I've been reading and watching videos on this site for the past 2 hours, and the information is helpful. I guess it is true that 'when you are ready, the information, support, etc.... will come'
I apparently have not been ready for a long, long time because I am only now "getting it" that my husband has some pretty serious dementia.
Our PCP kept telling me that there was nothing wrong - husband kept passing the mini mental exam. And I was apparently wiling to believe the PCP with the aware part of my mind. Anyway, 3 months ago, husband overnight went from wearing a "normal ' label, to having moderately severe dementia and in need of 24/7 care.
Today I am letting in the realization that the type of 24/7 care that is working today will not be sufficient in the future.
He helped me plant crocus bulbs today - a beautiful mass planting. And I plan to tell him in the spring that he is the one who caused that riot of crocus color.
Susan--- Welcome to your new home and family. More members will welcome you soon. They'll do their best to answer any question you ask, listen to your frustrations, cry with you,laugh with you and toss you our knotted rope when you've reached the end of your's. A couple key things first-- tell us a little about you and your DH (DearHusband). Do you have a Dx (Diagnosis)? That can b e very important, because there are treatable conditions which can cause Dementia like symptoms. If you haven't noticed in the reading you've already done, there are important things for you to do take care of your DH and yourself, financially and Medically--also some legally. It is unfortunate that you need to be here, but it is the best place to be when you need us.
Susan, I am so very sorry you have to be here. Do tell us more about yourself and DH. We have all ages here, some like myself still have a young child at home. We will give you all the help we can. And hugs, without question are all around.
Susan, you have come to the single best informative site on the web for spouses like us. Your story, sadly, is all too common. My wife was misdiagnosed for more than 2 years due to high scores on the Mini Mental State Examanination (MMSE) ... first with stress, then anxiety, then stress. The MMSE was never designed to be used exclusively for dementia screening. However, it is brief to administer and to score, so PCPs as well as neurologists pressed for time rely way too much on it. In fact, my wife, who has recently entered moderate stage AD, still scored 25 out of 30 on the MMSE as recently as 2 months ago... despite scoring less than the 1st percentile on all 6 memory tests, and less than 1st percentile on some executive functioning tests ... that were also part of her comprehensive annual evaluation! So, as carosi and blue have already noted ... sorry that you need to be here, but you have come to a great site for information and support as you deal with your new reality.
welcome susan. sorry for the need to be part of this group but like the others say its the best information out there for spouses dealing with dementias of any kind. lots of troops in the field and handson ways of coping with just about any issue that comes up and there will be many sadly. divvi
Hi Susan, I think we can all relate to "not being ready". Every time my DH has a decline I feel that way! How wonderful that you have a beautiful and colorful array of flowers to look forward to in the spring. :-). Sue
Welcome to my website, which I started in 2007, because I needed a place that dealt with my unique issues as a spouse of an Alzheimer patient. It is now a place of comfort for spouses/partners who are trying to cope with the Alzheimer's/dementia of their husband/wife/partner. The issues we face in dealing with a spouse/partner with this disease are so different from the issues faced by children and grandchildren caregivers. We discuss all of those issues here - loss of intimacy; social contact; conversation; anger; resentment; stress; and pain of living with the stranger that Alzheimer's Disease has put in place of our beloved spouse/partner.
The message boards are only part of this website. Please be sure to log onto the home page - www.thealzheimerspouse.com - and read all of the resources on the left side. I recommend starting with "Newly Diagnosed/New Member" and "Understanding the Dementia Experience". If it applies to you and your spouse, there are 4 sections for EOAD (early onset AD- now called YOUNG onset)members - two of which focus on the young teens whose parents have EOAD There is a great section on informative videos, and another excellent resource - Early Onset Dementia - A Practical Guide. You can go to the top of this page, click on "search", and type in EOAD, making sure the "topic" circle is filled in. All of the EOAD discussions will come up - there are about a dozen of them.
Do not miss the "previous blog" section. It is there you will find a huge array of topics with which you can relate. There is a "search" feature on the home page that allows you to look up different topics that may have been explored in a previous blog. Log onto the home page daily for new blogs; news updates; important information.
When you feel comfortable, please tell us more about yourself.
Welcome Susan. This website is wonderful and will provide information and support you will not receive anywhere else. In my darkest days with DH's original diagnosis I would not have survived without the wisdom and compassion here.
Hi Susan, I am fairly new also. Welcome and feel free to let it all out here. No one judges as we all are in the same boat. We just help each other try to stay afloat.
Big welcome to you, Susan. So sorry you need to be here, but if you do, it's the best place to be! Rant, rave, ask questions - someone has been there, done that!
Susan, Welcome to your virtual support group. We are here for you 24/7 so come back often. You can tell us or ask us anything. We understand what you are going through.
Welcome Susan to the most unpopular club on the planet-no one wants to join-but once here it is like having a whole new world of BEST friends. Where else can you rant ,rave,cry, cuss or pray and have others understand why and what you are feeling. Come as often as you like this hot spot is open 24/7. Hugs and prayers to you!
So sorry you have to join this group. I am a relatively newby and am still reeling from the fact that my brilliant spouse is on such a steep decline with no hope for a cure. I've learned much from others here and continue to get help from just reading that others are surviving being caregivers.