Sckkey, you'll find many that are on the same journey as yourself on the Caregivers Support Forum in DS.

I just found this site. I believe my husband (69) has early dementia. Tests are in process. I'm lost and alone and looking for supportive people that are in my same situation. I will check out the caregivers support forum. thank you.

I also am a rather young (soon to be 68) spouse of a husband (71) with dementia. Let's support ourselves here. I also will look into the Caregivers Support Forum in DS.

Ofcourse spouses can have dementia as well..you have to keep reminding yourself(and him) that it is the disease for what he does and what he says..try to let it be like water running off your back-try not to let it get to you. Just try to give him the best of times that you both deserve during this time

I agree that you should stay here and support each other. You should also join the other sites, Alzheimers and Caregivers, you will see some of the same people and get even more support.

Hope you are out there! My husband has dementia. He is 74 years old. It's progressing very slowly but I'm finding myself wanting to talk to someone about it. Our grown children are aware but their lives are so busy. I am looking for someone to vent to who will support me in emotion as well as prayer. I am a devout Christian and am looking for support from the same.

I, too want to scream at him but have to tell myself to be kind to him. It's not his fault. I just need a good and safe place to "scream" - at least through typing.

My hubby (79) was diagnosed in 2009 with vascular dementia. He was on a massive amount of prescription medications when I insisted his neurologist help me wean him off some of the 13 prescription drugs he was on. My life and his was a nightmare between 2010-2012 until we ended up weaning him off of them. He is now on only his blood pressure medications and Aricept. For 3 or 4 years I felt almost like I had my husband back. His mind was much clearer, he began reading/inhaling books and seemed able to retain what he had read. It seems the past year that dementia is beginning to return us to where we were back in 2010. He is keeping me awake at night with either his bad dreams or hallucinations. He has fallen in the bathroom twice in the past two weeks; fortunately not hurt but he is paraplegic and seems to be getting much weaker. I was a frequent visitor to Daily Strength back in 2010 when I was frequently up in the middle of the night and usually feeling like I was at the end of my rope.

I am new to this site but in need of support, too. I am nearly 67 and my husband is 72 and was diagnosed with dementia about 2 years ago. I have noticed he has good days and bad days but he is definitely going downhill and I got a referral from his doctor to see a neuropsychologist and have him assessed but we will have to wait a couple of months for that to happen. Some days I get so frustrated I just cry and pray. I am currently his only caregiver, but rarely do I feel like a wife any more. He orders movies on ppv and then denies he did it and doesn't even watch them. Throws all his clothes on the floor and expects me to pick them up when there is a laundry basket 5 feet away. Won't eat anything that isn't breakfast, or very little. Puts empty containers in the refrigerator. I could go on and on. I have started writing these things down in a notebook to give to the doctor when we finally get to see one for his eval. Gary uses a walker but can't walk far, so we don't go anywhere except once or twice a week to eat out. He spends his day stretched out on the recliner with his dog next to him and he is either watching tv or sleeping. I hope someone can give me some encouragement because I don't think it is fair to always lay it on my Bible study group, even though they are the nicest people I know--so loving, caring, giving. They said joining a group is a good thing for me.

I have not been keeping up with this website and just read the post from birdbrain....I am also nearly 67 and my husband is 75....I am having trouble with coping as feeling like a parent and not a spouse. I am lucky to have 20 hours of help, but sometimes that is also draining because I try to find things for them to do outside of the house so I have some alone time. Michael lives on subs from subway...he does not really eat what I cook for him, so my diet is also suffering. His big things are watching movies (the same ones over and over) napping and taking the dog for a walk. We have an appointment with a new neurologist in two weeks and I want to see about more testing to see exactly where he is and to see if he qualifies for any clinical trials. He was diagnosed in 2012 with frontal temporal dementia. He is now losing a lot of his long term memory and mis-rembereing the things that happened back then. It sounds terrible but I wish he would get worse more quickly so I can put him in a facility. I have some health problems and now feel that I won't last as long as I need to in order to take care of him. He uses an ipad to play chess on (don't know how he still can play) but now is having trouble using that and using the remote for the tv. He just had surgery for removing a kidney stone and the anesthesia put him back a bit. He is type 2 diabetic and I am having trouble controlling his sugar because he loves candy and ice cream and soda. Have changed him to diet but there is not much change. Does anyone else pray for their loved ones to get worse? He is happy being here with me and right now I know he would not be happy in a home....

Dear friend, it seems we share a lot of the same problems with our spouses. At least Michael will eat something more nutritious than breakfast sandwiches. He also sounds like he is more mobile than Gary, who uses a walker and cannot walk very far, which is a shame because his dog loves to go on the leash. We have only been married 4 1/2 years and in the first 4 years he was hospitalized 15 times for various things--congestive heart failure, severe UTIs which went septic, surgeries, etc. The most severe one was when he fell in our bathroom and hit his head on the sink. He had a severe brain bleed which required a craniotomy (they had to remove part of his skull to remove the blood and then replace it). He was in the hospital for 4 weeks and then in acute rehab at another hospital for another 4 weeks and then 3 weeks in a step-down rehab. He had to learn to swallow pills and food, regain dexterity and coordination in his left hand, walking, etc. That was the worst one. He also had a fall where he suffered a badly broken ankle. The hospital stay for that was not long but the rehab took more than 3 months. He had one UTI that was so severe he was fighting 3 different bacteria. I later found out from is doctor during a routine visit that that infection nearly killed him. I about went into shock. Gary is type-2 diabetic but refuses to control his diet. After numerous attempts and the angry responses that followed I finally gave it up to God. HE is in control. Gary won't drink anything but coke (or strawberry lemonade at the restaurant) and is always wanting Hershey bars. He is also on blood thinners for an artificial valve in his heart and has a super-pubic catheter which requires him to wear a catch bag. Gary cannot operate the microwave and has trouble with the remote control for the tv. Like your husband, he wants to watch the same things over and over. To him they are always new, even if he just watched them two days before. He wants to be here at home, too. He has no hobbies and does not like to read. All he does is lay in the recliner and watch tv or sleep. I do not have any in-home care since I am still able to take care of him myself and our finances are limited. But he is still okay enough that I can go out for a couple of hours to shop or go to Bible study. I feel your frustration deeply, my friend, and sometimes I wish I had not married him, but my trust is in the Lord and whatever happens is His will. Many times I do not feel my prayers are heard, but I know they are. Please know you have a "sister" who shares your feelings. Oh, and I was able to finally get an appointment with a neuropsychologist for Gary to get assessed but it is not until mid-December unless we can get in on a cancellation. Until then I am keeping a notebook of the things Gary does so that when we do meet with the doctor she will have a better idea what I am dealing with. I do not judge, so feel free to vent. Thank you for being my friend.