Mornings

• By Csel
• Reply 3742228
• January 26, 2013 at 11:19 am
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That is very interesting. My husband is the opposite. In the evening he is ready to go home. He seems to think that we are away every night. Starts packing up to leave,looking for hs keys, money, car. My husband (so far) is great in the morning. He has a routine of getting the newspaper from outside, gets his medicine for the day, gets juice and cereal. At about 4:30 things start getting confused and by 9 he doesn't know where he is.

• By Chachee
• Reply 3742605
• January 26, 2013 at 1:08 pm
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Thank you for your response. Yes, RJ used to do those things in the morning as well, every morning. He'd get the paper while I made the coffee. He'd feed the cats, take his medication, sit down for breakfast. Just as you described your husband in the afternoon, those are the things RJ is now doing in the morning. His keys are almost a security blanket for him, he carries them with him everywhere. Now he also usually goes back to bed around 8, and when he wakes up again, say around 9, he is more of his usual self. But those early morning times are very confusing to him. He'll often ask me why it's so dark, or why it takes so long for the sun to come up around here, that it's not that way at home. I don't know, maybe this too will pass.

• By MAW12
• Reply 3742785
• January 26, 2013 at 2:20 pm
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Chachee,

My husband does not have either of these diseases, however, he use to get up early for work and even though he has been retired now for 9 years, he still gets up early every morning. He also went to bed early and still does that as well. He said that old habits are hard to break. He is a nice guy and let me sleep in. I am about the same way I am up early sometimes by 4:30am but when I sleep in is only to 6am.

Did your husband get up early for work? If not then maybe try putting him to bed later to see if he will sleep longer. Just a thought.

You and your husband is in my thoughts and prayers.

• By Chachee
• Reply 3742877
• January 26, 2013 at 3:00 pm
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MAW 12
Thank you for your response. Yes, in his working days, before retirement, he used to get up around 4:30, and continued that habit even after retirement, but before I didn't ever get up with him. I knew he was safe and could do many things/habits on his own. RJ usually goes to bed around 8, and I try to follow his routine so that I'll be up in the morning to make sure he is oriented and safe. That's not working so much, the orientation part, anymore. He begrudgingly goes along with whatever I tell him, but I can tell he's not buying it, even if it is true. For example the whole sunrise business? You know, the time change to standard time has really thrown him for a loop. I'm hoping that when DST starts again he'll settle down about that. I tried to explain that to him, but he wasn't buying it. It's much like answering a child's question, why does the sun come up, for which there is hardly an explainable answer.

Please continue to keep us in your prayers and positive thoughts and I will do the same for you and yours. You continue to be an inspiration for me.

• By GrandmaDody
• Reply 3743098
• January 26, 2013 at 4:16 pm
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Hi Chachee,

My husband and I use to get up around 6:00 in the mornings when we worked and even though we are retired we still get up that early. I guess that is what we got use to. My husband gets confused some mornings and then there are days he gets confused in the evening after sundown. He thinks he lives here and I am someone visiting, usually he thinks I am his mom. The neurologist says he must have been close to his mom and that is why he thinks I am his mom. He was close to her.

I know this is very difficult for you. My thoughts and prayers go out to you and your husband. Take care.

• By Chachee
• Reply 3743278
• January 26, 2013 at 5:31 pm
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Grandma Dody, Thank you for your response. I just don't know what to do about this. As I write this I am in tears. The whole day has been one of confusion, asking questions, demanding answers, a litany of what is wrong with what I do. He keeps calling me "mother" which is what he called his mom. Usually, when I can't get him to calm down I pat his hand and ask him to take a nap. Or, I'll say, just tell me what you want, Hon, and I'll make it happen. He's not buying it. That's not working today. All my coping skills are lacking today. I just really feel like going to bed and pulling the sheets over my head although I know this will do nothing.

Thank all of you for listening to me rant and weep. It is truly appreciated,

Beth

• By Chachee
• Reply 3743286
• January 26, 2013 at 5:35 pm
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And, Grandma Dody, thank you for your prayers and positive thoughts. To all, all is appreciated,

• By bob11733
• Reply 3743410
• January 26, 2013 at 6:31 pm
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chachee. Look at the following web site . I have found it to be helpful trying to understand how the person with AD thinks.

alzheimersreadingroom.com

• By Chachee
• Reply 3743566 · In reply to 3743410 by bob11733
• January 26, 2013 at 7:40 pm
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Thank you, Bob

• By leney1957
• Reply 3744864
• January 27, 2013 at 9:45 am
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I think sometimes they just sleep so deeply, that it takes a while to come out of the dream state. My dad woke up one morning, and couldn't speak - just motioning with his hands. My mom, who also suffers from dementia, got so scared she called an ambulance. By the time we got to the hospital, he was a bit more lucid. He described having some kind of apparatus on his face and he couldn't speak or breath. He said the hand motions were him trying to communicate this to mom. We eventually were able to piece together that he was dreaming, and even then, he couldn't understand that because it seemed so real to him. Needless to say, half a day in the emergency room and all kinds of tests later, he was released with nothing more than a big bill. Just another day in dementia-land. Hugs, everyone.

• By Chachee
• Reply 3744966
• January 27, 2013 at 10:18 am
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Thank you Lenny 57. I agree with you.