🧠 What IS a Bad Alzheimer's Day? I think that answer depends enormously on: What stage you're in. And, frankly... How much patience YOU have that day. A bad day earlier in the disease may look like: More trouble finding words. More repetitive questions. More confusion. Losing things. Difficulty following directions. Being unusually quiet. Irritability. Anxiety. Getting overwhelmed more easily.

The Children of Early Onset Alzheimer's There's something very different about Early Onset Alzheimer's that doesn't get talked about enough. There are often kids still in the house. Not adult children in their 50s helping an 80-year-old parent. I'm talking about: A 7-year-old. A 12-year-old. A teenager.

The grief sitting quietly on the edge of everything. Anticipatory grief. The grief for what's coming. And Alzheimer's adds another layer because you're also grieving what's already gone. The conversation you used to have. The person who handled something without being asked. The husband who remembered the anniversary. The person who could solve a problem for YOU. The future you assumed you'd have together. It's not one giant loss. It's hundreds of

Okay… Let’s talk about the REALLY uncomfortable topic. The one people whisper about in caregiver groups.The one people judge quietly.The one many of us think about long before we ever admit it out loud. 👉 Loneliness 👉 Companionship 👉 Intimacy 👉 What happens to US (the spouse/caregiver) emotionally during all this

I need to tell you about something that happened this week. Not because I'm proud of it. Because I think someone else might need permission to admit they're struggling too. The other day I was overwhelmed. Not just tired. Not just frustrated. Completely emotionally exhausted

One thing I've learned about Early Onset Alzheimer's: Every day brings something new. Sometimes it's frustrating. Sometimes it's heartbreaking. And sometimes... It's so ridiculous you can't help but laugh. This was one of those days.

because sometimes your spouse is physically still beside you… but pieces of your marriage are already disappearing. This may be one of the hardest posts I ever write. Because somewhere between: 👉 Stage 4 👉 Stage 5 👉 Burnout 👉 Loneliness 👉 Loss of intimacy 👉 Becoming caregiver instead of partner

😳Then He Thanked Me And then... He thanked me. He fucking thanked me. For staying. For helping him.

This week... It was bacon. Not the diagnosis. Not another test. Not a doctor's appointment. Just... Bacon

Let's talk about the other patient in the room. No. Not your spouse. You. Because in the middle of Alzheimer's, dementia, doctors, medications, insurance forms, caregiving schedules, and trying to keep another human being alive and safe... There is still another spouse in the picture. And that's you.

Because this post isn't about Alzheimer's. Not really. It's about grief. The sneaky kind. The kind that jumps out and punches you in the throat while you're standing in line at the grocery store. Not really. It's about grief. The sneaky kind. The kind that jumps out and punches you in the throat while you're standing in line at the grocery store.

CAREGIVER ANGER IS REAL Nobody talks enough about this. The rage. The frustration. The resentment. The exhaustion.

Now? Looking back all these years later, I realize it taught me something important about people and hard seasons in life. Some people can sit beside pain. Some people can’t. Some people stay when life gets ugly and uncertain.

There’s something no one tells you about this stage. When you’re with your spouse every day… 👉 You don’t always see the decline clearly It’s slow. It’s subtle. It blends into your routine. Until… 👉 You step outside your normal life And then it hits you all at once.

🧠 How Someone with Alzheimer’s Processes Loss It’s different. 💭 1. Immediate Emotional Reaction Intense sadness Anger Fear

🧠 The Awkward Middle Here’s where it gets even harder… 👉 Sometimes they initiate intimacy And it feels: Off Awkward Disconnected Like the emotional piece just isn’t there.

When this starts…you go looking for answers. And very quickly, that turns into: 👉 What can slow this down? 👉 What can help? 👉 Is there anything—anything at all—that works? You start chasing what feels like…

This song… this one hits. I play it loud. Usually alone in my car. Because sometimes, it just says exactly what I’m feeling. If that sound isn’t your thing, maybe your version is: “What about me?” Either way—you know the feeling. 🌊 The Truth About “Drowning” Some days… I am. Not every day. But some days, it creeps in. And if you’re here—you probably know exactly what I mean. ⏳ Three Years In We are now three years past diagnosis now. And oddly enough…daily life is smoother.

This might be the hardest part of the early stages. Not the diagnosis. 2021 vs 2016 Not the appointments. Not even the unknown. It’s this: 👉 What about us? What about me? And I’m going to say something out loud that a lot of people are afraid to admit: