Daddy’s Little Girls

Wife of JimGeneralProgression

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

Wife of JimGeneralProgression

  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

Wife of JimCopingImtimacy LossProgression

  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

Wife of JimCopingGeneralSelf Care

  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

Wife of JimCopingGeneralProgression

  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

Wife of JimGeneral

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

Wife of JimCopingGeneral

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

Wife of JimUncategorized

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

Wife of JimGeneralProgression

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

Wife of JimGeneral

  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