Today is the first time since our diagnosis that I felt good. I have been so busy researching and feeling sorry about things that I over looked something. My children said to me today that dad seems so happy. The kids noticed that his mood has changed. He told the kids how important they are to him and how much he loves his family. He never said anything like that to us before. It made them feel good to hear that from their dad. So not ALL is bad.
That's what I've been saying about my husband: he's finally relaxed, not trying to hide his dementia, not aware that there are things to worry about. He's happy. He's early-ish stage 7, bedbound, incontinent, lots of aphasia, and I go in to him in the morning and tickle his toes and he giggles. We put the visiting dog up for him to keep beside him, and he spends the day smiling, as does the dog! This isn't to say that he doesn't yell a LOT when he's being moved around, changed, etc. but other than that, he's happy! It's just the rest of us who are stressed! Welcome to our world, Mag!!
Today a friend said that the Alzheimer patient is like a Buddhist Holy Man meditating - Ignoring the past, not thinking about the future, but just being in the present.