Alzheimer's Disease Support Group
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia and characterized by progressive cognitive deterioration with declining activities of daily living and neuropsychiatric symptoms or behavioral changes. An early symptom is memory loss (amnesia), usually manifesting as minor forgetfulness that becomes pronounced with illness progression, with relative...
So today I started to pull up some old, yucky indoor/outdoor carpet on our porch. He became upset with me, 'Why are you doing that?!" because it's old and yucky. "Don't you think you should ask the owner of this house if you can do that?!" and he was very angry when he asked me this. I said, "I own this house too." and replied, "Oh, no you don't, I own this house!!" He was VERY angry.
I picked up a picture of us, our wedding picture and he said, "yeah, that's me alright." I pointed to the picture part of me and he said, "Don't touch my things!!" I made him look right in my face and I said, "Don't you know who I am?" and then he paused, studied my face for awhile and said, "It's you! I'm sorry. I didn't know it was you!" I asked him again, "Do you know who I am?" and said, "Yes, you're my wife, I'm sorry."
It is so weird how he can be looking at me and one moment know me and the next moment not know me. It is just so weird. It hurts a little but I remind myself it isn't him.
This is from an article I read today in a magazine:
"If you are married to a man who has Alzheimer's disease, you might say, "I am both married and a widow." This loosens the bonds of certainty, and relieves the stress of needing things to be one way or another."
I picked up a picture of us, our wedding picture and he said, "yeah, that's me alright." I pointed to the picture part of me and he said, "Don't touch my things!!" I made him look right in my face and I said, "Don't you know who I am?" and then he paused, studied my face for awhile and said, "It's you! I'm sorry. I didn't know it was you!" I asked him again, "Do you know who I am?" and said, "Yes, you're my wife, I'm sorry."
It is so weird how he can be looking at me and one moment know me and the next moment not know me. It is just so weird. It hurts a little but I remind myself it isn't him.
This is from an article I read today in a magazine:
"If you are married to a man who has Alzheimer's disease, you might say, "I am both married and a widow." This loosens the bonds of certainty, and relieves the stress of needing things to be one way or another."
tell you things.
I have no idea what Ron is thinking.. it might be easier if I did.
I experienced what you are now going through with your husband. There will be many times when he will know you, & even more times when he won't remember you. It's something that you have to keep telling yourself. The most important thing is to remember that your husband is very scared, & confused.
My Mom was sometimes aware that something was wrong with her mind, but, she also knew that there was nothing she could do about it. Those times were so heartbreaking. A lot of times my Mom thought I was her Mother. Other times she thought I was her sister. She used to tell me that she had a daughter, never realizing that she was referring to me.
I wish that I had understood what she was going through, & that I had been more patient with her. The stress & pain from having RA didn't help the situation at all. Now that my Mom is gone, I realize how much I love & miss her, & how little quality time I had with her. I take comfort in knowing that her spirit is still with me, even though her frail, ailing body is no longer here.
Maybe, if you keep a Journal ~ it might be of some help to you. Keeping you in my heart, thoughts & prayers.
God Bless.
Somuch
I just want to say, I know, I understand and I'm so sorry we all are going through this.
Right now, I'm my mother's daughter, sister, caregiver, maid and butler. I never am too sure what role I'm to be playing at any given time. No wonder we're all so exhausted. It's so difficult to remember we're dealing with a disease and not a person at any given moment.
I discovered last night to skirt a nasty disagreement that was about to happen by saying, " I am so sorry. It's my fault." She liked that and calmed down immediately. Phew.......... no tantrum. I hate the tantrums.