Alzheimer's Community

Sorry, I clicked too many times. maybe you can delete a couple of the posts.

Hi Kathy,

Of course it's scary - what alot to deal with.

Keep following some of the discussions and you will find answers directed back to you.

Try to take deep breaths to relieve some of the stress. Keep on writing in and talking to people who know what it's like to be facing these issues. The more support you have, the better you will be. Don't worry about complainig - it's good for you!

Hope you get some relief,

Judy

Thanks, Judy, I am not aware of a support group. As I write this, I remember seeing advertising about 'caregivers support group.' Thanks for your suggestion.

Hi Kathy,
Even though some of the issues you face are slightly different from caregivers involved with other illnesses, going to the group you saw may be just what you need since your husband's case is so complex.

Go for it,
Judy

Thanks, Judy, I'm concerned about taking him with me. I think the meeting is before we eat, so he would be there.
I'll check it out. there is also an Alz. support group at the hospital about 4 miles from me. It is for Caregivers. He thought he should go too, but I'm concerned that he will be disappointed about all the problems and horror stories. Also, I can't express myself with him there.

Kathy

Hi Kathy-

How is Ken doing? And you? Were you able to get to a support group? I understand why you wouldn't want him to go with you -- it would be hard to open up with him there, for fear of hurting his feelings.

Have you learned any more about the situation with his kidney disease? How are his spirits? And yours?

I hope you'll let us know how you're both doing.

Carol

Hi Carol,

Last week was pretty rough because of my anger. Ken won't have any more appointments until September, but I'm 'geared up' to talking to the NP. I just can't accept the fact that she didn't pick up on this earlier. She takes care of the diabetic patients and orders labs, but Ken's kidney test was ran about July 2011 at the diabetic clinic and was due to be ran again this July, but the VA doctor ran one in December 2011, so that is how we found out about it. But he didn't have his follow-up appt. at the diabetic clinic until this past April. I really feel once a year is not enough to have this kidney test done for a diabetic. Also, we have another medical doctor watching over our shoulders. He takes care of Ken's AD. He said Ken was having trouble with his kidneys and when was the next lab. When I told him Sept., he said that is too long, and ordered a kidney test.

Ken has had high spirits and takes it all in his stride. He doesn't comment on it. He's very aware of what is happening. His blood sugar has come down into acceptable levels and he just keeps moving along. The biggest complaint is pain in his low back--nerve damage. The chiropractor keeps us in good working order.

I talked to the Director at an Elder's care and food Center.. She usually schedules a Caregivers class once a month, but now the place is being remodeled and she won't have any until she can move back into the regular building. She did tell me that Ken's Tribe has one once in a while. We haven't seen any notification about it. I'll have to ask.

Last week I had the first bone density test since 2005. In comparison of the two tests, my body is better than it was in 2005. Everything is in the normal range with no signs of osteoporisis. That's a blessing at any age, but I'm 76 and that really made me feel good.

Thanks for your concern.

Kathy

Hi Kathy. I can understand why you're angry. You count on your doctors to stay on top of things and do whatever it takes to keep them from getting worse. It's such a helpless, frustrating feeling when that doesn't happen. It does seem inexcusable that nobody picked up on Ken's worsening problems and tried to do something about it.

It sort of reminds me of what happened to my mother-in-law years ago. She'd had a cough for months and her doctor told her to get an x-ray and said if she didn't hear from him to just come back in three months. She went back in three months and the doctor asked her why she hadn't gotten the x-ray. When she told him she had, he finally found it sitting on an employee's desk, where it had been all those months. It showed that she had lung cancer and she died two years later. We always wondered how much difference that three months made.

Anyway, it's wonderful that Ken is in high spirits and, upsetting as all this is for you, that must make you feel a little better.

I hope you're able to find a support group of some kind before too long. It's too bad it's been so difficult to find one.

Great news about your bones! I don't think there are that many women who have no signs of osteoporosis at 76. You must be doing something right!

Carol