Communication is gone

KathyF1

By reading the posts I can tell my situation is maybe unusual-? My DH is stage 6, I’m sole caregiver. His speech for over a year has been jumbled, made up words. (Aphasia?) He’ll talk quite a bit but there is no way to understand him. And when I ask him questions (Do you have to go to the bathroom?) his response is not yes or no, it’s more of the same garbled speech and I can tell he does not know what I’m asking him. We rarely “connect” in a dialogue. I don’t think he understands most of what I say. It sounds to me like most of you still can still have conversations with your loved one?

KathyF1

I should have added, at times he’ll look at me and say “Thank you.” Or “You’re wonderful”. Thank God for those moments.

annie51

Hi Kathy, I am in the same situation. DH is in late Stage 5 with some stage 6 behaviors but I am also dealing with aphasia. It’s been several months now that I don’t think he knows what I’m saying or asking - and his answers have nothing to do with what I’m asking. He understands very few words I say. It’s very rare to actually have a conversation anymore and it’s become a lonely way to live. Like your DH, he has flashes of nice things to say (always says thank you when I get his meals, in the morning tells me he loves me), and also says coherent sentences when he’s mad (“you treat me like an idiot”). I don’t have any profound advice - just know that you’re not alone in this.

fmb

DH has expressive aphasia and can't really communicate beyond single words in a very limited vocabulary. He does seem to understand me most of the time, as evidenced by his facial expressions. Like your DH, he will occasionally come up with most of a short sentence or will say, "love you." He has Stage 7 ALZ, but also had a stroke in June 2023 in the area of the brain involving speech and language. He has trouble moving food around in his mouth and swallowing, and is on thickened liquids and was on puree before switching to comfort foods (pudding, yogurt, applesauce, ice cream) as he declines.

Lkrielow99

DH is in stage 6 and is in MC. His language has deteriorated since stage 4 and 5. He can talk for a solid hour nonstop and make no sense. His sentences are semi-complete, and I used to be able to pick a word out and decipher. Now days, rarely. The other residents in MC are the same, accept my DH talks non-stop to the staff. He exhaust everyone with his gibberish. He has been in MC 90 days. Much love to you, this is a very horrible and lonely disease.

Kat63

You are not alone. My DH is late stage 6, early 7. His words for the most part have not made sense for several months. All nouns, pronouns, verbs are made up words (word salad). I know him and his routine well enough that most of the time I know what he is trying to say. Of course there are still times that I have no idea and I just try to say something like, I know or gotcha. The last couple of months it’s where he doesn’t understand what I’m saying to him. I can say it a couple of times and then have to motion or physically show him what I want him to do, such as “it’s time to eat..”…..”here’s your plate”…”please come here (showing him where the chair is) to eat”. As far as bathroom, he will say some words which do not make sense, and I usually know he’s getting up and probably needs the bathroom. I say let me help and I show him where the bathroom is (as he forgets where it is) and walk him to bathroom and make sure he seems okay or if I need to stay and help, which lately about half the time I have to help him through the mechanics of using the toilet. Crazy what all we have to do each day to help our LO with Alz. and that it’s our normal.

jehjeh

A few weeks ago my husband didn't really speak for a couple of days. Just sort of made a sound like "aaaahhhhhh". It has happened before but only for a short time. Then he would sleep and be back to talking when he woke up. On the 2nd morning it was clear he wasn't responding to me so I called 911. Medics and I thought stroke though when one of them said hi DH responded with hi. Every question was answered with hi after that. Hospital found nothing wrong and everything came back on day 3 of hospitalization. Dr. told me he thought it might just be part of the disease progression. Wonder if others have seen this, and has it recurred?

blacksparky

My DW is in stage 5 and she is exactly like you are saying about your LO. She loves to talk but recently I have no idea what she is saying. When I ask her a question or make a comment, she doesn’t understand what i am saying. At least once a day she starts to cry and when I ask her what is wrong, she says she doesn’t know what to do. It is so sad that I can’t help her. I just hug her and tell her I’ll always be there for her. She does occasionally touch my arm and tell me she loves me. Like others have said, this is a terrible disease that we are all going through. May Hod be with all of us.

Biggles

My DH has APHASIA and FD stage 5 or 6 he is so very sweet most of the time, we smile a lot, laugh when we can find something to laugh about, sing along to songs we like, we sort of have conversations, he used to be a very big talker and was very informed about most things. I usually instigate the talk, can’t understand his reply so I fill in the gaps sort of talking to myself. It’s quite sad sometimes. At night in bed he will chat and I can’t understand anything so I mumble yes, maybe and let’s talk about it in the morning. It’s a rotten existence. The thing is he wants to communicate so badly. I cry often.