Daddy’s Little Girls
Jim’s daughters are here for 10 days. We’re mid-visit and it’s been interesting to say the least. He independently recognizes them when he comes back into the room, which honestly is more than I expected. Even though he sees the middle-aged adults, he still asks them how they’re doing in school. Unlike at Thanksgiving, he …. Read More
Resperidone So Far
We’ve been in Risperidone for a week. We’ll he has, but his reduced aggression has calmed me too. He was never violent, but after the hospital he was far more frustrated and it showed. He was really resistent to letting me keep him safe. He’s still feisty. He constantly wants to get up and …. Read More
Happy Anniversary
I didn’t expect anything for our anniversary. How could I, he couldn’t remember he had a sore foot, immediately after telling me his foot hurt. Unfortunately, I did get an anti-anniversary gift. The day started off well enough. Jim was standing up a little more solidly, so I upgraded him to pull-ups during the …. Read More
Hard Decision Time
It’s been a rough month. Jim has been doing so well that I thought I could continue to care for him in our home until the end. Hes non-aggressive and can still follow simple instructions. I am able bodied, well read, have almost every tool and gadget out there to help, and had just …. Read More
Hospital Stay Reflections
Having Jim in hospital has been a learning experience. Some positive, some negative. Positives: The nurses and aids are absolutely fantastic. Sure, sometimes they’re abrupt but if you listen to what they’re dealing with, on a daily, hourly, and minute-ly basis you’ll understand. Some patients treat them like indentured servants and/or punching bags (both …. Read More
Rage Inducing Treatment
Before I start let me just say the nursing staff and aids at our local hospital are spectacular. They are wonderful in the way they treat both Jim and I, despite being short staffed. But we encountered a Nurse Ratched who isnt actually a nurse, she’s some sort of non-uniformed admin. From my description, the …. Read More
Best Laid Plans
I thought I had it all worked out. I was a woman with a plan of action. Jim’s foot infection made me realize I had a gap in his care plan so I bought a wheelchair and a lift recliner. The recliner arrived at 10am and was installed by 10:30. Jim sat in until I …. Read More
Benadryl And Dementia
I learned something surprising a few days before Jim’s geriatric assessment and the doctor confirmed the information. Benadryl can have ill effects on dementia symptoms and potentially increase the risk of developing it. Benadryl can make you drowsy, and may cause someone with dementia to sleep more often. But, for someone like me with an …. Read More
Geriatric Assessment
Jim was originally diagnosed with dementia in April 2020. It was right at the start of the pandemic, so it was a phone assessment rather than an in person appointment. This time, we got the full experience. Jim handled it like a champ. It was a two hour appointment where they tested his balance and …. Read More
Something is Afoot
We’re on day four of antibiotics for Jim’s foot. His toes are still discoloured with infection and if he doesn’t keep it elevated, it swells uncomfortably. Jim is stunned every time he tried to stand. He’s shocked when I say he’s had a sore foot for almost a week. If it was my foot, I’d …. Read More