Dealing with a Spouse with a “Mild Cognitive Impairment”
My husband was diagnosed with MCI in 2019. He is pretty independent, just forgetful of time, dates, location of places, anything electronic & events from our life together (we’ve been married 52 years). It’s all just getting to me. I find myself wanting to be alone so I’m not continuously reminded of these changes. Because my friends/family are out of state, working, or involved with their own families, I really have no one to talk to so I’m seeing a therapist twice a week to deal with the sadness, anger, grief I have over his condition. I just wonder if other women find themselves in this position & how they are dealing with it.
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@upgirl2013 You are so right about the inconsistencies in his thinking. My husband remembers complicated things that he learned 50 years ago, but can't tell me what he thinks of something that he recently has seen. It is disconcerting to drive with him and he can't remember a street a couple of blocks away or remember where he parked the car. He doesn't talk to me. He was always very introverted, but now I don't know if it's his introversion, or depression or brain fog. I don't understand why he sits all day and reads the paper when he doesn't remember anything. I feel very lonely.
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3 Reactions@joannahoward I agree. Some ppl are just not that sentimental. I'm not, but my dad is super sentimental and we (adult children) believe he may be thinking he hears my mom respond when she doesn't and doesn't acknowledge that sometimes he is actually filling in the blanks and /or guessing what she would say, so he thinks she's better than she is... I can understand she maybe senses mood, but I'm not even sure about that, really. She doesn't like yelling or nasty voices so she's not sensing it - she probably is just hearing it. Alas, he is still determined that she's absorbing certain knowledge & emotions. Maybe she is, but last night she kicked him while he was trying to help with her PJs - she often sleeps in her clothes anyway. She also pooped in the shower not the toilet which was also right there. It's just such weird disease it's hard to know 99% of the time what's really happwning.
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2 Reactions@judimahoney - we are fine from the wreck and thank you for asking. It is comforting to know that not wanting a hug can be a part of this horrible disease therefore I will not take it personally. I feel badly that you are experiencing the same.
You share a lot of worldly wisdom and I thank you.
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2 Reactions@upgirl2013
Luckily I love to bake but also need to hold back so neither of us gains too much weight. 🤭
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1 ReactionMy husband also has MCI. He has been stable but lately he has been paranoid- accusing me of things I do not do. He is also not keeping his dates straight such as wanting me to cancel services because he thinks it interferes with a luncheon date he has that day when in reality it is a month away. He just is mean sometimes.
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3 Reactions@minniem
I learn a lot from this blog, and from numerous classes I am taking.
Thanks. 🙂
@judimahoney
This immensely helpful information! I’ve thought as my husband has become increasingly stubborn about not eating green vegetables and insisting on having a muffin every morning. He bootlegs dessert stuff when he’s out, and I’m not around.
Perhaps his mother’s hiding sweets around the house and later taking sweets from others in her care facility was not because of diabetes, but she since she had dementia, too, it was a side effect of that?
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