Blub blub blub

Day 6 in the new year and I we are holding our own.
Hubby seems more content, less agitated. These are VERY good things.
Yet, I keep waiting for the jack in the box to jump out and scare me.

The Holidays came and went with little fanfare.
We kept it simple in many ways while still enjoying our family.
Hubby even participated in the family Christmas Eve gathering this time :)

New Years Eve came and I was a day behind wondering why everyone was celebrating early.
Half of the day was gone before I realized why. LOL
Hey, in my defense, all the days are the same around here.

BIL's time with us was over and he left to stay with his other sisters. He will return next Sept.
He is always quiet and when he isn't in school you would hardly know he was in the house but when he is gone, there is a hole left behind. We will of course see him as often as possible but his absence is felt in our home.

The Shaking that comes with LewyBody has increased enough to cause Hubby more neck and back pain.
In the past we have moved slowly and sparingly with pain meds.
I always fear meds because they seem to have a negative effect on Hubby's cognition.
In the past, fear has kept me holding off more aggressive treatment in pain management. Although I still have concerns I wonder, What I was holding Hubby back to? The tug of war of emotions to hang on or let go is emotionally heartbreaking. I had to decide that Hubby's quality of life was more important than my desire to "keep" him. Helping him stay as pain free as possible became top priority and the best care I could give him.

Meds were changed I am still watching for side effects but happy to say I haven't noticed anything distressful. YAY!!
Downturns still come but I have not necessarily contributed them to the new meds as they have been coming all along anyway.
Words are difficult to find. Hubby confuses easily.
Word recognition is diminished more.
Conversations are harder and sentences must be kept shorter. I struggle with that. :/

Hubby has started drinking his coffee in a laying down position. and eating his breakfast in the same manner.

Last night Hubby had mobile meltdown. Around 3:30 AM Hubby opened our adjoining bathroom door. He has done this a million times but this time, the sound woke me. I only stirred enough to see the time and be annoyed at being awake at that hr but something else said, something is wrong. Sure enough, I saw Hubby standing in the doorway, clutching the frame unable to move.
God has perfect timing and an acute alarm clock.
The longer he stood there the more he leaned forward and fear of him falling pushed me out of bed and to his side for support. It took all we had to walk (drag him) the few feet (6, I measured) to his bed and get him in it and settled. He couldn't remember  how to walk.

Today he is struggling to sit on the side of his bed and I was able to convince him to let me raise the hosp bed to sitting up and placing his table in front of him.
So far, it's working.


The biggest change in Hubby has been a noise he now periodically makes.
quite loudly he will make a sound that is familiar to a fast  "BLUB BLUB BLUB"
He makes this noise on occasion and mostly when I am busy in the room.
Perhaps a way of releasing frustrations and at times a way of getting the attention of our grandsons as they enter the room.
Sometimes I find it amusing and other times not so much when I'm trying to watch something on TV.
I do always ask if it helps him feel better to get that out :)
Somehow it reminds me of his mother. When we cared for her, she would make noise similar to that of a goat bahhh. Given a choice of sounds, I'll take a blub over a goat ;-)

Not every change is bad though.
The best change in Hubby has been his attitude toward me.
I can't say if it is because if Dr Neuros straight talk with him, or our straight forward talks here at home.
Whatever it is Hubby has been kinder toward me to the point of making an extra concerted effort to come and give me a kiss goodnight each evening.
And closing on the best note, One night we lay in the dark, in separate beds I said, "Goodnight Honey, I love you."
He replied, "I love you too, more than you know."
PRICELESS!