We have been doing the de-acf coffee now consistently.... and his medications have been taken at consistent times also and I see a calmness.......I asked if he has been feeling calmer in general lately and he said "yes and I've been feeling good too"....... he added. "Not so tired".......
He seems to be sleeping better at night and really well when he goes back to sleep in the morning for two hours.... he says that's his best........
He still flies off the handle easily but most of the time I can see a trigger which usually has to do with frustration due to his brain not working well for him. Or if I forget and interrupt his train of thought........ and of coarse if he thinks I'm telling him what he can or cannot do....... that goes with the no word..... all of which we try to remember not to say.
I think Tom is trying to adjust to "new loss" that he seems to be aware of.... he is fighting tooth and nail to hang on, which is good...... that's why he got so mad at me over a simple box.... he knew it should be simple but he couldn't figure it out.
We have some much needed rainy days ahead of us so I need to think of something to occupy him ........ yesterday was the first of the gloomy rainy days and he went into a slump and crabbed at me all day.
He says he's bored.... he doesn't love TV...... I don't know....... any ideas?
He says he's bored.... he doesn't love TV...... I don't know....... any ideas?
ReplyDeleteHi Cyn, got to be tuff keeping a man that's used to doing things outside distracted locked in the house due to rain. Have you asked that question in the Alzheimer's Spouse site?
When my mom got to where watching her Soaps or TV didn't mean much any longer, she would do word circle puzzles and jig saw puzzles for hours at a time. But as she progressed, I had to turn to ones for children. She was pretty content for quite awhile with anything she could do with her hands until she hit the next stage of wanting to get out all the time and go home and wouldn't sleep for two or three days at a time. That was the nightmare period and we had to put her on Seroquel, which worked pretty good, but not perfect.
I always tell those that are going through the really bad stage, now looking back it didn't seem it lasted all that long and considering the way she is now, I wouldn't mind some of that time back. But hard to deal with when it's happening.
I hope that doesn't happen with your Tom, they want to take off and they have no idea where they are going, they just want to go. I had to fence in part of the yard, lock the gates and even then she would try to climb over, tuff little stinker.
Wish I could come up with something better for you, but you know him better than anyone, what might distract him or not. Does he still like to go for rides in the car? I would drive all day sometimes and mom would stay calm and be even glad to get back home at times and be tired. And she liked to go shopping and push the cart.
Best wishes for ya and strength to get through this with some sanity still in tack on your part.
By the way, window box turned out very well. What ya gonna put in there?
Take care, Becky
Hi Becky... We made it through the worst rainy day which was ALL day rain.... If he can get out the 4-wheeler for a spin now and than he is fine......
ReplyDelete....... and going for rides are stressful as he started saying he should have his license and he should be driving and you don't know how to drive......... and than he yells at the girls because they want to get out and run and smell....... it's not fun.
Even if he had something to do in the house he would be restless..... he needs to get outside even to just pee........ I think he thinks he'll melt in the rain?
The day before yesterday he was crabby and mean.....(bored) So yesterday I tried my "aroma therapy" and got in my June Cleaver mode and it seemed to get us through the day........ he was a happy little boy! Okay happy bored BIG boy!
I made barbecued beef which I braised in the oven at 250 for the aroma and made home made buns from scratch that he didn't know I could do.......and I cut squares for a quilt so I was busy doing a "mom" thing. I made him a quilt for his shack and has been wanting me to make one for our bed.
I'm scared to think ahead to the day he roams..... to remove him from the woods would kill him...... guess we'll deal with it........ what ever comes our way..... Are shackles illegal? J/K : )
The window box? Well I'm not sure what I'll put in it.... begonias would do well....north side. I'll post a pic when I get flowers in it.
Becky.... "Thank You"....... You always POP IN when I'm feeling alone in this world.
♥ Cyn