I have been caring for hubby since he was diagnosed leukaemia in 1999. First five years or so were not too bad, once we got accustomed to the word "leukaemia". There were regular blood tests by district nurses and hospital checkups at haematology. 2005 brought huge changes - treatment for CLL problems led to physical side effects, one of which was that his bones crumbled - spine became twisted and bent and he lost 6 or 7 inches height. Mobility drastically limited - our lives drastically changed forever! Apart from day care one day a week, he was housebound.
Then along came vascular dementia.
Due to prostate problems he has a catheter which I have to attend to - including dealing with the inevitable mishaps which occur! I attach the night bag at bedtime as he passes quite a lot overnight. This morning he was shouting for me to take him to toilet and as I was removing the night bag to get him out of bed to toilet, he continued shouting at me and kicking out - caught me off balance and night bag knocked against something which broke the "outlet valve" at bottom of bag so all the urine (2 litres) escaped on bedroom carpet. What to do first? Well I got him to bathroom - by this time I was shouting! Not sure if bedroom carpet can still remain - I have washed and disinfected it - what a nightmare. Lots of cleaning up (poo) had to be done in the bathroom too of course.
Afterwards I felt bad about shouting at him so decided to explain what had been happening in the hope that he just might understand a wee bit - he just kept looking at me - and then he punched me in the face!
Then along came vascular dementia.
Due to prostate problems he has a catheter which I have to attend to - including dealing with the inevitable mishaps which occur! I attach the night bag at bedtime as he passes quite a lot overnight. This morning he was shouting for me to take him to toilet and as I was removing the night bag to get him out of bed to toilet, he continued shouting at me and kicking out - caught me off balance and night bag knocked against something which broke the "outlet valve" at bottom of bag so all the urine (2 litres) escaped on bedroom carpet. What to do first? Well I got him to bathroom - by this time I was shouting! Not sure if bedroom carpet can still remain - I have washed and disinfected it - what a nightmare. Lots of cleaning up (poo) had to be done in the bathroom too of course.
Afterwards I felt bad about shouting at him so decided to explain what had been happening in the hope that he just might understand a wee bit - he just kept looking at me - and then he punched me in the face!