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Try to Remember

This post describes, in part, the effects of a degenerative neurological condition called Huntington’s Disease. Any negative behavior on the part of my wife should be attributed to that condition. Any negative behavior on the part of myself should be attributed to my need for God’s ongoing grace.

If you would like to read our story from the beginning, you can start here: How We Got Here…

This week Janet has been going through fewer diapers – which is not a good thing. It means that her kidneys are beginning to shut down. She is also much more confused and is getting more and more agitated when not medicated. Much of her talking right now is just random phrases addressed to no one in particular.

She also is jumping between topics and everything is jumbled and out of order – sort of like a library after being hit by a tornado. She just now started yelling, “Help!” She is worried that our son was in “the wrong uniform” and that it was “Too late! Too late!” – though I have no idea what is too late.

This sort of rambling talk is hard on Frannie because she was raised to pay attention and respond when someone speaks to her or asks a question. But now the majority of her Mom’s words are incoherent or totally without context. Dealing with this new reality, in turn, has resulted in Frannie really getting it for the first time that in 35 years or so, that could be her (or her older brother) lying in the bed. Though neither have been tested, the possibility is certainly there for one or both.

Here’s praying for a cure.

Another problem is temperature regulation. She will say that she is freezing and (literally) 30 seconds later complain about being overheated. It could be that her thermal regulation is shot, or it could be that there is something else wrong that she doesn’t know how to express.

I also found the last remaining copy of the wedding invites that we mailed out 34 years ago.

As I sit here writing this, there are only 10 days before our anniversary. I also looked it up online and discovered that the church is still there.

East Weymouth Congregational Church

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The title this week is drawn from the first song of the 1960 off-Broadway musical The Fantasticks – which ran an astounding 42 years, closing in 2002. With words written by Tom Jones, the song evokes a sense of nostalgia for an earlier, more innocent time when the singer was a “callow fellow.”

However, the kind of remembering that the song calls for is more than just an encyclopedic recall of sterile facts and figures. It also includes images that invoke the feel of a time and place, like an impressionist painting by Claude Monet or really good photography like the work of Ansel Adams.

When your loved one is suffering from dementia, this unremembered memory can become critical because often the first thing lost is the “encyclopedia.” A situation that we can easily interpret like: “They no longer recognize me, so they are gone.” But even when the individual data points like addresses or names are gone, much of what truly constitutes “them” lives on.

Consequently, there remains much that we can learn from them – perhaps things that the “encyclopedia” hid. As an example of what I mean, consider the case of my own father.

To understand what happened to dad, you need to understand that my Grandfather Porter ran out on the family shortly after my dad was born, and that his mother (a first-generation, red-headed Irish Catholic lady with, we hear, a rather fiery temper) died of tuberculosis when he was five. At that time in rural Missouri, there was no formal adoption process and, for reasons that have never been adequately explained, my Grandmother Porter’s family (the Fosters) could have taken in my dad and his sister, but never did.

As a result, my dad was raised by a succession of local families until he ended up with a widow named Becky Moore, who was in her 80s when she took him in at the age of nine. She was clearly far too old to be trying to deal with a half-wild boy (my dad’s description of himself) and the measures she took to try and control him were often physically abusive – like smashing his knuckles with a chunk of stove wood.

Dad lived in her house (a tar-paper shack, really) until he was 16. When an Army recruiter came through town, Dad saw that visit as an opportunity to get out of a very bad situation by joining the Army. However, when the recruiter found out Dad was only 16, he wouldn’t let him enlist because he was too young. Dad made it a couple more weeks, but then something happened that truly put him in fear for his life so he lit out again, tracked down the recruiter in a nearby town, and pleaded his case for getting into the Army. Dad said it was very clear that the recruiter remembered him, because when Dad finished with his story, the recruiter looked at him and said, “Well I think we can get you into the Army. Just one question: how old are you today?”

When Dad said he was 18, the recruiter told him, “Well, it looks like you’re in the Army – raise your right hand.” And for the first time, Dad took the service oath, right there in the recruiter’s office. Was what the recruiter did illegal? Yeah, probably. But the recruiter knew that area of Missouri and knew that being in the Army wouldn’t hurt him – and might actually do him some good.

Dad would eventually retire 23 years later in 1954, a few months after I was born. Dad used to say that in a real sense, the US Army was his real mother and father, because it was the Army that taught him,

“…how to blow my nose, and keep my backside clean.”

So from Dad’s initial enlistment, let’s fast forward 70 years. My dad is now 86 and dying. As a retiree, he’s being treated in an Army hospital in Arizona, but his mind is muddled and worried. He doesn’t know where he is and doesn’t even recognize my mom. To him, she’s just a nice nurse that is always there whenever he wakes up.

Then one day, they had the door to his room open, and as he was lying in bed, he saw a soldier in fatigues walk by. That sight woke up some part of him that lay beyond the encyclopedic part of memory. It wasn’t something he remembered like the current day of the week or his phone number, but was simply a part of who he was.

He realized that he was in an Army hospital and he knew what had to be done. He grabbed my mom’s arm and told her that she had to find out from the orderlies what unit he was in and then contact his commanding officer so his CO would know that he was in the hospital and not AWOL.

What woke up was his sense of loyalty, honor, and duty to his “mother” and “father.” From that day on, Mom said he was never again worried or confused because he knew where he was – with his brothers.

I believe that in some way everyone is like that. We go through life with things so deep inside us that we don’t consciously realize they are even there – let alone where they come from. That’s why, whenever I’m interacting with Janet, I try to think about what her “random” words are pointing at.

In Christ, Amen ☩

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A prayer for when you’re trying to solve a puzzle…

“Blessed are You, Lord God, King of the Universe. It is right that I should at all times and in all circumstances bless You for knowing all things. But today I want to bless you especially for opening my eyes when I cannot see, and making visible that which is hidden. Help me to understand the hidden needs and expressions of others. Amen.”

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Dealing with Aggression:
Triggers and Responses

This post describes, in part, the effects of a degenerative neurological condition called Huntington’s Disease. Any negative behavior on the part of my wife should be attributed to that condition. Any negative behavior on the part of myself should be attributed to my need for God’s ongoing grace.

If you would like to read our story from the beginning, you can start here: How We Got Here…

Due to the length of the main body of this post, and the fact that little has changed, my weekly update on Janet’s condition is foreshortened.

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Let me start this week by saying that I have been overwhelmed with the response that I received to the first half of this discussion that I posted last Sunday. That post appears to have truly “struck a nerve” with many, many people as they have chosen to publicly share their personal stories and experiences. Thank you for your openness and your concern for others.

This week we are going to continue the conversation by talking about some of the things that can trigger outbursts, and coping mechanisms that can be helpful. But first I need to make a quick Public Service Announcement.

A couple weeks ago I talked about getting lost in an “Alice in Wonderland” world of lost perspectives and identity. To address this problem, you need to cultivate a relationship that can serve as your battle buddy. In our civilian context, this person has several additional jobs. First, they will be your point of reference to help you identify when the stuff starts to seriously hit the fan. Second, they must be someone whose opinions and judgments you absolutely trust. This point is critical because there will come a time when you are called upon to make some really hard choices. Their job is to help you to remember that your focus is getting your loved one the help they need – no matter what it feels like at the moment. Third, they must have the honor to keep what you tell them in confidence – and the wisdom and bravery to know when, for your safety, they should not.

Unfortunately, just finding this person can be traumatic. I have written before that when Janet started having really bad symptoms I tried to ignore them because I wanted her to be my partner in this battle – even when it became clear that such a partnership was no longer possible. Finding this support person can feel disloyal, but let me say in the strongest possible terms that as long as the relationship is maintained in integrity, it is not.

So moving on …

What are some of the other things that can trigger violent or aggressive reactions? Here are just a few of the most common ones.

Lack of recognition: Simply put, they don’t know who you are. Despite all the memes and aphorisms about how you can’t forget love, the truth is that they can forget you. Sometimes the loss is temporary, and sometimes it is permanent. But being thrown together with someone they don’t think they know but yet exhibits a desire for emotional and perhaps physical intimacy, understandably produces fear and anger.

Progressive brain injury: Many sources of dementia are progressive – which is to say they get worse over time. The nightmarish part is that not only is your loved one’s brain dying, but they are awake to experience the full horror of it. I will never forget the looks of abject terror in my HD positive father-in-law’s eyes. At the time I didn’t understand the look, now I do.

Delusion: Dementia patients often start imagining troublesome realities. Ironically, these delusions can sometimes result from their injured brains trying to make sense of the previous two triggers. Note that delusions come in two “flavors”. One, called reasonable delusions, are things that are possible, but unlikely. For instance, “My family is trying to kill me.” The other form, unreasonable delusions, consists of ideas that are clearly impossible like, “Zombies are hiding under my bed.”

Physical problems: These are issues like poor diet or ill health from unrelated maladies. For example, bad nutrition can put undue stress on anybody, and the last thing that someone with a degenerative brain condition needs is more physical stress. In the same way, ill health in the form of a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) is a very common trigger for aggressive behavior.

Ok, so we understand some of the things that can trigger aggressive behavior, but what are we supposed to do about it? While it’s not unusual to respond to anger and aggression with fear, shock, discouragement, confusion, feeling battered, irritation, and even anger of our own, these responses aren’t even remotely helpful, in that they do nothing to help your loved one, and make you feel rotten.

Of course we all know, or at least should know by now, that doing the right thing doesn’t always make you feel good. Would it be wonderful if it did? Someday I may write about all the good, needful things we do that can leave us feeling rotten.

But I digress, let’s talk about some good responses, but as we go through these ideas, think about how many of them fall under the broad heading of, “Do unto others as you would have them do into you.” Hence, maybe the fact that we need most of this list, says a lot more about us than it does about them. Just a thought to ponder.

So here we go, in no particular order:

Be realistic: Things have changed, and they aren’t ever going back to “normal.” I have talked about this point before, but I know that I need to be reminded. Some things are just not “fixable,” so excising from your mind the idea that you can fix the negative effects of the disease, will also remove a lot of stress – which, in turn, benefits your loved one because you will make better decisions.

Create a calm environment: Think about how to remove things from around them that are naturally upsetting. This might mean turning off the TV or changing the channel to something more calming. However, that act may not be as simple as it sounds. Recently, I saw a post from a woman who realized that one of the things that bothered her husband was watching the local weather forecasts! So don’t look for what you think is calming. Watch your loved one and observe what is calming – and don’t neglect the benefits of music, proper lights, and even the colors of the walls in their room.

Be vigilant: There is an old saying about keeping your head “on a swivel.” What it means is that you don’t want to get so fixated on one problem that you miss another sneaking up behind you. Note that this mode of behavior is not something most people do automatically. It will require conscious effort. The one warning I would offer is that one of the symptoms of PTSD is hyper-vigilance. In that case, you may need to turn things down a bit.

Don’t ever argue: It never accomplishes anything – ever. The idea that there is such a thing as winning an argument is a myth.

Watch how you talk: Speak softly, slowly, clearly, and above all, reassuringly. Remember that for your loved one, their primary, everyday emotion may well be fear. When they are anxious or afraid, you want to be the one that they run to, not the one that they run from.

Give them time: Sometimes dementia patients require extra time to formulate a response. As much as is possible, let them set the pace of conversations. I have seen Janet take 30 to 45 seconds to complete the mental processing necessary to answer a question with a “simple” yes or no response. Likewise, you can help them by avoiding open-ended questions like, “What do you want?” Finally, remember that getting irritated won’t make their brain work faster.

Include them in the solution: Repeat their words back to them so they feel they are a part of, or are contributing to, what is going on. For example, Janet worries that when Frannie and I are out to eat, we won’t eat healthy. So on the occasions when we go out, I tell her that, “…we are going to eat healthy. Thank you for helping us to remember to do that.”

Redirection: Give them something to do instead of becoming angry and aggressive. For example, you can enroll them in “helping” you do what you need to do. If they are resistant to bathing, try giving them a cloth to wash their own hands while you clean everything else.

Don’t infantilize them! Even people with dementia can tell if you are being condescending towards them, and it irritates them just as much as it would irritate you. They may be acting like a child, but don’t treat them that way. Don’t order them around but instead, guide them in discovering the needful solution “on their own.”

Talk to the doctor When a new or troubling behavior appears, be on the phone talking to the medical staff about the problem to get their advice and when necessary, medication.

So finally, there is one last topic that we need to talk about – the hardest one: institutionalization. While it is our most fervent hope and prayer that worst never comes to worst, we know that realistically, the odds are not in our favor. The best approach therefore is to have a plan, and step one is to educate yourself now. Don’t wait until there is a crisis and then try to figure it out on the fly.

First you need to know what resources are available in your area, and how to access them. Second, you need to know what the law is in your jurisdiction. Know what you are allowed to tell clergy, counselors, etc. in private. The issue here is that people can be compelled legally to contact the authorities if you confide certain things to them. Likewise, professional organizations often have ethics rules governing the disclosure of confidential information.

Remember, the point of all this preparation is that you need to be able to demonstrate that your loved one isn’t evil or a criminal, but rather that they are ill. They don’t deserve, and won’t benefit from prison, they need hospitalization. So in order to be an effective advocate for them you have to find out what information or data you will need to prove that, realizing of course that there is no such thing as “too much” data. While the specifics may vary depending upon where you are, a good place to start is with documenting everything.

  1. Get letters from their doctors describing their condition and the effects that can be expected – and make sure that it is updated regularly.
  2. Take pictures of the bruises, cuts and scratches. If you take pictures with your phone, make sure that your phone is configured to automatically stamp pictures with the time and place where they were taken. Phones can also be configured to automatically backup all your photos to the cloud. Make sure both features are turned on.
  3. Keep a notebook where you make dated entries describing things that happen. These are called contemporaneous notes and are highly prized in court.
  4. Tell people what is happening – even if they don’t believe you. These are called contemporaneous conversations.

So there you have it, or at least the basics. All I have left to share is one last word of encouragement.

No matter how hard or painful the journey is, no matter how permanent your current tribulations feel, know that all of this is temporary. However, you need to also remember that our lives are ripples in the pond of the time. Hence, what happens now – and how you respond to it will have repercussions for years, and perhaps centuries to come.

So while it’s true that 100 years from now in 2120, your multiple-great grandchildren will likely know as little about your pain as you know about your multiple-great grandparent’s problems in 1920, the larger truth is that they will still feel the effects of your actions.

Through faith, this fact can be reassuring or without it depressing – it’s your choice.

In Christ, Amen ☩

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A prayer for when you are feeling short-sighted…

“Blessed are You, Lord God, King of the Universe. It is right that I should at all times and in all circumstances bless You for being eternally present. But today I want to bless you especially for the part that you have given me in forming the eternal future. Guide my hands and direct my words to accomplish Your good works. Amen”