I have been with my husband for over 18 years. I am convinced that he has suffered from undiagnosed aspirers/autism/OCD now showing itself or being diagnosed as Alzheimers.
I am keen to "understand" for my own sanity I think more than anything the links, if any, as many people I speak to do not believe me. But I know I am right. Luckily i have documented most incidences as at one point my other half tried to convince me that I had Alzheimers and not he!
I cannot lie my life with my husband has been a mixture of joy and difficulty. I have spent most days thinking "it will be ok tomorrow" but tomorrow just got worse and worse.
He was also very controlling and it is only now that we are separated that I can see clearly how unhealthy our relationship was - me clinging to the support of an older man as I had had a damaged childhood/adulthood, he clinging to the support of a younger, positive, lively woman who could "help" him through life.
Right now we have a happy friendly relationship and I want to learn more to help him through his diagnosis.
Somebody asked me the other day - what do I want? I suppose I feel guilty that I did not get him diagnosed sooner but instead buried any issues I saw in him and protected him from himself.
Thank you.
Hi Bethany England,
We all try to protect our loved ones and don't want them to go through any anguish and pain. I also thought that nobody would believe me. Felt vey guilty as if I had over exaggerated things. On the advice of members on this forum I too kept a diary. On the days when my OH appeared to be more stable I began to have doubts that his illness was as bad as I had originally thought. Looking back in the diary I realised that was not the case.
I have read so many articles about different forms of dementia and literally felt as if I was going to go crazy looking for answers and trying to diagnose whats wrong with him. A lot of the symptoms seem to overlap into another form of the illness for example my OH is also very shaky. ??? Parkinson's with Dementia. Another member on TP messaged me today and asked if I had thought about the possibility of Lewy Body Dementia. Apparently the symptoms are very similar.
I do hope that you find the answers you are looking for.
I am very new to all of this but keen to learn as much as I can. Finding Talking Point has been a god send as there are no end of wonderful people on here willing to offer support and advice based on their own experiences.
Take care,
Love and hugs,
Margaret59 x