There are 10 warnings signs to look for, what you don’t know is these warning signs can be associated with so many other things too! Larry has exhibited all 10 signs at one point or another. Some signs have stuck around and some pop up on special occasions, and not the fun occasions.
1. Memory Loss affecting day to day activities. Like even though I remind him repeatedly that we need to be ready to leave at a certain time he is never ready.
2. Difficulty performing familiar tasks. Dressing himself is not an option, he can take a shower by himself but now I have to dry him off and help him put his underwear on in fear he will fall down. It doesn’t matter that i have asked him to sit and do it, he doesn’t remember that. Everything goes on backwards or inside out if he does it himself and hen he’s mad!
3. Problems finding words or what you want to say. Trying to explain how he’s feeling or what is hurting him is impossible.
4. Disoriented, not knowing the time or recognizing places. We have an atomic clock in the living room, he will look at that and still guess the date or time!
5. Impaired judgement. I can’t say for sure we have experienced this one yet. He does like to wear long sleeve shirts and sweat pants every day whether it’s hot or cold, doesn’t matter.
6. Problems with abstract thinking. Well, all I know about this is he’s never balanced our checkbook so there’s that.
7. Misplacing things. My sweet husband has done this since day one after his stroke, he has accused almost everyone we know at one point or another of taking something that’s his only to find it later…it may be 2 years later or the next day, but still finds it.
8. Changes in mood and behavior. Lordy, this is a big one. His mood changes in the blink of an eye, from good to bad usually and sometimes just plain UGLY!
9. Changes in personality. This is the most heartbreaking so far, he is so different from the man I married. I get glimpses of my sweet husband occasionally but those are few and far between.
10. Loss of initiative. I seen this one coming hundreds of years ago, I’m not sure if it’s in his genes or he just stopped giving a shit, either way it’s always been unattractive to me, now it’s just sad.
Dementia at Fifty! 