Dementia Conversation

Jeff86

My DW, late stage 6, still speaks, but mostly it’s gibberish—word salad, invented words, impossible to follow. But yesterday, clear as a bell. Here’s the convo:

DW (not looking at me): Honey?

Me: Yes?

DW: Not you

Me: whom are you looking for?

DW: I want to kiss my husband

Me: Am I your husband?

DW: No

Me: Do you want to kiss me?

DW: Yes

And so she did, followed by a big grin.

toolbeltexpert

Wow that's awesome. Bet you got a big grin too! I gotta learn to ask more questions.

mommyandme (m&m)

Thank you for sharing… yay!

Ed1937

That's what makes the world go 'round.

Joydean

Thank you Jeff for sharing! It gives us all hope!

PookieBlue

My husband recently asked me, “When did you know you were married? I said, “When I said I do.” We both laughed.

mrl

Aaahh Jeff,

I can't stop laughing-it's so priceless.

Michele😁

M1

Sweet Jeff. I bet it made your day.

ElCy

My DH was also extremely aphasic. I couldn’t understand anything he said. One day, 10 days before he died, he said clear as day, “You have a fantastic buttocks.” 😂

White Crane

That’s great! Hold onto those good moments.

Bubbe

thanking all for sharing these great stories.

Joe C.

Jeff, Cherish the moment. I have also experienced a brief moment of clarity on a rare occasion and it warms my heart.

ButterflyWings

Priceless! I got a gift today too, though not nearly as much fun as yours :) DH is late 6 early 7 and similarly showing increased aphasia (though I had forgotten the name of what's affecting his speech, until making my way back to the forum recently and saw the "7 A's" article again). Anyway, he is pretty silent, can string several words together but clearly is not processing or communicating well. So, I was not surprised at his patiently "reading" a calendar today (sat with it upside down for the longest, just gazing apparently). OK with me, if OK with him. Our days are filled with things like this, yet I keep chatting with him in our one-sided conversations and we get by. Well a little while ago I said something like, "Hey, nice, What ya got?".

And I was the one left speechless when he said "this (some made up and unintelligible word)" and then proceeded to tap the clusters of bird images across the top, counting quickly "3, 6, 9, 12" with each tap of his fingers on the calendar. AND HE WAS RIGHT! There were 3 photo circles in each row, no numbers showing or written out...he just spotted the pattern and rattled it off like he does it every day! After such intense involvement all these years, I still don't understand dementia at all. Can't reliably hold even a short conversation, chewed up a napkin the other day, doesn't recognize that guy in the mirror anymore, would put his underwear on his head if I'd let him (has done so), but suddenly multiplication??!!! I was happy but so shocked I didn't even think to grab a kiss to celebrate lol! Good for you & DW Jeff!

Ed1937

BW, all I can say is WOW!

ButterflyWings

I know, Ed...right? I've never heard or seen him do that before. I'm still shocked.