What is my name?

Arrowhead

My wife was diagnosed 4 1/2 years ago. She sometimes asks me my name, but a week ago she asked me what her name is. She has done so again a few times. Has anyone else experienced this?

star26

Yes, I've had that happen with 2 different PWD. With both, I just said her name and acted like it was no big deal (but on the inside, it shook me up a bit).

RobOT

Yes, at least I think so.  Every morning when I saw her she would ask me "Who am I?"  I'd tell her her name and she say: "No, who am I?"  She did the same thing with her daughter, which made the whole thing a little less esoteric.  Does not knowing her name upset your wife?

chrisp1653

Barbara's memories drifted in and out a bit throughout her ordeal - I suppose I should say my ordeal - but she usually could remember my name. Funny, I never thought ask her if she could remember her own name. I used to ask just before bed, as I was tucking her in with the 3 blankets and the umpteen different pillows. I'd say, " sweetie, do you remember who gave you this blanket ? "  usually, she could remember that it was Billie, her youngest son. then I'd ask, " and who am I ? "  She would smile and say " you're my honey pie. " Then I'd say, " yes, but what's my name ? " Most of the time she would be able to tell me, but on occasion, she couldn't remember.

I imagine that it's different for each person with dementia,and the experiences are different for each of us as caregivers.  Sometimes the things Barbara would say would be absolutely gut wrenching.

As an example, about a month before she passed, I was having so much trouble getting her up and down that it was decided to finally get her a hospital bed,and of course, it was so big that it had to go in our living room. About a week after she got it, she whispered one night as I was getting her ready for sleeping, " I miss sleeping with you in our bed. "  I told her I missed sleeping with her in our bed too.

Now that she's gone, I tell her that same thing every night.