RE: Re: Excessive Sleeping

May 4, 2012

I gave up trying to keep my husband awake in the last 2 years of his life. His

vision was limited, his hearing was not the best, he no longer watched TV or

read anything. He often slept or lay in bed 20 hours a day. He would awaken

occasionally for breakfast, but would go to bed soon after and then awaken for

lunch and/or dinner. He would sometimes come into the living room and sit with

me for an hour or so in the evening (he was more lively during the evening

hours). That was it. I put a potty chair by his bed so all he had to do was

stand up to urinate (otherwise he would have used the carpet!) and he was able

to walk the short distance to the bathroom, if needed. He always preferred to

be in bed otherwise and, frankly, if he was happiest and comfortable there, I

can't imagine why I should have been concerned about it. He DID have a terminal

illness and I figured he was entitled to live his last days in the manner he

preferred.

Cassie

To: LBDcaregivers

From: dofstad@...

Date: Fri, 4 May 2012 09:33:13 -0600

Subject: Re: Excessive Sleeping

This sounds very, very familiar to me. My Dad sleeps about 18 hours a day;

we wake him for meals, otherwise he'd probably prefer to just keep

sleeping. His schedule goes something like this - up at 9:30 for a

breakfast that takes about an hour for him to get through. He needs total

help with all of his ADL's and then goes back to bed from about 11:30-2:00.

We get him up for late lunch (another hour long process) then I do light

exercises with him before he goes back down for a nap around 4:00. We wake

him around 7:00 for dinner, then he's usually back in bed by 9:00, at which

time he sleeps all night with very little moving or waking until we get him

up again the next morning to go through the same routine all over again.

A little more background - Dad also has very severe macular degeneration

and is legally blind, so at times doctors etc. attributed his withdrawal

and wanting to sleep to boredom. I now know that so much of that

withdrawing and sleeping is the disease. I get tired of people trying to

tell us we should offer more stimulation and try to keep him awake. It's

just not possible, he's practically nodding off in the middle of activities

and just can't stay focused on anything. He does get interested in

listening to certain sporting events, but even that is becoming less and

less. He never remembers the outcome because he's usually half dozing.

I've been very quiet here but read this forum daily. I'm just so deep into

the caregiving that I don't have time to post - this, however prompted me

to make time because it's the first time I read of such a similar sleep

scenario.

Is your Mom able to ambulate on her own? Dad isn't, so that means that he

only gets up when we transfer him.

I think I'm needing this forum more and more so will take the time to

formally introduce myself soon. Until then, know that I'm (unfortunately)

part of this roller-coaster club. Thank you to all who take the time to

share their experience.

Debbie

May 4, 2012

Cassie - I couldn't agree more. And, quite frankly, it gives my Mom a

break, too, which she desperately needs. If having him awake was going to

make his life better, then we would certainly do all we could to keep him

up, but that would be such a struggle and just won't do any good in the

long run. It would also be different if it disrupted night time sleep, but

in Dad's case it doesn't make a bit of difference.

Debbie

> I gave up trying to keep my husband awake in the last 2 years of his life.

> His vision was limited, his hearing was not the best, he no longer watched

> TV or read anything. He often slept or lay in bed 20 hours a day. He

> would awaken occasionally for breakfast, but would go to bed soon after and

> then awaken for lunch and/or dinner. He would sometimes come into the

> living room and sit with me for an hour or so in the evening (he was more

> lively during the evening hours). That was it. I put a potty chair by his

> bed so all he had to do was stand up to urinate (otherwise he would have

> used the carpet!) and he was able to walk the short distance to the

> bathroom, if needed. He always preferred to be in bed otherwise and,

> frankly, if he was happiest and comfortable there, I can't imagine why I

> should have been concerned about it. He DID have a terminal illness and I

> figured he was entitled to live his last days in the manner he preferred.

>

> Cassie

>

> To: LBDcaregivers

> From: dofstad@...

> Date: Fri, 4 May 2012 09:33:13 -0600

> Subject: Re: Excessive Sleeping

>

> This sounds very, very familiar to me. My Dad sleeps about 18 hours a

> day;

>

> we wake him for meals, otherwise he'd probably prefer to just keep

>

> sleeping. His schedule goes something like this - up at 9:30 for a

>

> breakfast that takes about an hour for him to get through. He needs total

>

> help with all of his ADL's and then goes back to bed from about 11:30-2:00.

>

> We get him up for late lunch (another hour long process) then I do light

>

> exercises with him before he goes back down for a nap around 4:00. We wake

>

> him around 7:00 for dinner, then he's usually back in bed by 9:00, at which

>

> time he sleeps all night with very little moving or waking until we get him

>

> up again the next morning to go through the same routine all over again.

>

> A little more background - Dad also has very severe macular degeneration

>

> and is legally blind, so at times doctors etc. attributed his withdrawal

>

> and wanting to sleep to boredom. I now know that so much of that

>

> withdrawing and sleeping is the disease. I get tired of people trying to

>

> tell us we should offer more stimulation and try to keep him awake. It's

>

> just not possible, he's practically nodding off in the middle of activities

>

> and just can't stay focused on anything. He does get interested in

>

> listening to certain sporting events, but even that is becoming less and

>

> less. He never remembers the outcome because he's usually half dozing.

>

> I've been very quiet here but read this forum daily. I'm just so deep into

>

> the caregiving that I don't have time to post - this, however prompted me

>

> to make time because it's the first time I read of such a similar sleep

>

> scenario.

>

> Is your Mom able to ambulate on her own? Dad isn't, so that means that he

>

> only gets up when we transfer him.

>

> I think I'm needing this forum more and more so will take the time to

>

> formally introduce myself soon. Until then, know that I'm (unfortunately)

>

> part of this roller-coaster club. Thank you to all who take the time to

>

> share their experience.

>

> Debbie

>

May 4, 2012