Hello to all. Soooooo glad you're back online.
Any hints on how to deal with Tom's new habit of gripping everything, his clothes, the urinal (yes, I'm trying it with mixed results-but that's another discussion altogether ) and worst of all ME. I've got bruises all over my arms. I checked previous posts on this and if I missed them I'm sorry.
Also, this week Tom has taken a big downhill slide. (Totally disoriented, stiff, decreased mobility, bending over, can't figure out how to eat or drink, day & night incontinence, etc.) He was finally diagnosed on Fri.(after 3days of dealing with his gp's rather dim nurse who didn't bother to return my calls for 36hrs and then had him x-rayed for sprained knee and ankle) with another blood clot in his leg. As you would expect, since it was Fri., and by the time all the paperwork was submitted, I couldn't get a nurse to come to administer the Heparin shots so I had to do it AND I DID It's amazing what you can do when you have to.
Am hoping Tom's increase in symptoms was merely the result of days of stress and might abate when the treatment is over. Thanks for listening... Kathy

Gosh, Kathy. Sounds like you've been through the wringer. Yes, my husband grips things, too. Sometimes it's quite impossible to take something from him even when he's handing it to me. Not sure why they do that but I'm assuming its a muscular control problem that goes with the PD side of the disease.

Yes, you can give injections yourself. As a home health RN I taught many caregivers to administer even IV medications through a PICC line. I liked teaching and empowering people. It was my job.

Kathy,
Wow this brought back many memories for me, when my husband would grab on to my wrists it was a grip of death for sure, such a shame that 3 days had to pass before some answerrs came.

My dad's grip was incredibly strong at times too. When a new person, like a new nurse would ask him to squeeze their fingers as hard as he could, he'd nearly crush them! They were shocked, since he was so incredibly frail and weak otherwise. Sorry I have no answers about how to conrol this - if Pat is right, there probably isn't any answer if it's a neuro thing they have no control over. I'm so sorry. Hang in there. Lynn

I sure hope things improve now that you have a diagnosis and treatment going!

Yes, GW has the death grip also-- he grabs his pants to keep them up when caregivers are trying to help him go to the toilet--holds onto the grab bars too long--and holds onto my arms if he think I am about to leave. I have to be very careful when the poodle wants down from his lap, because he will grab her little legs too tight also. I equate this to the instincts of a new born that hasn't learned the let go ability yet. We have all learned long ago that we do not allow GW to hold onto our fingers. When I'm trying to feed him I give him a towel or napkin to hold in each hand. He is very pleased with himself when I compliment him on his strong grip. He understands some of what I say but his return speech is jibberish. Di

My husband , too, has developed a DEATH GRIP. One of the nurses has suggested pushing the gripping hand up from underneath the wrist. This seems to weaken the grip. I was happy that this works in some cases, but not all. If he is gripping a solid bar, such as a towel holder, it works...gripping a person or material is more likely not to.... Hope this will help some of you...wold love to know how to weaken the grip in other situations, also....
Marcia

Hi, my husband has the death grip as well and also does the grab-the-Depends as if the existence of mankind hinged on his being able to keep his pants up. He needs to grip something at all times so we have several toys that he holds onto at all waking and most sleeping moments. Sometimes if I manage to avoid his grasp on my arm he'll just grab onto a bit of my clothing AND NOT LET GO. Sometimes it take both of my hands to get him to let go of the grab pole so then he just grabs it with the other hand. This is one of Lewy's behaviors that I'm able to make light of, fortunately. Happy to have the site back, BTW! Sher