Looks like my trapping season has to end. I bought a side by side four wheeler so I could take my wife with me. She suffered from dementia and had a stroke last spring, which accelerated the dementia. The last two checks, though they’ve been relatively short days have triggered her sundowners. So it looks like I’ll have to wrap it up for the season. It’s too tiring for her and too hard on me to try to maintain a trapline and be a 24/7 caregiver. Physically she’s doing well but the dementia and the aphasia associated with the stroke are exhausting to me.

I feared this might happen this year.

I really do feel for you.
Best wishes, friend. (FWIW)

Sorry to hear that, don't let yourself get run down. See if you can find someone to give you a break sometimes. 24/7 caregiving is hard on caregivers.

Unfortunately there is no home health care that serves this small community. And we have no family close by. My mom was able to give me a break on occasion but she’s 87 and has some health issues of her own to contend with.

Sorry to hear this. Things had been going according to plan. Hang in there, Etta appreciates everything you do for her.

I feel for you Marty, I too had to give up my lines due to severe complications with my wife's condition. I hope the best for you both. Hang in there. Learn to take one day at a time and find some relief in ways that will take off some stress.

Sounds like the right thing to do you gave it a shot but keep trying new things,

Hate to hear that for yall partner !

Hang in there pal! You're a good man for doing this.

Ol dad

X2, if only for a few hours.

I pray for you & your Wife. Good luck in this very difficult time.

Thanks guys. We’re may give it a couple weeks but may run a much abbreviated coon/mink line we can run from the truck. She can rest well in the truck and we won’t be out as long or bouncing around in the side by side. We’ll see how that shapes up after a couple week break.

You’re a good man, brother. It’s what we must do.

Hoping for the best for both of you!

I'm sorry to hear this.

I know it's tough, hang in there.

My wife was caring for a gentleman that has Dementia and Sundowners along with other health issues. He stayed with us for a good share of last winter because the family refused to accept the fact that he needed full time care and had my wife making 20 mile 1 way trips twice a day to care for him. And they chose to leave him unattended through the middle of the day. Until he started wondering off and my wife brought him home to stay with us. They finally decided that full time in home care was to expensive and put him in a home.

I have all the respect in the world for you taking care of your wife full time.
Be sure to take a little time for yourself as well.

Feel for you. Prayed.

Prayers buddy. I don’t understand exactly what you’re going through, but I understand it’s hard watching your spouse suffer.

Take care and good luck.

Hang in there Marty its no fun for either of you but it is something that we must do at times , for me it was my dad no fun .

By any chance do you folks attend church services there ? If so maybe someone could come to you're house from time to time ?

I'm sure its difficult for both of you and all you can do is you're best ! I also will keep you both in my prayers !

it's a shame but completely understandable.

my grandma has dementia and we have been watching the downward progression for years , I was just talking with my mom about it today , she was saying , if she even recognizes you at thanksgiving we are doing well and it will probably be because my mom told her who she was going to meet.

at a funeral that my mom took her to for her nephew , she didn't even know who my dad was and he sees her about every other week.

my grandma had 8 kids and could probably identify 2 in person the two that do the most caregiving.

I did the caregiver thing this year as well , I wasn't sure how long it was going to last , the answer was a touch over 6 months , which is not very long and I would have taken every minute more I could get and not trapped , hunted or fished at all.
luckily my wife was mentally there till the last few days.
that would be it's own torture.
you are doing a good job , a good thing and ask for help from family and friend's when and where you can , it might be them cutting the grass , raking the leaves , or helping to clean or do the shopping. You can do it all. but take the help so you can do what she needs better and not exhaust yourself.
it's easy to forget to take care of yourself while taking care of someone else , remember you have to put on your oxygen mask first before you can help others.