My wife of 46 years has developed what has been diagnosed as probable Alzheimer's. She has a family history of Alzheimer's so this isn't totally unexpected but that doesn't make it any easier. We watched her dad deteriorate for years and are really concerned with what the future holds. We moved to Florida about 3 years ago and were really looking forward to enjoying our retirement and it hasn't turned out like we planned. She is in the early stages and the strange thing is that I'm really the only person so far that she is having a problem with remembering. She knows who I am. She is constantly telling me how much she loves me and never wants me to leave her but she really struggles remembering anything about me. She asks me how I know her daughters. She remembers going on vacations but just doesn't remember me being with her. We have 3 daughters... she remembers them but doesn't remember that I'm their dad. Almost anywhere she's been and anything she has done in the last 47 years... I've been with her but she can't remember it. She'll ask questions, I'll answer them, she'll say that she understands but then ask the same thing again and again. If my life was a movie it would probably be called Groundhog Zone because sometimes I feel I'm living in Groundhog Day and the Twilight Zone. I'm gradually working on convincing her that we need to move back around our family and friends. I really think that it would help her and I know it would help me. Have any of you experienced being the only one forgotten while you have really always been the only one that supported your spouse? That's really the thing that I have trouble understanding. Thanks for letting me vent. It helps.
I applaud you that you are still fulfilling your vows. So many times I hear of people thinking this kind of thing annuls their obligations to one another. May God bless. I think moving near family would be great support for the both of you.