Mary, I make it a priority to do things that feed my soul. I'm still Treasurer of my church, still web administrator & Board member of my professional society (though retired), play piano (which my husband likes, but can't 'cuz of a broken foot right now), gardening a lot - big back yard with perennial plantings & large vegetable garden (don't know how it is right now - haven't been past my bedroom for 2 1/2 weeks), cooking/baking, reading outside in the garden as much as I can. It is important, both for your soul & for what the future might bring.

This is definitely not what we planned for our retirement! I liken it to cancer when I speak with other; Lewy Body is robbing my husband of his brain & its functioning, but without the painful effects of cancer & cancer treatments.

Early on, Dennis had speech therapy about 8 months. It was effective then. But he has deteriorated so much since then (late 2020-mid-2021), that it wouldn't be effective now. The home health aide does jigsaw puzzles, plays matching games, organizes 50 years of photographs & plays dominoes with him as well as exercising him in our basement "gym". His neurologist & I call that "brain therapy".

Hang in there & know there are others living the same life you are. All we can do is the best we can. I started a journal about this horrible journey. But that went by the wayside in the last few months as he deteriorated more & more. Have started it back up again. I find it helpful to get my thoughts on paper. I'm not poetic at all, but I've started writing daily haikus too, but they went by the wayside as well. I'm going to sign off & write one now!

Thinking of you & all the others who share dementia caregiving.

Pauline (Lena)