What a strange day

velo70

Registered User
Sep 20, 2012
177
0
Devon
We have had a couple of good weeks, including a short holiday in Cornwall. I am carer for my wife, both of us are old 'uns. Today, she got up, quite cheerfully, and we had our breakfast and a leisurely cuppa. At the mention of getting washed and dressed to go visit our family, she decided NOT. Has now gone back to bed, and wishes to be 'left alone'. A bad day on the cards, I guess. What an awful way to spend last years of our lives.
 

margaret g

Registered User
Nov 9, 2013
48
0
Re an awful way to spend our lives,, I feel the same way! Married 52 years, worked till I was 69, I'm 70 now, and this is it, how it will be for me,, last week I took myself to London for the day, never been on a train on my own previously, hubby fine with family, gave me a "" second wind"' he didn't like me doing it, but I did it anyway,, he was safe, and i was happy!! Xx

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malomm

Registered User
Mar 23, 2014
239
0
Campania Region, Italy
We have had a couple of good weeks, including a short holiday in Cornwall. I am carer for my wife, both of us are old 'uns. Today, she got up, quite cheerfully, and we had our breakfast and a leisurely cuppa. At the mention of getting washed and dressed to go visit our family, she decided NOT. Has now gone back to bed, and wishes to be 'left alone'. A bad day on the cards, I guess. What an awful way to spend last years of our lives.
:)Try and make the best of the few good times. Yesterday evening we went to a local festa, and my wife really enjoyed it; but then went beserk when we got home and there was no bread in the house :) She'd eaten it all for supper before we went out, but had no recollection of the meal. Fortunately I have a stash of sliced bread tucked away for just such eventualities. Just now she was on her way out to mass. 'As usual you are sending me out without a a penny in my pocket'. But I'd just shown her where her purse was in her handbag. So open handbag, open purse, no money!. Then I asked her to check her pockets as she vehemently denied having opened her purse at all. There they were, a considerable amount mixed in with the small change for the collection, and likely to be pulled out and lost in church. My fault of course since she hadn't touched either purse or handbag. So off she's gone in a huff. I'll be meeting her outside church shortly to go to no. 2 son's for Sunday lunch. She'll have forgotten by then and will enjoy the time there (if she remembers who they all are).
All good clean fun if you don't weaken.
keep smiling,
malomm
 

velo70

Registered User
Sep 20, 2012
177
0
Devon
Continues, with highs and lows. After sleeping most of the day, wife got up, in dressing gown, we had tea and settled down to watch her favourite programmes, so a couple of pleasant hours. When we went to turn in, she insisted it was perfectly normal to wear a nightie over her top and trousers. Today, all pleasant and chatty, until having a wash and putting on clean undies. No way, preferring again to sit in nighty. She has now returned to her bed, at 2 pm, feeling tired and unwell. I am now trying to scheme a urine sample, to eliminate a possible UTI, which I understand, may cause mad swings in behaviour. Dreading what the future holds.
 

Sue J

Registered User
Dec 9, 2009
8,032
0
Continues, with highs and lows. After sleeping most of the day, wife got up, in dressing gown, we had tea and settled down to watch her favourite programmes, so a couple of pleasant hours. When we went to turn in, she insisted it was perfectly normal to wear a nightie over her top and trousers. Today, all pleasant and chatty, until having a wash and putting on clean undies. No way, preferring again to sit in nighty. She has now returned to her bed, at 2 pm, feeling tired and unwell. I am now trying to scheme a urine sample, to eliminate a possible UTI, which I understand, may cause mad swings in behaviour. Dreading what the future holds.

I am often like this Velo and have learnt, although I often forget, to go to bed with plenty of water at hand and take a couple of paracetamol and just have the radio on quietly. If I get even a hint that I may have an infection brewing I have asked GP to test my urine. Sadly last time because it showed no infection he just put it down to my poor psychological state:( instead of realising the sheer terror at the thought of infection escalating to my brain, with the resultant effects, as it has in the past. I understand your dread. You are very wise to try and get urine sample asap and I hope these ups and downs settle and that it is not an infection.
Best wishes
Sue
 

velo70

Registered User
Sep 20, 2012
177
0
Devon
Strange day

Thanks Sue J. I tried to persuade that she was missing a lovely day. We also would have seen our 3 y o twin great 'grandotters', who Gillie simply adores ( and they her-nanny gee) but it doesn't raise any enthusiasm, so it shows me the depth of her current discomfort. We go on hoping it will be a better day tomorrow. Dehydration? Good point, Thanks again. Regards
 

velo70

Registered User
Sep 20, 2012
177
0
Devon
Strange day

So my wife slept for several hours. Evening , I popped my head round the door with a cup of tea, and was amazed to see she was getting dressed. I asked 'where we going?' Responded 'we are going to dinner at our daughters! There are 3 different persons, sharing that body. This one was warm and friendly and just so positive. I dunno. The outcome was a lovely 'normal' end to a strange day.
 

Sue J

Registered User
Dec 9, 2009
8,032
0
So my wife slept for several hours. Evening , I popped my head round the door with a cup of tea, and was amazed to see she was getting dressed. I asked 'where we going?' Responded 'we are going to dinner at our daughters! There are 3 different persons, sharing that body. This one was warm and friendly and just so positive. I dunno. The outcome was a lovely 'normal' end to a strange day.

Morning Velo, I find it very interesting what you have written and am glad the episode has passed for your wife. I get these episodes regularly and I call them 'absences' I feel an EEG may show what is going on and I describe it like having a fit but not fitting, I am not really present but can't do anything about it but have some awareness and tenuous link to what is going on around me, like your wife realised you were going out to your daughter's for dinner. It is like lost chunks of time and when you reemerge you are where you were when you entered that state, but of course things have then moved on and then you can get very confused.:(

The episode has passed and I hope you both have a lovely day:)
Best wishes
Sue
 

velo70

Registered User
Sep 20, 2012
177
0
Devon
Strange day

A slightly new pattern is emerging. The day begins veerry slowly, with most suggestions to my wife being met with 'I don't want to do that' be it a daily wash, put on clean clothes, or make any choices. Sue, you have helped me understand more the difficulty experienced by the sufferer. I have learnt (quickly) to back off and leave things be until my wife's world stops spinning. Allowing her to enjoy a cuppa and breakfast, whilst coming to terms with the world, watching T V. Seems things begin to assemble in their own time, and then we can move gently into some sort of progress. As carer and, luckily, still sort of match fit, it is difficult to understand the problems confronting the sufferer, and mynormal reaction turns to exhasperation. Totally useless to the one with the illness. In fact any impatience just has the opposite effect, and makes her dig in against any offer of help.