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DiscussionWhat were the first signs you noticed?
Caregivers: Dementia | Last Active: 4 hours ago | Replies (23)Comment receiving replies
Replies to "My 65 yo husband (with a history of a previous MTBI 10 years ago) has been..."
Because my father-in-law died of Alzheimer's Disease, my husband and I were more attuned than many about the early changes. So, when my husband started changing, I noticed. His personality was the first thing that changed. He used to be very aware of unspoken or spoken social signals, but that ability disappeared. One early example was when he touched me inappropriately in a store. When I stopped him, he didn't understand why. Another example is the way he told a joke to his grown son that contained the punchline "retarded" even though his son has a daughter with Downs Syndrome. That was hurtful to his son and his wife. So, it was a change in personality at first, and for a long time, that was the only noticeable change. Then, he started getting lost going to places he's known for over 20 years. Also, there's lots of blank staring. He's speaking too quietly for me to hear a lot of the time...almost a whisper. He teases me too much. It's hurtful at times and when I ask him to stop, he does stop, for a while. That's very helpful because I know he's still in there. Other changes are small things that might be normal in someone not as focused and exacting as my husband, like buying the wrong thing at a store, or forgetting how to reheat something for dinner. He asked me if he should put the casserole in the oven at 450 F for 45 minutes. 🙂
When we're at a neurologist appointment he compensates so well that the doctor hasn't seen the problem until recently. However, I've been going to appointments with him and advocating for help for him for several years. The doctor put him on Aricept a few months ago, and I believe it's slowing down the changes. My husband's brain scans don't show Alzheimer's signs. His neuro diagnoses to date are MCI and essential tremor.
I hope this helps. And, Merry Christmas! Caring for someone you love with this awful disease is hard. Try to find a little bit of the one you love to celebrate and hold onto. He's still in there.
@azoremama We/come to Mayo Clinic Connect! WE’re glad you’re here. One question: what does CLL stand for?
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