Refused to get in car or put on his coat to go to dr appointment. Said "I hate this place. I can't do anything. I don't care. I wish I were dead". Eventually let me put his coat on him Took off walking. Kept shaking me off. Seemed ready to hit someone although he didn't. Eventually we let him walk his normal route. My DIL followed at a distance. About half way he let me join him and we walked home. Made hot chocolate seems calm now.
Just a he beginning of emotional outbursts?
Doctor said MRI taken Tuesday, shows moderate brain shrinkage. He said he is definiteslyin stage 7. At rate of progression could be a year left but could be longer. EOA has been so painful. Dx in 2007 but signs for three years. Previously Dx MCI.
I realize no one case is the same.
I have a prescription for a sedative or something waiting to be picked up.
I pray he will enter the stage where he is unaware.
Ragsgolf, I noticed you mentioned he had an MRI on Tuesday. Should these be done more than once? I'm assuming he has had one before since you mention brain shrinkage. I'm supposing it was a comparison to the last one.
Re: MRI The first was in 2007 at the University of Washington Memory Center. Slight shrinkage normal for his age (59) but Dx as early (younger) onset Alzheimers. The last one was because he was exhibiting signs of a stroke. No stroke but moderate shrinkage.
Interesting. When the were ruling out other possible causes, they did a MRI in June 2008 (age 58) which the neurologist told us was "unremarkable", yet the radiologists report said "significant brain shrinkage'", DH is definitely in stage 7 now and is walking and can follow many directions/cues. Has lost most of his speech.
Charlotte, My Dh was walking until the week before he passed. He had started falling the last month and I was having a hard time keeping him still. We only did one MRI at the dx. No one ever requested one after that.
Ragsgolf, One of the wisest pieces of advice I read on this site said, "Let your husband have his anger," in response to someone whose demented husband had expressed anger over his situation. (I don't remember who said it, but it might have been Charlotte.)
What your husband said is exactly how I would feel if I were in his shoes: "I hate this place. I can't do anything. I don't care. I wish I were dead". I'm not saying you should deprive him of the drug that has been ordered to make him feel better, but I'm wondering if by putting medical labels on everything our spouses say and do, we deny them the legitimacy of their feelings.
Blue*. I am glad you told me that about your DH walking until a week before he passed. Mine is still walking--in fact that is about all he does. I too wondered about that. I keep thinking he has to be in a vegetative state to be in stage 7 but I guess that is not the case.
Stage 7: Very severe cognitive decline (Severe or late-stage Alzheimer's disease) In the final stage of this disease, individuals lose the ability to respond to their environment, to carry on a conversation and, eventually, to control movement. They may still say words or phrases.
At this stage, individuals need help with much of their daily personal care, including eating or using the toilet. They may also lose the ability to smile, to sit without support and to hold their heads up. Reflexes become abnormal. Muscles grow rigid. Swallowing impaired.