Hi fellow Carers.
I'm new here so I better introduce myself. I'm nearing my 75th birthday and my wife's 72nd. She has suffered with Alzheimer's for 11 years. She has long passed the final stages if I am to accept what the experts say, in fact she passed them some four years ago. I would like to relate our experiences from the begining,but I propose to do that another time. For now here is our present situation. She has had a stroke and is incapable of any movement except for one hand. She has not spoken for more than three years, except for one word. I removed her from a nursing home three years and four months ago, telling our daughter "There is nothing or anybody out there who understands, I'm going it alone." I changed house, had it altered to suit, and purchased a wheelchair, commode and other equipment. It was touch and go as to whether she would survive in the begining. Three times she was at death's door, but now she's doing fine. Each week is the same. I strap her legs and waist into the wheelchair and take her shopping twice a week and take her out for walks. I'm up each morning at 05.10 and go for a three and a half mile run and use weights to remain fit in order to lift her in and out of the car. I'm very happy and content with my life and consider I'm very fortunate to experience what most men may never namely, shopping, cleaning, cooking etc and looking after my wife who is just like a baby. She sleeps a lot now which gives me the time to write my unusal life's story up to day of our marriage 51 years ago next month. Sorry for such a long introduction. Next I'll take it from the early stages. God bless Padraig.
I'm new here so I better introduce myself. I'm nearing my 75th birthday and my wife's 72nd. She has suffered with Alzheimer's for 11 years. She has long passed the final stages if I am to accept what the experts say, in fact she passed them some four years ago. I would like to relate our experiences from the begining,but I propose to do that another time. For now here is our present situation. She has had a stroke and is incapable of any movement except for one hand. She has not spoken for more than three years, except for one word. I removed her from a nursing home three years and four months ago, telling our daughter "There is nothing or anybody out there who understands, I'm going it alone." I changed house, had it altered to suit, and purchased a wheelchair, commode and other equipment. It was touch and go as to whether she would survive in the begining. Three times she was at death's door, but now she's doing fine. Each week is the same. I strap her legs and waist into the wheelchair and take her shopping twice a week and take her out for walks. I'm up each morning at 05.10 and go for a three and a half mile run and use weights to remain fit in order to lift her in and out of the car. I'm very happy and content with my life and consider I'm very fortunate to experience what most men may never namely, shopping, cleaning, cooking etc and looking after my wife who is just like a baby. She sleeps a lot now which gives me the time to write my unusal life's story up to day of our marriage 51 years ago next month. Sorry for such a long introduction. Next I'll take it from the early stages. God bless Padraig.
