Repetition

     Dad has been repeating himself for awhile now. Housemate's mum has just started. For a few months, she would play catch-up with conversations. A few minutes after a group of us was done discussing something, she would bring up the same thing using some of the same words. Within the last month, she has started repeating a question or a sentence several times within five minutes. Then she would act surprised that she'd already told us.

     An example:
          "My sister called me. She said she fell and sprained an ankle."
     This would be discussed. A few minutes later:
          "My sister called me. She said she fell and sprained an ankle."
     And a few more minutes later:
          "My sister called me. She said she fell and sprained an ankle."



     My dad and housemate's mum have never really cared for each other. I could imagine a conversation between the two of them.

Dad: "This is my daughter sapphoq."
Housemate's mum: "Yes, I know. How have you been?"

Dad: "This is my daughter sapphoq."
Housemate's mum: "Yes, I know. How have you been?"

Dad: "This is my daughter sapphoq."
Housemate's mum: "Yes, I know. How have you been?"


     The verdict is not in on housemate's mum yet. But the eerie repetition sounds strikingly familiar to me.

     It is not the long-term memory that suffers in dementia. It is the short-term memory, followed by an inability to create new memories. Thus, many folks with some form of dementia can tell you about their childhood but not remember what they had for breakfast.


     Dad told me the other day that soon he will not be able to talk at all anymore. His expressive aphasia has certainly gotten worse in my unprofessional unasked for opinion.

     
     Dad did not prepare me for his dementia. I suppose dementia is something that is subject to lots and lots of denial aided and abetted by any lesions that happen upon the left side of the brain.

     Dementia sucks. Don't you doubt that for a minute.

sapphoq on life