My bride and I grew up together since the 3rd grade and going on 55 years married. She has been brittle diabetic for 52 years (adopted at birth no family history), has had 2 brain surgeries (brain shunts), ablation, quadruple bypass, viral encephalitis, numerous TIA's, AFib, Watchman put in her heart, five strokes (the last one in Oct), 50% kidney failure, incontinent, and have just found out that one of the bypasses is 100% blocked and the other 3 are all 25% blocked.
I take care of her 24/7 and have a nurse come in 3 days a week. I also have OT and PT for her. My fear is I'm losing my bride to this disease and have noticed she is getting more abrasive (not her character).
I don't want to lose her, and I can't fix her. I worry constantly and don't want to put her in some home. She's all I have in this world now and when she lashes out it's no secret it hurts. Perhaps their are others in my situation. Advice welcomed. Thanks for listening.....
Look at some nice facilities so you’ll have a backup plan if you need one.
You know that your wife will not improve and it’s frustrating to know that you are helpless in this situation.
I hope you also remember the woman that you fell in love with. Wouldn’t she want you to take care of yourself?
If the situation were reversed what would you want for her?
Wouldn’t you want all of the responsibility of your care to be taken care of by a professional staff so that she could return to being your wife who will then become an advocate for you in a facility?
That’s exactly what I have told my husband who will oversee my care in a facility, if I ever need more help than he can possibly provide for me. He can visit me as my loving husband instead of struggling to care for me at home.
Wishing you peace as you navigate through this difficult period in your life.
I wish you could see my mom light up when nurses, aides, and the lady who cuts her hair pay attention to her and fawn over her. For me and my sister, she's sullen and disappointed. She is moving to memory care soon, where several people a day will help her and chat away, and give her new things to look at and think about.
I would hate to be a burden on my wonderful husband. I already know he couldn't take care of me at home all the way to the end of my life, even with occasional help. It's a job for shifts of pros.
Moving your wife to skilled nursing may very well be the best thing for her and for you. It will be an adjustment. You can visit her, fresh, rested and ready. Her health will continue to deteriorate, and you will feel guilt and grief whether she's in a bed at home or in a skilled nursing bed. You're only human. Don't wear yourself out.
Is there any music she likes to listen too?
Would she like for you to read to her ?
Possibly look at photo albums ?
Plan a date at home. Watch a TV show she likes ( or a movie if it’s not too long for her ) . Then have a nice dinner at home with flowers in a vase .
Is your wife on any antidepressants ?
You are correct in that you can not fix her . All you can do is love her .
My question for you is, what about HER?
I am a retired RN. I read what you have written about what your Bride's life has been for these last years, and for myself, it is not something I would want for myself any more. There comes a time for people this ill when living, even living for your GROOM, is simply too much to ask or too much to endure.
I would talk with your beloved and find out if she is tired, if she is longing for peace. Many patients of mine felt they could not tell their loved ones that life was too difficult for them, and that they longed for the final peace of death. So they spoke of this to their nurses, complete strangers. To me, that was always terribly sad.
It may be time to face the fact that we, none of us, live forever, and that the cost of great love is great loss.
Your beloved wife may wish now for the peace of palliative care or hospice, and for the final release of the peace of death.
Now I could be wrong. Your wife may rather wish to fight on to the very last, and that is her own choice to make for herself. But with all that is on her plate I cannot imagine a place for "happiness" in that.
I am 81. My partner is 83. We have known for a number of years that one of us will be leaving the other, either suddenly or in a more prolonged way. It is inevitable.
We are the only animal that must contemplate our certain end.
We each hope to pass before the other. Being both fragile AND alone is a fearsome thing. But the truth is that there is little choice in all of this.
I am so very sorry for the pain and the anguish. I so wish you peace, and the very best.
I know you will discuss with her MD the agitation, and ask for any advice about medications that might help, but in the end, there is so little but sedation to ease our way.
But know that you're doing a great job, and that you're only human.
You must also remember that it is the disease talking and not the loving wife you once knew.
It's hard...I know, but all you can do is your very best, and you're already doing that. So hang in there, and know that this too shall pass.
And if things get too much for you, please don't jeopardize your own health by not placing her in the appropriate facility. She would not want you to lose your health or life over caring for her, I'm sure if she were in her right mind. You matter too in this equation...don't forget that.
I wish you good health, peace and joy as you take this difficult journey with your wife.
Once your wife's condition had deteriorated so far, you could never have found a way to take her out of herself and make her feel happy again. All you could ever do is advocate for her, so that the healthcare professionals do everything possible to keep her comfortable, even if that means she floats on a fog of morphine. All you could ever do is keep her safe.
Instead, reflect on your lives together and how you made each other feel happy and safe when you were both yourselves.
I have never been and never will be loved, as you have loved your wife.
That's what you have given her, and that is everything.