It is with a heavy heart that I announce that my beautiful wife Linda passed away yesterday afternoon, after a 6 year dementia journey.
If you've read my numerous posts/contributions, you may recall that back in August, after getting a UTI whilst in respite for 2 weeks, she went from hospital to full time care in a nursing home in late September.
A few weeks before Christmas, she had another UTI (spending 3 days in hospital again) which really seemed to knock her down. They started having a job to get her to take food (not opening her mouth, then probs swallowing).
Last Monday, they called the GP as her heart rate dropped and he prescribed end of life meds. She didn't need these until Friday but we had to watch her deteriorate further until yesterday, her breathing had become rapid and shallow. She kept fighting, bless her, until mid afternoon and it was very harrowing for me and the family to witness, but we were all glad we were with her.
She is at peace now - its just so unfair that she had to go through any of this at such a young age (69 a couple of weeks ago). This dreadful disease has robbed us both of our retirement years we had planned and looked forward to.
I am both relieved and heartbroken.
RIP my lovely.
Many thanks to TP and members for being there these last 6 years.
I’m so sorry for the loss of your lovely wife, and to read that she had a tough time before her passing. I lost my darling dad on Christmas Day and like you and your family we had to watch the deterioration which is so harrowing. I understand the mixed feelings of heart break and relief - I wish your family well during the coming days.