Hi @jsbaden1 - welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. That is understandable you might have frustrations as your husband's disease progresses. Where you will find a lot of others in similar caregiving situations on Connect is in the Caregivers group, which you might check out https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/caregivers/.

@jsbaden1
I found that getting my spouse to do something he enjoys and then ask questions about how he is feeling and what his thoughts are! It usually opened the door to a conversation about him and I would redirect if necessary! It is hard to guess what the problem is! To the person going through a major illness everything tends to be overwhelming! When I concentrate on his feelings he would talk about his fears and that he hoped that I would always love him! Well the good thing I will always love him and miss him as well! He would say to me “I’m getting worse and I know it “. I found redirecting him about a time where we planned a trip each year for our Anniversary! Each year he would do it and the next year I would! I would ask him a special place he remembered! He totally did a turn around when he was sad or really needed to share a feelings with me! I don’t know if that would work out.. but usually it did! Near the end of his life he had so many things going wrong with his health and he thought he was a burden! Again I would redirect with a game like dominos, card games and maybe his favorite type of show! “Westerns “. He would light up and he forget he was sick and I had my spouse back! The mind is such an intricate part of our bodies! But letting it be dormant is worse! Stimulation and conversation worked most of the time! Hugs to you and yours