LEWY BODY DAILY JOURNAL

This is the story of Pam and John; she in her early 50’s and John is 62. Pam is a college professor. John taught at a local community college until diagnosed with Parkinson’s in March 2008, then Lewy Body Dementia in April.

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Sunday, January 25, 2009

sexuality

I said to John a few weeks ago that I didn't feel like we were partners any more, I felt I was taking care of him, and that was an issue for me in being interested in a sexual relationship. It was a day when I was very depressed and he hadn't noticed--that was actually the bigger issue at that moment. Since then we have moved back towards more partnership, both because he has been making more effort and because we have had to work together to deal with his aunt's medical problems. But sexuality is complicated these days on all sorts of levels. His participation is changed by stiffness as well as by the effects of Parkinsonism that Cialis no longer fully helps. And I'm just in the last few months seeing more change in me as a result of menopause (I'm hopeful I'm finally past the on-again off-again stage). He asked if we should give up and I said we didn't have to give up completely but let's see it as a diminishing part of our life rather than fighting the changes.

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