Caregiving.com

Stories, Support, Solutions
  1. Kathy

    Falls Specialist

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    Comment
    | Kathy's Blog
    May 22, 2012
    Whew!! Fortunately for me the Falls Specialist that the VA set up a consult with only called me on the phone and didn’t need to make a home visit! I tidied up a few things up anyway, just to get a head start. Better safe than sorry. I had no...
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  2. Kathy

    Documentation

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    4
    | Kathy's Blog
    May 15, 2012
    Documenting Lewy was a suggestion I was given when the Lewy Body journey started and after I joined a spousal caregiving support group for those living and caring for Lewy Body. I learned so much from those that went before us. Journaling was a way to not only document Lewy...
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  3. Kathy

    Are We There Yet?

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    6
    | Kathy's Blog
    May 5, 2012
    According to the V.A. we aren’t. Hubby had an appointment for Palliative/Hospice care the other day. I allowed two hours for Hubby to get up, have coffee, eat and me get him prepared for his appointment. This time frame is usually a good one although there are times we cut...
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  4. Kathy

    Decisions

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    8
    | Kathy's Blog
    April 29, 2012
    Decision #1) Hubby has an appointment with the V.A. in a couple of days and at that point we will decide on palliative care/hospice. I knew that this would one day be a decision we would need to make and it’s been weighing pretty heavy on my mind since we...
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  5. Kathy

    Ours, Mine and His

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    6
    | Kathy's Blog
    April 21, 2012
    Once upon a time, a long time ago… In our world we lived on the schedule of the children and husband. Hubby lived on the schedule of his business and the business I told him he had with our children. (He had to be reminded.) In our world there was...
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  6. Kathy

    Ghosts

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    7
    | Kathy's Blog
    April 6, 2012
    Hubby requested we go out to eat so he could get out of the house. Then in his next breath he said, “At least you let me do that.” Poor Hubby, he wants so much to do things but 99% of what he wants to do he isn’t able, ie:...
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  7. Kathy

    Give a Guy A Break

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    4
    | Kathy's Blog
    March 23, 2012
    Poor Hubby can’t catch an emotional break lately. In as many days he has received sad news about two friends passing away. Processing the first one has been very difficult for Hubby. He is lost in the house and unsure of where he was most of the time. He asks...
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  8. Kathy

    Let My Guard Down

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    6
    | Kathy's Blog
    March 19, 2012
    A few years ago I was channel surfing and ran across a sermon that caught my attention. It wasn’t so much the topic that caught  my attention as it was the man’s presentation. The topic was on The Whole Armor of God. I’ve heard and read and taught it myself...
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  9. Kathy

    What A Day

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    8
    | Kathy's Blog
    March 19, 2012
    Hubby has had a very interesting day today. (This was Saturday) But it all started back a few days or maybe I should say nights. I have been keeping a close eye on Hubby since he started his new seizure episodes. Not overly worried or concerned about them just yet....
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  10. Kathy

    Things that Go Bump in the Night

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    2
    | Kathy's Blog
    March 13, 2012
    Hubby and I had the pleasure of hosting our youngest grandsons first birthday party at our home We had a house full of family, friends, and small children. Hubby participated as much as he could and sometimes just his presence in the room was more than we expected. It was...
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  11. Kathy

    How Old Am I?

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    4
    | Kathy's Blog
    March 4, 2012
    It was the best of times and it was the bestest? bester? Oh whatever, it was really funny. I am enjoying Hubby’s calmness as of late. The angry words and accusations seem to have diminished quite a bit. Perhaps Hubby is finally coming to terms with his Lewy Body Dementia....
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  12. Kathy

    Highest Praise

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    13
    | Kathy's Blog
    February 18, 2012
    Just received the highest praise I could ever ask for. Hubby asked me if I wanted to get rid of him. My reply was was a resounding “Not at all” then I asked why, was he wanting to get away from me? He looked straight at me and said, “I’d...
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  13. Kathy

    Treading Water

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    11
    | Kathy's Blog
    February 16, 2012
    Feels like Hubby and I have been treading water for quite some time now. Although we are still moving along in the Lewy Body Dementia waters at least we are not being sucked into its undertow. That’s a good thing. We still have cognition problems. Just last night Hubby asked...
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  14. Kathy

    More Boys

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    5
    | Kathy's Blog
    January 26, 2012
    Last night Hubby needed and asked for assistance with his bed covers. As I was hovering over him he asked me if there were people in the house. I answered no, there were not. This question is common but it came with a different tone for Hubby. He then stated...
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  15. Kathy

    This Is All About Me

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    15
    | Kathy's Blog
    January 20, 2012
    I’m a caregiver statistic. I eat poorly, I haven’t seen a medical Dr in 5yrs maybe more, I don’t exercise regularly, I put my own self care last or completely ignore it until it screams for attention, I was 4 yrs before I used any respite time that the VA...
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  16. Kathy

    Conversations

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    10
    | Kathy's Blog
    January 15, 2012
    Conversations around here can be hilarious at times. Our struggle can range anywhere from unfinished sentences to incorporating parts of other conversations in the present ones. For instance, when I passed by Hubby’s bed, I reached over to get a small blanket and he flinched saying he thought I was...
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  17. Kathy

    Blub Blub Blub

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    7
    | Kathy's Blog
    January 6, 2012
    Day 6 in the new year and I we are holding our own. Hubby seems more content, less agitated. These are VERY good things. Yet, I keep waiting for the jack in the box to jump out and scare me. The Holidays came and went with little fanfare. We kept...
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  18. Kathy

    No Sick Days

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    8
    | Kathy's Blog
    December 22, 2011
    Caregiving, at least in my house, has no sick days. So what’s a gal to do? I suppose whatever it takes, and take whatever you have. Seems like a cold attacked me and beat me up. I’ve been fighting it with all I have. Day meds, night meds, allergy meds,...
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  19. Kathy

    Good News / Bad News

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    11
    | Kathy's Blog
    December 15, 2011
    Good News- Hubby got a hospital bed to make life a little easier for him/ Bad news -We have progressed to needing a hospital bed. The V.A. supplied the new bed AND a bed table / The bed requires special sized sheets. They make special sized sheets!! / They don’t...
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  20. Kathy

    The Best Worst Dr Appointment

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    19
    | Kathy's Blog
    December 9, 2011
    Lewy had a Neurology appointment the other day. Just a follow up. We took the 70+ mile trip in morning traffic. I really dislike early morning appointments. It takes a GOOD two hours to get us ready to walk out the door. Then there is the car loading of Hubby...
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  21. Kathy

    Moving Day

    by
    9
    | Kathy's Blog
    December 6, 2011
    I don’t know how or why it happened but Lewy’s lid boiled over splattering everywhere and leaving me an emotional mess. I did something I didn’t think I would. I moved out of our bedroom. I moved for a couple 3 or 4 reasons. In Hubby’s reality he does not...
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  22. Kathy

    ***Time in a Bottle***

    by
    8
    | Kathy's Blog
    November 22, 2011
    Still dancing with the V.A. after a week and still no closer to getting out home health care renewal approved. Sigh. Asked family to make a milk run for us and was successful at that. Had an unexpected and glorious surprise visit from oldest daughter one day. She happily ran...
    Read more...
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