After I read #31 the Thread -Things I wish I Knew in stage 2-3, I started thinking about what safe guards I should be putting in place. On one extreme I have read about a woman who has removed all of the furniture from her DH's room and put a monitor in to watch him at night . I know that some people have to put in emergency shut-offs for the stove or water. My neighbor told me as soon as she heard that I should throw out any potentialy dangerous clemical or cleaning agent in the house. The book from the AA written by the coach talks about altering your home in many ways. My husband is in Stage 5 to 6 and pretty much spends everyday in front of the TV.He has had low energy levels for years so he isn't the type to "get into " things. I have certainly made accommodations for him as we have gone along. He wears clothes that pull on at least 95% of the time. I take care of meds , and have simplfied the house so that only the things we really need are out on counters. Because this disease effects people so differently, I haven't jumped in to do much more than what I mentioned. But the Thread got me thinking......Is there more I should be doing to the house and environment? For some of you who have beendoing this for years longer.... are there things you really wish you had done earlier to make your life easier??? Any advice or suggestions
My husband is in stage 7 and has never gotten into things. I just modified as I saw the need, just like you would with a small child. Some children climb and others never do, same thing with this disease. My husband never offered to bother anything. Amazed me.
Your comments are reassuring . I do realize that things can change, however my husband shows no indication or interest in getting into things. Perhaps because he has been treated for years for extreme tiredness, and rarely has the energy. Frankly, I am hoping that remains the case.
Emily, basically , I agree with your assessment , but every once in awhile here I get a wake up call on something that I need to do when I still can. My husband is already having trouble with the smallest changes in routine.
And then there is also the part of me that gets a bit of a shock each time I see that he has lost another skill or ability. I think both you and I work outside the home and so I also think in those terms... Should I try to eliminate something that others have learned can be a problem.
Like all of us I spend a lot of time thinking about what I need to do
Jane is right. it's just like with a small child, only we work backwards, because they don't get better!
In the early stages, you notice things "disappearing". So if you want to keep your checkbook or keys, you'd better hide them or have a place that is only accessible to you. We also hid the scissors because I was afraid for my and her safety sometimes. (the kind of childproofing for a newly mobile baby.)
In the next stages, hiding things wasn't so much an issue...instead came the loss of ability to perform tasks to completion. It is here that they will turn on the water, or the stove, or open a door...and not return to complete the task. Now you move into proofing doors and buying guards for dangerous items. (The kind of childproofing you do for a toddler !)
As you move to the last stages, that pretty much goes away. I no longer see her having any interest in my keys or the stove (much like the baby stage before they are mobile). Although she gave us a scare once when she picked up a tiny camera flash drive, and put it in her pocket. We had ripped apart the house before someone thought to pat her down! There it was!
So it all goes as it goes. Everyone has different levels, and I was very lucky to have been spared a lot of the problems I hear from other people.