...isn't it nice to remember the "Old Time" Your Lodge in the mountains must have been a fun place....I was raised near Newark,New Jersey...when I was a teenager, all the Big Bands would come into Newark, at the Collisium, thats where we did all our dancing.I do remember hearing about Gypsy Rose Lee, Carolyn. I am 80, I thnk she was older then me...I am named after my Grand-Mother,on my Fathers side...In my Fathers home town, in Sicily, there is a Patron Saint Rosalia...many from that area are named after her..... Forgot to tell you Joe, that my DH. also started to eat his Paper Napkin the other day!!!
Well, Rosalie, at least you know what to do now...cloth napkins. She was o.k. all weekend, but now is moaning every little bit about her stomach hurting, so I have not fed her anything yet this morning, and put a call in to the Dr. And on it goes. And of course, she's all red and puffy 'down there'.
Oh Joe, here you go again. I hope they can figure out what's going on, and as Bluedaze said, don't let them dump her out again if you can help it. I'll be thinking of you and your DW, and sending up a prayer. Keep us posted, friend.
Joe...glad she is going back to hospital. Medicare usually checks on readmissions within 15 days for appropriateness of discharge. Hopefully she will be readmitted and they can get to bottom of all of her medical issues. So happy you have started your meds...now do me a favor and before discharge talk to a social worker or her case manager to discuss nursing home or rehab placement so she can either transition to home or possibly discuss if it is time for placement.
You have been a WONDERFUL husband and caregiver. But given her medical history her problems are complex..more than just dealing with dementia. With love from a pushy broad nurse!
You won't believe this. After waiting for 3 hrs (along with about 4 other patients, I told them I had to go home and change her pants, and walked out. The pains stopped when we got there earlier, so it doesn't matter anyway. Maybe just gas. They got her triaged, but not registered..waiting, waiting, waiting. so I said the hell with it. She's home now and looks o.k. No food or drink for her all day yet, and I had only a bowl of cereal and juice. I for one am starved!
TJ, I am so sorry for the problems you are having. It is a shame that that hospital is not more speedy and helpful. I wish there was something else I could do except offer big hugs and let you know I care. (((HUGS))))
if i were in your shoes i would be going to another hospital next time- even if its farther away. you see one ER dr you see one on call at another hospital and some are better than others-that one sounds like it has too many patients and not enough caring staff in attendance and a lack of medical professionalism to boot. tj you should get a packed ready 'bag' in your car, with a change of clothes for her, extra juice/snacks/water and a handful of depends and wipes. i have one in my car and it has come in handy on many occasions. ESPECIALLY on ER visits. i never go into an ER without my 'bag'! they have very little to offer as to personal needs in an ER-divvi
TJ, I am so very sorry for all you are going through right now! Please get yourself something to eat - you have to keep your strength up. Don't know what else to say except ....arms around and the rope is there for you.
TJ....Call 911 and have her transported to the ER by ambulance. They will take her directly in and you will not see the waiting room. Been there...done that
Dr. divvi, that is what I have already decided to do. Thanks for the verification. Bama, BTDT also, and then had trouble with Medicare paying for it, so now unless she's not breathing, or bleeding to death, I put her in the car. Mary and Vickie, thanks, and I am going to fix my lunch now (just finished feeding her a 'late' breakfast).
I think I've got it figured out....her brain is turning into snot. Has thrown up twice now, mostly snot. Her nose runs like a faucet. That's got to be it -- a new disease! How about "Alzsnotters"? I'm running out of vinyl gloves and paper towels (and sheets).
What is it with the snot??? I posted on another thread that DHs nose ran continuously when eating so Dr Rxd a nasal spray to use 30 minutes prior to eating. DH has refused to use it but having it on the counter in the pantry has pretty much cleared up the problem. Want me to mail it to you, TJ and you can put it on a shelf at your house and see if it helps? (BTW it's called Atrovent.)
Sounds like a plan, Weejun. Mail away. Seems as though your DH is more alert to it than my DW would be, so it would not have the same effect. But thanks anyway.
Weejun, I wish I thought putting that spray on the counter would really help. I'd have you mail it to me. An allergist told us it would really help DH, but his PCP won't prescribe it, because he has glaucoma and there's a warning about using the spray with that.
TJ, it's hard enough telling people DH has Alzheiner's. I have no intention of using the word Alzsnotters even though his nose does run constantly.
Of course, bluedaze. Weejun said it was a prescription...I would never use someone else's med. Besides, it was just to sit on the shelf, not use. But that would not work on my out-of-this-world DW. Thanks for the warning, though.
bluedaze, don't fret -- we're not in the business of swapping meds around here. (I put the name of the Rx in the post in case it was something he might want to discuss with DW doctor.)
Janet, in DHs case we're not too worried about drug side effects - DH pretty much just sleeps and eats -- no quality of life and if he doesn't have to wipe his face 30 times when eating that is a good thing. But, like I said, it's working by magic while sitting on the shelf :)
The home health people better get here soon...I'm about ready to quit this job!!! Go and get drunk, and who knows what else. Tired of cleaning up diarrhea, and mucus. I should own stock in the Depend and Kleenex companies. And wipes. And vinyl gloves. And I'm tired. And yes, I took, full strength, my med. I'm not depressed, I'm pissed and tired.
Well, just be pissed and tired, it's good to get it out. Go in the closet and scream. Grab the rope and we'll hold 'ya till you get a chance to get some rest. Bless ya.
Hang on just a little, TJ. I know you must be exhausted. Hopefully, they will get there soon and you will have some relieve. Grab hold the rope and hang on!
Yes, bluedaze, we've done this with 3 or 4 different outfits over the past 5 years. Just knowing they are coming helps. If I remember right, one of the times the nurse was here for about 2 1/2 hours!
Joe, I am so glad you are getting some in-home help. Remember to emphasize how hard this is on you and that you are exhausted...maybe they will bless you with some extra help for your wife. I hate that you are so run down and burned out. Could you maybe arrange for her to be in respite care for a short while so that you could have a bit of free time?
Sandi, when I started this care years ago, I thought it was going to end up killing me, but when I got things organized and gained more knowledge and experience, it felt easier and doable. However, lately I see that unless things get better, this IS going to end up killing me, so I am thinking respite care or placement, depending on how her condition declines. My back is not going to take this effort forever, and I don't want to end up with ruptured discs and back surgery.
Hey! TJ... I have two comments here. First re: your meds. Don't say they don't work if you don't feel better in a day or so. It will take 2-3 weeks to kick in, and then, you still won't feel different, but you may notice thing come a little easier to handle. I will NOT say that they prevent all stress..no! But, you'll be better. Secondly, check on Hospice too. They will come out as often as necessary - and give you a few hours to run into town. You can't be taking her to town every time you do.
AND!!! I have always used the pharmacy at CVS...and the pharmacist has been wonderful. She asks about us, my husband in particular, and it amazes me that she remembers her customers like that. The drive in is great. If you need something else through the window, ask for it in advance..and they'll hand them to you. The $5.00 coupons come frequently on the bottom of your receipt and they are very very nice! (Provided you have a CVS card!) Ask for one at the drive in window.
I am so sorry your burden is this heavy. It' truly hard, and I'd think even more so for a man.
Hi Weejun. Home health called to make an appointment for tomorrow to register her. And thanks, the afternoon was peaceful....I left her in bed all day. That allowed me to get a lot of things done, and feed her more easily.