Hi @shirleybird, My irritations rarely pile up, and when they do, i don't react. I remind myself it's the disease causing him to ask me the same question six times in a row.
He's been taking a high potency multivitamin for a few months now and he seems brighter, more engaged. I can even get him to play Scrabble with me (we play together, not competitively).
My father had dementia and he drove my mother crazy. After he died, she told me, sadly, she lost her best friend. It was on the tip of my tongue to reply, "All you did was yell at him," I held my tongue, but how they were together is engraved in my memory. I vowed it wouldn't be like that with us.
I can leave my husband for a few hours to run errands, grocery shop and volunteer at a local museum. Most days, we walk together for half an hour and feed a neighborhood (stray) dog. I do a 15 minute yoga routine (to build bone density) most days and occasionally go for a massage when I need one.
My husband doesn't wander or get into mischief, so at this stage of caregiving, I'm very fortunate.
What is your situation like? Can you carve out any time for yourself?