So, William is as the CPN put it "progressing" - or at least his dementia is. He no longer knows who I am, or that I'm his wife. Some of the time he knows that I am someone he loves, and is overjoyed when I'm around, and he knows that I am the one who takes care of him. However, other times his paranoia rears its head, and I'm someone who is trying to kill him, by giving him all those pills that he doesn't need, and he won't take them. He won't even use his asthma inhalers, and as he has a constant bad wheeze at the moment, that's serious. He has had two bad choking fits in the last week - really bad, I really thought he was going to die! It's just that something goes "down the wrong way" and he coughs and splutters and can't catch his breath. I think that's what's leading to so much wheezing and the almost constant chest infections - he's aspirating small particles of food or liquid.
Anyway, the main problem at the moment is that he has been on anti psychotics for over two years - because they are very much needed. His paranoia & hallucinations are so severe without them that there's no way I could manage him at home without the medication, and the stress was endangering him anyway. But more and more, I'm having problems getting him to take his meds. A couple of weeks ago, I had to call the out of hours doctor out to him to see if they could get it in to him. This morning I had to phone the CPN - but before she arrived, as if someone had flipped a switch in him, his mood changed, his expression cleared he started to cry because he had upset and been nasty to me, and he took his pill like a lamb! I had to go to work this morning, and when I got back I was greeted with joy and hugs. And he took all the rest of his meds well today- but he does seem to be having trouble swallowing the capsules, more so than the ordinary tablets.
I don't know what to do for the best. I'm still determined not to put him in a nursing home because I know his horror of them and how desperate he was to stay at home - and if he wasn't medicated, no nursing home would take him, I'm sure, as he'd be too disruptive. I'm just praying that he will continue in good humour. Think yet another trip to docs is called for - often an infection is behind these mood changes. But he's literally only finished an antibiotic last weekend.
Anyway, the main problem at the moment is that he has been on anti psychotics for over two years - because they are very much needed. His paranoia & hallucinations are so severe without them that there's no way I could manage him at home without the medication, and the stress was endangering him anyway. But more and more, I'm having problems getting him to take his meds. A couple of weeks ago, I had to call the out of hours doctor out to him to see if they could get it in to him. This morning I had to phone the CPN - but before she arrived, as if someone had flipped a switch in him, his mood changed, his expression cleared he started to cry because he had upset and been nasty to me, and he took his pill like a lamb! I had to go to work this morning, and when I got back I was greeted with joy and hugs. And he took all the rest of his meds well today- but he does seem to be having trouble swallowing the capsules, more so than the ordinary tablets.
I don't know what to do for the best. I'm still determined not to put him in a nursing home because I know his horror of them and how desperate he was to stay at home - and if he wasn't medicated, no nursing home would take him, I'm sure, as he'd be too disruptive. I'm just praying that he will continue in good humour. Think yet another trip to docs is called for - often an infection is behind these mood changes. But he's literally only finished an antibiotic last weekend.