new carer

[egg]

1/8/04

Hi

I am new to this Alzheimer’s talking site and after two weeks of reading all your messages I have finally plucked up courage to have a go.

(I think you are all wonderful and hope that I can as good a carer for my husband as you all are.)

I think that somewhere on my browsing I actually saw a part where new people can say hello but now I can’t find it! So I do hope you do not mind if I say hello here and introduce myself.

I am also posting this same message on the section for ‘Support for People with Dementia and their Carers’ as that’s where all the ‘action’ seems to take place.

I am the 52-year-old wife of a person who three weeks ago was diagnosed as having Alzheimer’s. He was only 51 two weeks ago so is very young to have Alz. Colin Cosgrove of the Alzheimer’s Society suggested I might find some help by using this forum.

I have good support here in Birmingham as there is The Working Age Dementia Service and we have had visits and help from a social worker and a nurse.

However I realise that the people who know best how to cope and manage day to day are the actual carers and so I hope you don’t mind if I start asking a few questions.

I have had experience of Alz as my husband’s father had it in his seventies as have a number of my parents’ friends BUT it’s still different when it is your own hubby and he is so so young.

So (sorry to ramble on)

Question One – Does anyone out there have any experience of having a partner who has had Alzheimer’s at a very young age?

I reckon that’s enough to start with – otherwise I shall be wondering like Jude if I am hogging the forum. I have loads of questions and thoughts and my brain is continually buzzing with them all but I shall try to ask one thing at a time.

So I am going to post this and hope I get it right.

One last thought – Isn’t the Internet wonderful?

Egg

 

[Brucie]

Hi Egg

yes, Jan was 51 when she first had symptoms. She will be 64 in October.

I'll try and help if you want to ask some questions!

Best of luck - and welcome! There are lots of good people here.

 

[Nutty Nan]

Welcome

Hello there, and welcome!
Yes, the internet, and especially this forum, is a brilliant thing, and whilst reading the messages can be scary and daunting, there is also plenty of encouragement and plain good, valuable information.
I am the same age as you, and I care for my husband, who is 20 years older and was diagnosed over 4 years ago. He is still doing reasonably well on ARICEPT, but we have been through a rather steep learning curve, and one book that has helped me more than anything is 'Learning to Speak Alzheimers' by Joanne Koenig-Coste: it is up to the partner/carer to do the learning and adapting, as the patient is not able to do so.
Take care!
Carmen