Tips For Caregiver's

People with Alzheimer's disease frequently become more disoriented after dark or when waking. Leaving a night-light on in the bedroom may be helpful.

~WebMd

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Words Cannot Express...

I am so looking forward to a peaceful weekend. Last weekend was not peaceful in the least bit. Muddear was extremely disoriented and confused. First, I don't think she slept all weekend. Some say it must have been due to the full moon; however, I need a better explanation than that. Sleep deprivation was only the beginning of my troubles.

For about the last 8 months, Muddear is mysteriously sick every Saturday. Truthfully, I don't believe she is sick - I think she misses Sharon, the aide. It just doesn't make sense that every Saturday, no matter how wonderful she felt the day and night before, Muddear wakes up sick and cannot bear to get out of bed. Not only is she "unable" to get out of bed, Muddear wants to sleep all day long. This means I am constantly waking her up and getting her out of bed in the midst of cooking, cleaning, and doing homework. 

Last Saturday started this way, but unfortunately never ended, because Muddear never went to bed. Of course, at the crack of dawn on Sunday, Muddear wanted attention and began yelling.  Jumping out of bed, I went into her room where immediately I was greeted by a huge wet spot on the floor. Yes, I was weirded out - who knows what the wet spot contained? After doing the "pat and sniff test" I was somewhat convinced it was water and placed a towel on the floor to soak up the mess. Fortunately, straightening up Muddear's room only took a few minutes and getting her back in the bed took even less time. At that point, it was 6:00 a.m. and I was in no shape to wake up for the day. 

Later, Sunday afternoon I began the process of cleaning and dressing Muddear to go to my family cookout. Upon opening the closet door to retrieve an outfit I was greeted by the foul smell of urine. The wet spot I mistakenly assumed to be water had to of contained urine.While we managed to get through the rest of the day with little incident, much to my dismay, Muddear refused to sleep again Sunday night. This time, unlike Saturday night, she was loud and kept us up all night. Between opening and slamming doors in her room to busting down the baby gate we use to keep her in the room, to sneaking out in the hallway and banging on the kids bedroom doors, I may have slept a total of 2 hours. 

Sharon, the aide never takes off on holidays except Christmas, thus I was ecstatic when she arrived on Monday morning - Memorial Day. Mike and I slept a couple more hours and together escaped until it was time for Sharon to leave. That is, not before Sharon advised that when she went into Muddear's room it looked like it had been ransacked! Muddear had pretty much stripped down naked - taken the covers off her bed and crawled onto the futon in her room (a place she NEVER sleeps on). The icing on the cake... Muddear had removed her Depends and urinated into a box of tissues.

I just don't understand.

4 comments:

Janice and Jessica said...

I think that is the most frustrating part of all of this is that you never know when you are going to get walloped out of left field with something so strange. There is no explanation for anything. I wish that there were but we both know that it isn't.

I'm thinking of you both.

njm said...

Janice and Jessica,

Thanks so much for thinking of me. You are right, there really is no explanation. Whenever these "episodes" used to occur, I immediately thought - UTI. Yet every time I had Muddear tested that was never the case. At times we have adjusted, eliminated, or substituted various medications to eliminate those that potentially could cause confusion, yet the "episodes" still occur. I guess I must be at peace with the fact that I will never know.

Hope all is well with you!

Home Care Pittsburgh said...

NJM:

It is so difficult taking care of loved ones - thank goodness for nurse aides and home care! Good luck to you and your family!

njm said...

Home Care Pittsburgh,

Thanks for stopping by and commenting. You are right - caring for loved ones is NOT easy. I don't know what I would do if it were not for my Aide Sharon. She has become irreplaceable! A God-send!