A week ago, a Twitter friend posted something that caught my attention. She emphasized how important it is that caregivers are mindful of the signs of health issues our caregivers experience as their communication skills deteriorate. That was relevant to me right now.
Among the many reasons that Kate and I have gotten along so well since her diagnosis is that neither of us has faced any other serious health problems. That has enabled me to give my full attention to her Alzheimer’s. When either of us has had colds, I have been more aware of how even that can impact our normal routine.
As my friend’s tweet suggests, my awareness of other health concerns is hampered by Kate’s inability to tell me anything about her symptoms. When she has had colds, I have always noticed before she did. Fortunately, neither of us has had many colds. Recently, however, she has encountered at least three new issues that concern me.
The one that has bothered me the most has been her eyesight. When she looks at her photo books, she often sees one person but fails to see the person next to her. It occurs frequently when there are three people. She sees the first person on the left. If I ask her who the next person is, she often skips the second person and goes to the third person. When she gets all the jigsaw pieces in place but one, she seems unable to see the blank spot where the last one goes. She walks to and from our car in a parking lot, much like a person who is blind. I know she isn’t, but she is very unsure of herself.
I have tried to get her to tell me what her vision is like and test her when we are at home, but she isn’t aware of a problem and/or can’t express what her experience is like. Since she has regular eye exams twice a year, I hadn’t been worried about any serious vision problems until recently. I attributed everything to her Alzheimer’s. Some of that seemed obvious to me. For example, I do know that some people find that people with dementia don’t want to walk on a black doormat because it is perceived as a hole in the floor. Kate is sensitive to contrasts in flooring or pavement. When she encounters them, she holds up a moment and wants to hold my hand. Last night as we left Bonefish Grill, she saw black spots on the sidewalk and asked if they were holes. That is probably related to her concern about color contrasts on pavement.
Yesterday I spoke with the nurse assistant to Kate’s ophthalmologist. I called to see if her doctor thought Kate’s vision problems could be something more serious, possibly macular degeneration. The doctor said it was unlikely since she had not seen any signs of that at the time of Kate’s last appointment five months ago. The next appointment is in three weeks. We decided to wait until then to see if there are other problems. The doctor thought Kate’s Alzheimer’s is to blame. I suspect she is right but will be eager to see if there is more that we should be concerned about.
Another problem is her hearing. That, too, is something that may be a result of her Alzheimer’s, but she has always had a problem with wax buildup in her ears. We have periodically had them flushed by a doctor. I have tried at home without much success. The last time they were flushed was about six months ago. We have an upcoming appointment with her doctor next week. They should take care of that for us. Kate has said almost nothing about a problem but did mention it within the past week. This is something else to which I need to be attentive.
The problem we may have the most difficult time addressing is her physical mobility. I think that is one that I may have to adjust to. Once again yesterday, she rested the balance of the afternoon (about three hours) after returning from lunch around 2:00. The good news is that she has gotten up earlier in the morning several times in the past couple of weeks. That enables us to get out of the house a little more. That is the only way she can get any exercise. We have an appointment with her doctor next week and will talk about that. I have already started a letter updating the doctor, so she will be prepared when we meet. I wonder how much of the problem is arthritis. It is interesting that she doesn’t complain of any pain; however, it sounds like she is in pain when she gets out of a chair or bed. When I ask directly whether she feels any pain, she says she doesn’t.
One thing that Kate is very aware of, but cannot explain to me, is a dental problem. She brushes her teeth a lot and also picks at her teeth. She feels like she has something caught between then. When I help her floss, I don’t see anything that should make her feel that way, and the flossing doesn’t solve the issue. She also rinses her mouth out multiple times when she brushes. She rinses, spits out, rinses, spits out, rinses, spits out. As she does this, it appears that there is something stuck in her mouth that she wants to get out but can’t. I have been giving her mouthwash to see if that might help. So far I’ve had no luck.
I wonder if this is related to her salivation issue that has never ceased since it started during the summer of 2016. She still does not swallow her saliva. She goes through a lot of paper napkins and paper towels. Often she wipes her mouth with her hands an wipes them on her clothes. That has had an effect on how often I wash. Both her doctor and dentist have suggested that she is bothered by what is a common problem among seniors. There is a collection of phlegm in the throat. I do recall that with my dad. It was through his speech therapist that I first learned of this issue. In Dad’s case, it did not keep him from swallowing. Kate, however, seems to be bothered by the idea of swallowing it.
For the moment, we don’t have any skin problems. The squamous cell growth on her lip is completely gone. Our next appointment with the doctor is in November. I’m not concerned about anything now, but it is one other thing for me to watch.
My Twitter friend was right. A caregiver definitely has to be observant when caring for someone who can’t communicate or effectively explain any problems. Otherwise, things could get out of hand quickly.
