Re: Things are getting more and more difficult (to Elaine)

[Guest guest]

Hi Elaine.

It turns out we'll be up at Macquarie Uni on 26 April so would love to see you

then if you're free.

I had a look at your old posts regarding Jim's need to get up during the night

and it was all really helpful, thanks so much. In the end, it seems you came to

the conclusion that it's a psychological need for these bathroom breaks and I

suspect you could be right. At the moment Dad is 'usually' only getting up 2-3

times a night but on a bad night, he'll be up 6-8 times. It seems that cranberry

tablets have helped a little. Dad has a high PSA/prostate cancer and someone

with a similar issue suggested we try cranberry.

It seems that Mum isn't alone when it comes to the issue of having to help Dad

out of bed during the night. At the moment it's just a matter of pushing him

from behind so he can stand up but I'm guessing this will get to the point where

he would actually need to be helped out of bed and to the bathroom.

Thanks so much for going to so much trouble in sending all of that information.

I really look forward to meeting you!

Tania....

>

> Dear Tania

>

> It would be wonderful to meet you when you come to Macquarie Uni. I can

> drive over to meet you there. Just let me know the date and I will hope that

> my diary is clear, though I have a pretty flexible life at the moment. The

> only commitments I cannot change are Thurs 19th April in the morning and

> Monday 23rd at lunchtime.

>

> Tania, your mother is so fortunate to have such a supportive daughter. I'm

> really looking forward to meeting you.

>

>

>

> Have you tried Melatonin to help your dad sleep through the night?

>

> Jim was also waking up very frequently during the nights and we tried a

> range of drugs which would work intermittently.

>

>

>

> I have just searched in the collection of Messages on the Group on the

> website. Rather than repeat myself here, if you go to these Message #s, you

> may find some helpful information that might work for you. It gives you an

> overview of some of my journey with Jim and Lewy, especially with this

> problem of getting up so often during the night. The website allows you to

> search for the Message #.

>

>

>

> 96720; 96769; 96787; 96826; 97059; 97004

>

>

>

> I can really identify with your mother. I slept with Jim every night unless

> he was in hospital, and then for the last week of his life, I " slept " next

> to his hospital bed at RNSH so I could help the staff turn him every 2-3

> hours.

>

> I also didn't want to take the respite available because I knew that if Jim

> went to a strange place, it would make him so confused and upset that he

> would have gone backwards and that the extra effort stabilising him after

> the respite would undo any positive impact it might have had for me.

>

> I used to make up for the disturbed nights by sleeping in the next morning.

> For some reason, as soon as it was daylight, Jim would sleep well ... so I

> would also sleep and rest in bed with him. Some days I didn't get up until

> 10 or 11 am.

>

> However, if I were your mother, I would be taking you up on the offer of

> staying the night! I didn't have anyone around to do that for me.

>

> All the very best and hopefully ... " see you soon "

>

>

>

> Elaine from Sydney Australia

>

> Carer for four years for husband Jim who died peacefully in hospital on 12th

> February 2011.

>

> Brain analysis, as a result of brain donation, has now confirmed the

> diagnosis of Diffuse Lewy Body Disease

>

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