Hi,
This is my first post here as, on Thursday, my wife (59 years old) and I visited the Exeter One Stop Shop for an assessment and scan. She got a ACE III score of 54 and were told that she has Moderate Alzheimer's Disease. The brain scan didn't show any deterioration which, I can only assume is good. The first symptoms started really showing themselves just 6 months ago.
We are three and a half years in to a planned 5+ year caravan trip around Europe, visiting as many countries as possible, blogging as we go. We decided to return from Greece after Christmas as we couldn't control what we thought was hypothyroidism, and Julia was starting to worry about it. We now have to decide, after trying out a few shorter trips, whether we continue our trip, or if we put down routes and wait for whatever is thrown at us.
I don't for one minute, expect that we are the only couple to be dropped in to this whirlwind of fear and frightening information, but the panic of not knowing what is going on or what is going to happen next is already taking its toll. Luckily we are still, after 33 years of married life, deeply in love. I will stick by her to the end and take my marriage vows very seriously.
Julia is at the stage of complete denial and forgets most things that are said to her within a few seconds. She knows who I am but doesn't know my middle names, birthday or anniversary dates, none of which is important anyway. I'll have a look through the forums here and see what advice I can find.
Thank you for your time in reading this, especially if you are in the same or similar boat to us.
Simon
Hi
I now care for my mother who has mixed dementia with early Alzheimer's , my mum was diagnosed in September 2016 and the disease is thankfully progressing slowly. Stress brings on the worst symptoms , so I try to keep things simple and easy. My mum loves going on holiday and it gives her great pleasure looking forward to holidays and what she is going to do.
Holidays are a bit more stressful than they used to be with her as all the familiarity of home is gone. I will keep going on holiday with my mum as long as she is able , in fact we are going away to Lanzarote in a few days then again in the Summer for a holiday. My advice is keep doing what makes you both happy , so keep travelling as long as you can both cope with it. Live day to day and enjoy .
Do get all the entitlements , carers allowance , attendance allowance and also reduction in Council tax , it all really helps especially as I can't work much now due to cari g for my mum. Good luck and enjoy .