I recently came across your blog during one of my many desperate searches for information about Lewy, our best friend and enemy.
While I haven't read every entry yet, what I have sifted through has made me sigh out loud in complete relief. Though logic (and all the people at the Alzheimer's support group) tell me I am not alone, it sure feels like it sometimes. Reading experiences that could be my own from someone whose loved one actually has Lewy Body and not some offshoot of another form of dementia is invaluable, and I wanted to say THANK YOU so much for taking the time to put your daily trials where I could find them.
If I can possibly make a long story short, my Dad has Lewy. For as long as I can remember, he had those vivid dreams/night terrors and punched holes in walls. But after it was just him and my Mom at home, she'd tell me about his strange behavior and "visitors" at night...he'd chase kids, animals, men with weapons, and use the clothes dryer as a toilet. When she passed away, I brought him into my home, but because I was fresh out of cancer surgery/radiation myself and had two small children to boot (and life in general), we eventually found him a place of his own, which proved disastrous. We brought him back into our home. But after weeks of chasing "Lewy" around at all hours, re-arranging furniture and chasing naked, peeing Lewy, and naked exercising Lewy around the house, we realized he needed round the clock care that I definitely could not provide for him. 3 facilities later (had to move him after finding evidence of neglect and abuse), I am confident he is finally being well cared for. Deep breath!
Of course there are a million other things in between as you clearly well know.
But again, thank you thank you thank you...I will be faithfully reading whenever I can.
All my best to you and your family,
Laine
1 comments:
Stella said...
Oh laine, bless you. Yes, you know LBD. You describe what my life would have been like if it were not for the blindness. I feel awful for being thankful for the blindness which kept Freddie confined to close quarters instead of blasting all through the house and yard. I'm glad you have found a safe place and good people to care for your dad. It takes special inner strength to look after a Lewy. If you have found folks like that, it is a wonderful miracle.