Our Alzheimer's Journey ~ 3/18/17

This was a hard week. You may remember he said "no" to the care companion. He said he liked his independence doing his own thing...

Jordan called me from the Brier Creek shopping center and said he couldn't figure out where he was or what he is supposed to be doing. I went to pick him up. He didn't remember where the car was (that is understandable), but he forgot that Jacob was in the car. We had help finding the car and poor Jacob.  

The next day Jordan was confused again. He thought he had been in an accident. Both Wednesday and Tuesday he didn't know who he was. I asked if he knew who I was and he said yes, you're my Kimberly. So I told him anytime he is confused to say: I'm Kimberly's husband. I hope that helps ground him. 

I stayed home for the rest of the week. As I spent time with Jordan he was able to tell some of the scary things that he experiences. He has gotten lost several times (I didn't know). What happens is he's somewhere familiar and all of a sudden nothing looks familiar. 

Also,  he is having visual "hallucinations".  He said he will look at a spoon (for instance) and all of a sudden it becomes moving black dots and changes shape, etc.

The worst is that he has been having moments where he relives moments from childhood and they scare the shit out of him. It's like he has repressed so many unhappy memories so long that they come flooding back and he can't keep them away. An example is he remembers is his father hitting him with a fist on the side of the head and Jordan falling to the ground. I'm not sure what other memories are coming up. 

It is clear that he can no longer be left alone while I work. 

Things I've done/put into place to manage/cope:

1. We sold his car. He was willing. I don't know how this will work next week when he wants to go somewhere. But I had to do it. I needed to minimize the chances of getting severely lost. 

2. Someone I've been working with has stepped in and increased their hours to help me keep an eye on Jordan. The key here is that they are not here as "Jordan's companion". He likes them. 

3. I am looking at Adult Daycare. 

4. We have a Dr. appt on Wednesday for meds.

Things I've learned:

Hallucinations are not unusual for people with Alzheimer's. This is also true of seizures. The smells that Jordan was having may have been seizures or may have been another type of hallucination. The treatment is the same, which is anti-seizure meds. We have Jordan on anti-seizure meds now.  

I believe Jordan is in stage 5 (probably 5.5) of the 7 stages of Alzheimer's. I'm hopeful that we will be able to get his depression under control AND reduce moments when he is afraid.