washing @tablet taking

[my wife]

Hi everyone,this is my 1st ever blog. My lovely wife has just come home after 7 weeks in an assessment ward where she did wonderfully well. Now she is home she is refusing to wash,or let anyone near her to help her wash. When it comes to taking tablets she again gets very agitated and either puts 2or 3 in her mouth at once but wont swallow them, she can do this as at night she only has 2 and does swallow them. Can any one help as I am worried for her. She has been diagnosed with mixed dementia for 2 years and is 74 years old. She used to be so gentle,and was in Amateut theatre for 30 years.

thanx for any help
Dave a loving Husband

 

[kd7279]

Hi Dave,
My wife also started to refuse to take pills so I crushed them up and put them in a little water. She was happy to drink that 'medicine'. As to the washing, we also had that problem and I found that she was happier in a shower. I would get the temperature right, put the liquid soap on her sponge and let her get on with it.
My wife is in an assessment ward now, she went in last week.
Keith

 

[my wife]

Thanks Keith

I am try to crush them and put them on a sandwich, my wife seems to be developing a phobia for water
dave

 

[danny]

Hi Dave. Sometimes crushing tablets is not a good idea, it can damage the stomach lining and crushing can also make some tablets ineffective.Have you thought of trying liquid form. I would have a word with your pharmacist.

Hope you don`t mind me passing this info on.

Keep posting and a big welcome from me

 

[my wife]

Hi Danny

Thanks for the advice I didn't know that I will check with the chemist

Dave

 

[kd7279]

Just to add to the previous replies, my wife's tablets were for her heart condition and I did check with the heart failure nurse after I started the the crushing process, and he said it was OK. He felt that that was better than nothing! With regard to the ALZ, Dot is on Ebixa which can be prescribed in liquid form, which is what she is on because of her abversion to pills.
Keith

 

[Sue J]

Hello Dave

Maybe it's just taking your wife time to settle back at home 7 weeks must have been a long time for you both. Maybe as she adjust some of the difficulties you're having may resolve on their own. Do you think perhaps it may help if you just mention that you're going to wash and that you've run some hot water for her to do the same. Sorry if I'm suggesting something you've already tried - just some thoughts. Hope you get on OK

Best wishes
Sue J

 

[Linda Mc]

Keith interesting you say Ebixa is in liquid form I had been wondering about this. My husband chews his tablet even though I give him water with it he holds it in his mouth and then chews!

Dave another TP member I know gives her husband his tablet in a spoon of yogurt and he happily swallows it worth asking about/trying.

 

[my wife]

To all you lovely people

Thanks for all your your replies, I feel as though I have already made new friends and I dont feel so alone. I am trying all your ideas.
When I first wrote I was feeling useless as Marion had developed a UTI so soon after coming out of Hospital Wednesday we didn't get any sleep,she just sat on the edge of the bed and was very agitated and angry. Thursday she slept most of the day in a chair and during that time I managed to get her tablets down, she has 7 in the morning and 2 at night. Friday was another bad day and she wouldn't go to bed and she slept in her chair whilst I sat with her but couldn't sleep.
I was feeling very down until I logged on again today, sorry if I sound sorry for myself but I am not really, just sorry for my lovely lady and I know that we all must go through these stages due to this wicked illness.

Dave

 

[my wife]

kd7279

Hi Keith
My apologies for not replying properly to you in the first place. It seems very lonely at first,thats what I found, then all of a sudden it seems to be non stop with sorting out clothes and visiting and doing the washing and ironing, and I felt more part of helping with her care. I hope that you have a good outcome from the assessment and a result that you want for her

Dave

 

[kd7279]

Hi Dave,
I have been told on this site to NEVER apologise. We are all here to help and we have all been through what you are going through. My wife is 75, almost the same as yours and I have had the anger, frustration, helplessness etc. Just remember, if in doubt, ask, someone will know the answer or be able to point you in the right direction.
Smile & wave!
Keith

 

[my wife]

kd7279

Hi Keith
Thank you, I am just at the bottom of the pit and you and others are really helping me to climb out,so here we go with a smile and a wave, and a happy song

Dave

 

[Margaret79]

Hi Dave.

Here's another hand to help you out of that pit. No wise words, just a lorry load of hugs for you.

Hope you have a better day today XXX

 

[my wife]

Margaret79

Hello Margaret

Thanks for the hugs, it is a better day With all this warmth the world seems a better place

Dave

 

[xanadu777]

After 7 weeks my wife is coming home from an assessment unit and I fully expect her to be disorientated for a while. How long? I've no idea and just hope it wont be for long. Even if memory is virtually non existent a different environment must have an effect and it takes longer for an AD sufferer to acclimatise. You are in our thoughts and stay with T.P. as it really helps to know that others wear a similar T shirt.

 

[my wife]

xanadu777

Hello

Thanks for bringing me down to earth, Marions last week in the assessment ward were amazing, I was seeing a lady that I had not seen for a long time and when she came home expected that this would continue, not thinking about the adjustment, I was just too happy to have her back.

She is now recovering from her UTI which came on after 5 days and some of the things she is now saying make me realise that at times she thinks that she is still on the ward.

Today has been a much better day,all tablets taken without any problem, she has even been to the loo, I am only saying this as she had been holding on for up to 48hrs!!!, all the nurses and doctors were amazed, which you can imagine.

When Marion came home there was a care package in place which included a Care Person to come in first thing to get her washed and dressed. This caused her a great deal of stress and anxiety,so much so that on two occasions the Carer was unable to wash her, I have now cancelled this help and am going to try to do this myself

Best wishes to you,my thoughts are also with you
Dave

 

[my wife]

Hi everyone

Yes its me again but I would just like to share this with you. Most of today has been very difficult,as usual Marion wouldn't take tablets without a battle, saying nobody talks to me etc.

We were sitting on the settee after taking her evening meds.( one of which she could not get rid of and caused a fuss) when she said "I love you and I will always be here for you" and we sat holding hands and talking as though there was nothing wrong.

How precious these moments are, they make up for everything else and need to be held on to through difficult times.

Love to all you caring people out there

Dave

 

[Sue J]

Dear Dave

Sorry that you've had such a difficult day but thanks for sharing the lovely bit too. I hope tomorrow is an easier one for you both.

Best wishes
Sue

 

[johnpatcarl]

Hi dave

Just to let you know i am in exactly the same boat as yourself, i have to give my wife her medication in liquid form because she cannot swallow food and is barely able to get liquids down at times due to having cancer of the oesophagus. The washing herself is a constant battle every day, and i swear she was the most particular woman when it came to clenliness as you would ever meet,it seems this condition is a symptom of this terrible disease and it is not easy for us, guess we just got to soldier on i doubt if there is an answer i found the best way to cope is to have in my mind that it is the same as caring for a 2 month old child no point in telling her she is wrong when she does not know the difference between right and wrong. I have found that if i tell her she is going to hospital and she needs to have a bath first it works but only sometimes. Take care john

 

[my wife]

Hi John

How difficult it must be with the added difficulty of the cancer. Marion was like your good lady showering, washing her hair every other day and now she has a total aversion to water even turning a tap on can really upset her. We had a good morning with her meds. today I put them in a carton of yoghurt and spoon fed her and this worked well and no tantrums, just a bit of grumbling, but this was so much easier, I have tried this before but she would not have yoghurt, it's just a case of trying different things isn't it.
My best wishes to you both with a smile and a song

Dave