Confined to bed !

[feeling helpless]

Hi there,
This is my second post, my other is on the carers section where i've introduced my dads situation. Just wondering if anyone out there has a relative in a similar situation and is now confined upstairs to bed. Mains probs with this are moving ... or lack of, subsequent pain because of this, great difficulty with swallowing and speech. How do you guys keep spirits up. He has a tv but is laying down a lot of the time on his side. He cant turn the pages of a book. I feel so sorry for him but want some ideas on passing the time of day for him.....any suggestions :?

 

[joelc]

If you could somehow convince him to use a notebook computer he could spend his time conversing with us and there are also ALS talk rooms and he could (hopefully) discover there is life with ALS!

I am not trying to make light of your situation - I sincerely mean what I have said!
If he can somehow learn to live with his ALS there can still be a good life!
I used to feel like him but decided to find ways to make my life livable in spite of ALS.

Yes, there were some major challenges but I/we fought to overcome them!

 

[feeling helpless]

Thank you for your comments, it's refreshing to hear from someone who has als but a different point of view. Dad has found lots of ways to cope with his mnd over the last three years and as i said has always been a fighter. Every obsticle has been fought against with vigour but its like in the last four days he's given up completly which is not like him at all. He can be very stubborn at times and although we have managed to find humour at times its been hard to bring him out of this phase. He feels he only has days to live and seems hell bent on sucumbing to it now. We can only encourage him so far but then he gets stressed and irritated and that effects his breathing, which we naturally dont want. It took over an hour to pursuade him to have a cup of tea this morning which he begrudgingly drank half and then he asked for us to lift his feet back onto the bed and that was that for the rest of the day. This time last week he was on the computer, watching telly and holding conversations with visitors....and now, he doesnt want anyone to see him, we will persist and suggest he uses his laptop and will post any changes in a day or two, thank you once again, and best wishes. Stay strong !

 

[joelc]

I really wish I could help him get past this present state. I could be Emotional Lability which makes a person act, and react, differently than ever before. Please let me know if you can think of any way I can help!

 

[vmd]

You may ask his MD whether anti-depressants will help. Perhaps, he is already taking anti-depressants?

 

[feeling helpless]

Yes, this is something i've discussed with step mum but she said she'd have to tell him they were something else coz he's refused them so far. I wish i'd written on here earlier then i would have had so many positive things to say about how he was coping lol. I dont mean to be so depressing, must be rubbing off. Thanx once again

 

[Al]

We know how it feels feeling helpless. We all have days that are depressing. Just try to look at the good things that are still there. Over here we can get books on CD that might be a change from the TV.

AL.