This past weekend was an endless weekend with worry with my phd hubby saying over and over that he's going to get fired...he's going to get fired after an awful week last week at work. He does manual mechanic work at a midsize company and came home Friday repeating over and over that he knows he must have screwed something up. He says he just can't think any more and can't remember what to do.by LizzieAnn - Huntington's Disease Support Center
Since her speech is affected and she may have difficulty talking on the phone maybe she could do something on-line. Has she checked out this board for support and info?by LizzieAnn - Huntington's Disease Support Center
I live in a town next to the "Quilt Museum" but, I've never toured it.by LizzieAnn - Huntington's Disease Support Center
Oh, Barb It's beautiful!! And you are a "LUCKY DUCK"...in more ways than one.by LizzieAnn - Huntington's Disease Support Center
ARE you unable to work, as you say? If that is the case I would state why. You state "not showing signs right now". Why are you unable to work if you are not showing signs? In theory you may not show any signs until age 80+, depending on how the disease progresses with you individually. Or do you mean not showing physical signs? If you are having memory problems these are addresseby LizzieAnn - Huntington's Disease Support Center
It's sooo cute!! Maybe the cloth could be a patchwork quilt look. Barb, do you sew quilts? Either way, you did a great job on the sketch. You are very talented!by LizzieAnn - Huntington's Disease Support Center
The sedating affect may not be as noticable after a couple of weeks as my hubby seemed to adjust after a while (he also is only on 1/2 mg 2 x day= total 1 mg day). I would say the Risperdol made him as I would describe it "more cooperative", which was a good thing.by LizzieAnn - Huntington's Disease Support Center
My hubby was prescribed many different meds before we found Risperadol. First Haldol, which made him a zombie and had many unwanted side effects. Then Klonipin (sp) which made his balance issues an even worse nightmare, had to go off that one very quickly as it made his balance problems into a real hazard. For a long time the Dr. thought he had "tics" and gave him a blood pressure meby LizzieAnn - Huntington's Disease Support Center
Barb, same thing happened to us at the last Neurologist appt. Nurse practitioner came in for the appt. We "cooperated" with her at that appt. but when we left I told the receptionist that we expected to see the Neurologist at the next visit and she said "yes" she understood. In the future we may not have a problem seeing the nurse practitioner as she is the one involved inby LizzieAnn - Huntington's Disease Support Center
I normally just ignore where some of these threads seem to go. I've read this board and every post on the forum (well almost every single post) all the way back to when it started. (I was searching for enlightened HD info and experience). In doing that I've learned some of the names and who has a tendency to attempt to "bait" people into arguements. I've also tried to understandby LizzieAnn - Huntington's Disease Support Center
Hi Patty & Welcome, I am fairly new to the board also, 44 yoa hubby was just diagnosed this July and we also did not know of any family history. I know what you mean about the "hind-site" view and wondering how you could have missed the signs. My phd hubby has moderate chorea and after it being such a gradual increase over the years it took people who didn't see him that ofby LizzieAnn - Huntington's Disease Support Center
Yes, welcome ellietabs. Congratulations to the newlyweds! The 1st year of marriage can be difficult in the best of circumstances. Being unemployed can be a real downer for anyone, not to mention to a man who now sees himself in the role of provider/protector for his new bride. So, I can see where any man would find unemployment at this time a real downer. Remember it's best to get up liby LizzieAnn - Huntington's Disease Support Center
We currently have life insurance, but when the term ends I wonder if they will raise the premium so much you can't afford it if they know you have HD at that point. I ask because our supplemental health insurance company is a "sister" company of the life insurance company and now the supplemental health insurance company is aware of the HD now that it has been diagnosed and afraid the lby LizzieAnn - Huntington's Disease Support Center
my phd takes a green tea extract in pill form as extra antioxidant, I think we got it at Swanson Vitaminsby LizzieAnn - Huntington's Disease Support Center
Does anyone know the answer to this? After the say 10,15,20 or 30 year term is up can the insurance company refuse to renew the policy? I know it's renewed each year as long as you pay the premiums, but could they find out about an HD diagnosis during the policy period and raise your rates to whatever they want to after your term has expired so that you could never afford the rate or could tby LizzieAnn - Huntington's Disease Support Center
Mango, I see the dilemma for you. I think a caregiver would constantly have to be the voice of reason to a phd that may need some guidance in decision making. We had a recent severe windstorm that took shingles off the roof and knocked down trees. My phd who is symptomic but still working was told "NO, you can no longer go on the roof to make repairs and you can no longer be allowed to ruby LizzieAnn - Huntington's Disease Support Center
I see Barb's point, that many people with HD do not maintain the same interest in upgrading/remodeling something as they would in the past. My phd spouse has some interest in things...lets fix this up....lets build this...but, asking him HOW we're going to accomplish these big ideas and it sort of lets the "air out of his bubble" as he realizes he probably wouldn't be able to complete tby LizzieAnn - Huntington's Disease Support Center
It could be, but you probably need to look at a "history" of this sort of thing. Do you see her asking questions that you are thinking.."you should know the answer to this, or you would have know the answer in the past". I remember thinking to myself (but never said it outloud to him", He is asking "dumb" questions. Of course at that time we didn't know heby LizzieAnn - Huntington's Disease Support Center
I think I still have my Richard Simmons tapes too, but not sure I have a VCR to play them.by LizzieAnn - Huntington's Disease Support Center
He's still in the workforce and does manual labor, so getting him to do any physical exercise outside of work would be pushing it as he gets tired with working. LizzieAnnby LizzieAnn - Huntington's Disease Support Center
It may depend on what state you're in for medicaid, as medicaid is partially state funded. With Medicaid if you have a spouse which is called a "community spouse", the person in the Nursing Facility is the institutionalized member & is allowed to assign a portion of their resources over to their community spouse to keep and it is not considered. (currently that amount is $20,880 inby LizzieAnn - Huntington's Disease Support Center
I hope some of you can help me explain the Memory loss of HD in some sort of understandable way to my questioning PHD. My husband has had the 1st of psych testing which showed mild to moderate "dimentia" and the Dr.'s are discussing putting him on Aricept. Well, he saw the recent Aricept commercial on TV with the person that has Alzheimers on it. He's seen people with Alzheimers anby LizzieAnn - Huntington's Disease Support Center
The reason he takes his 2nd dose of Risperdal right before bedtime and not in the afternoon is 2 reasons: 1. after working all day he is tuckered out and if he takes the Risperdal in mid to late afternoon he falls asleep in his chair/couch and he says he is useless for the entire evening. 2. taking the Risperdal right before bedtime has allowed us to remain sleeping together in the same bedby LizzieAnn - Huntington's Disease Support Center
We plan on talking to the Dr. about this but would like words of advise from anyone. My phd is on a fairly low dose of Risperdal to control chorea and the low dose does a good job at this time and we would like to keep a low dose as long as possible. He takes his morning dose and when it kicks in he calms down but around 3:00 in the afternoon it starts to wear off and he doesn't take his 2nd dosby LizzieAnn - Huntington's Disease Support Center
My phd has sniffed also. It was not an obvious thing, but a relative had commented once, "oh, your allergy's must be bothering you", which he doesn't suffer from. I live with him, so it was one of the not so noticeable sneak-up-on-you things that a spouse might miss. Not sure if it's the same thing you are speaking of. With mine I think it's part of the Chorea, like shoulder shruggingby LizzieAnn - Huntington's Disease Support Center
My husband's doctors (psych & a neurologist) are discussing trying one of the alzheimers medications for his memory. I would like to hear from anyone who has tried these and what side-effects and benefits anyone has experienced from any of them. I just listed Aricept and memantine here as those are the ones I have seen mentioned briefly in posting. He is currently on Risperadol and the sby LizzieAnn - Huntington's Disease Support Center
Why not??? Why not choose a career path based on what benefits you might get in the end? Isn't that why we all choose a career along with enjoying the journey along the way. That's exactly a big portion of why my husband joined the military at the age of 17 and is now retired from it. Benefits after retirement/good healthcare/retirement income, these are all things I would think would draw younby LizzieAnn - Huntington's Disease Support Center
Thank you all for your responses as it has helped clear up the issue for me and actually your responses have eased my mind. Eric, What you wrote about "people having the toughest time tend to post more" and therefore we may be reading more of the extreme symptoms makes sense. LizzieAnnby LizzieAnn - Huntington's Disease Support Center
My husband of 44 was just recently diagnosed with HD, cag repeat 45 (we did not know it ran down his family line as the most likely carriers died in their 50's from other causes and did not show symptoms prior). The way HD runs down family lines it's occured to me that maybe folks on this site might be related to each other down the line somehow(just a side thought). My question is.... is it unby LizzieAnn - Huntington's Disease Support Center