Comic relief

forbarbara

Lately, MIL has been having pretty lucid conversations - she seems to be understanding a lot more. Even though she remains unclear about a lot of things (like where she is), she’s making so much sense all of a sudden that I’ve been second-guessing my decision to place her in MC last year.

Until this happened - we spent 5 hours together in the ER yesterday (false alarm thank goodness). They brought her a sandwich and chips which she devoured. Then she tried to eat the little plastic mayonnaise packet so I told her it was empty and threw it out.
She unclipped the oxygen monitor on her finger and tried to eat that too. Several times. She couldn’t figure out how to eat it so finally she said “ this looks good - would you like to try some?”.

You gotta laugh!

SusanB-dil

Welllll, awwrighty! Yes, gotta be amused when you can. Glad that it was a false alarm, but good you got things checked out.

terei

My mother tried to eat all sorts of things…once, grapes that were decorative stone. I had to remove a lot of things from her living area

ButterflyWings

That's how I spend a big part of my day now. It isn't just a matter of decluttering more, because my guy will unscrew a cabinet pull to bite on it, or start chewing on the blanket trying to rip pieces off with his teeth, or pick little bits of the stuffing out of his chux pads to eat the fiberfill — things that I can't just hide and stop using. Just gotta keep grabbing them from him before they get to his mouth. All day every day.

Hyperoral behavior went into overdrive here for DH in early Stage 7. It was one of those times on this journey (train wreck called Alzheimer's) that I can describe as "like a switch flipped" and suddenly "this happened".

At the same time, as you are saying, there is this clarity and expressiveness that seems inconsistent with the wacky things he is doing and actually saying to me. Yep - the comments can have me amazed, or rolling on the floor laughing (ROFL) when he's not eating the diaper rash prevention cream, or that nice chewy chunk of paper towel.

Can't make this stuff up, but bless her heart, how polite and thoughtful to share! Offering you a taste of the o2 monitor. That's love!😋.

Arrowhead

This conversation happened some time ago between my wife of 44 years and me.

Her: I can’t find him.

Me: Can’t find who?

Her: Your husband

Me: My husband?

Her: Yes, your husband.

Me: I’m not gay

Her: You’re not?

I still laugh over it.

forbarbara

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/214845#Comment_214845

that’s a keeper! Humor is one of our essential coping mechanisms - thanks for the laugh.