1. < Caregivers: Dementia

Hiding things-MCI diagnosis

Posted by 2me @2me, Aug 9, 2023

We spent a lot of time last night and this morning trying to find my husband’s Apple Watch before the battery died on it. We looked in all the logical places, then the illogical places, and then did the same thing again….did it fall off while he was working in the yard? Was it in the bedclothes from when he took a nap? Etc. I was using the “Find My” app on my phone. This morning I finally heard the pinging, and found it in a dresser drawer under a pile of sweaters. Is this typical for this stage? He has not been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s…just MCI. He thought he probably lost it there when putting away his sweaters. (It’s August)

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Caregivers: Dementia Support Group.

Mentor
Scott, Volunteer Mentor | @IndianaScott | Aug 9, 2023

Hi, @2me I can only speak from my wife's and my experiences but I found that with my wife and my MIL cognitive plateaus never last forever. Their abilities changed often and at widely varying intervals. Sometimes plateaus lasted for weeks, sometimes just a day and things/abilities would alter overnight.

There are so many things doctors still don't understand about how broken brains function that we lived by the saying "The only constant in life is change".

Wishing you Strength, Courage, & Peace

REPLY
1 reply
2me | @2me | Aug 9, 2023
In reply to @IndianaScott "Hi, @2me I can only speak from my wife's and my experiences but I found that..." + (show)
@IndianaScott

Hi, @2me I can only speak from my wife's and my experiences but I found that with my wife and my MIL cognitive plateaus never last forever. Their abilities changed often and at widely varying intervals. Sometimes plateaus lasted for weeks, sometimes just a day and things/abilities would alter overnight.

There are so many things doctors still don't understand about how broken brains function that we lived by the saying "The only constant in life is change".

Wishing you Strength, Courage, & Peace

Jump to this post

Hi Scott, Thank you for this. I need to gear up and get more educated for the long haul. We were hoping (as everyone does) that it would not progress beyond MCI.

REPLY
1 reply
centre | @centre | Aug 10, 2023
In reply to @2me "Hi Scott, Thank you for this. I need to gear up and get more educated for..." + (show)
@2me

Hi Scott, Thank you for this. I need to gear up and get more educated for the long haul. We were hoping (as everyone does) that it would not progress beyond MCI.

Jump to this post

It took eight years for my husband’s MCI to progress to a diagnosis of vascular dementia. When it became full-blown, I realized that I had been that “frog in the boiling water”, making small adjustments and small adjustments over the years, not realizing each day’s new normal was NOT normal. Dementia is coming, best to think carefully about the future (updated wills, power of attorney, both names on the car titles, etc.).
I really recommend asking his PCP for a referral for neuropsych testing. My husband had noticed memory issues the eight years ago and was sent for the testing, received the MCI diagnosis. Eight years later, he was sent again, received the same testing, and to see his decline in actual data was stunning to me, the frog 🙂

REPLY
1 reply
2me | @2me | Aug 10, 2023
In reply to @centre "It took eight years for my husband’s MCI to progress to a diagnosis of vascular dementia...." + (show)
@centre

It took eight years for my husband’s MCI to progress to a diagnosis of vascular dementia. When it became full-blown, I realized that I had been that “frog in the boiling water”, making small adjustments and small adjustments over the years, not realizing each day’s new normal was NOT normal. Dementia is coming, best to think carefully about the future (updated wills, power of attorney, both names on the car titles, etc.).
I really recommend asking his PCP for a referral for neuropsych testing. My husband had noticed memory issues the eight years ago and was sent for the testing, received the MCI diagnosis. Eight years later, he was sent again, received the same testing, and to see his decline in actual data was stunning to me, the frog 🙂

Jump to this post

Centre, thank you for this thoughtful response. We’re set on our wills and POA, but both names on vehicle titles is one I’d not thought of…but they may be in our trust. I need to verify. Side effects of most meds are scary…he’s taking Donepizil (I THINK). This is a tricky phase, when he’s really very capable so I don’t want to tread on toes, but at the same time, I have to remain vigilant.

REPLY
anotherday | @anotherday | Aug 19, 2023

Hiding things is just the tip of the iceberg. My DH has been hiding things and stealing things for quite some time now. He always plays innocent when cornered, complete with blaming me for whatever has just been discovered that he did.
My thoughts and prayers go up each day for what we're all going through.

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.