My husband Brian is 79 and is in the last stages of the disease. Feeding him takes ages as his swallow has gone. This is a conversation between him and me one supper time.
"Come on baby... just a couple more spoonsful" says I
"When are you going home?" Brian replies
"I'll tell you what," says I, "You eat all this up and I'll get in your bed with you tonight."
"Oh no!" He responds.... deadly serious.... "My wife would not like that!"
I thought at least he is faithfull even if he does not remember who he is being faithful too....
You are wonderful to be able to see the humor in these trying situations! I remember lots of incidents with my Mom which might have been funny if she had been 3 years old - at 96 she got out of a pool at my nephew's house, stripped and walked around to the front porch, stark naked. My brother yelled, "Mom what are you doing?" and she said "but I was soaking wet!"
My brother's MIL a few years before, left his home in Queens, NY and began 'walking to Florida "to see my son." She was in a thin nightgown. The police picked her up and fortunately she remembered their address.
Once my Mom came home from visiting my sister in Ohio. I asked her how they all are - answer, "I don't know, I haven't seen them for over a year."
I guess I have been officially "erased" from my FIL's memory. When we visited him last week I asked if he knew me. He hesitated and then said, "I don't know who you are, but you must be somebody because you are here with Mike (his son)". I had to laugh because Mike and I have been married 30years and now I am just somebody who just hangs around with him.
My grandma used to call for me like this: "Sister-Brenda-Alta Mae-JaNeese-Margaret-dammit!- BARBERRRRR!!!"
Sister was what she called her eldest daughter. Brenda and Alta Mae are my cousins. JaNeese is Alta's daughter. Margaret was my mother (grandma's daughter). Grandma always called me Barber because she couldn't say Barbara with her heavy southern accent.
Funny how she remembered all the names then. She did eventually forget all but her eldest daughter's husband's name.
Thinking of it, I can hear her voice roll calling me now....
I love hearing the funny things. Even in retrospect, it makes things not so bad.
My mom (82) called me yesterday from the group home. She's stage 5-6, said she'd decided to go back to work and buy a little place of her own. Would I come and get her so she could go job-hunting.
my Sister has recently started to refer to everything and anything as "cat" or "cat one". She was in the fish and chip shop with her husband the other day and she pointed to some sausages and said "Look Cat ones" As sad as it is,I couldnt help but find that funny.
right before we my mom in the nursing home Dad was fussing because he didn't have any cookies to have with his tea. My mom always baked and we were never without homemade bars and cookies.
So I turned to mom and asked her "why didn't you make cookies for Dad?"
She looked at me like a was a troublesome 3 year old and said, "Why should I? Al he does is eat them."
This is a cute story about my mom that the nurses told me happened the other day. One of the church's who are regular there came and brought all the residents who attend services a special present a nice plaque with a bible
verse. In the bottom of their bags was a small rock wrapped in Christmas material with a little ribbon and a poem saying this was your special prayer rock, (cute idea) . Anyhow they noticed my mom was crying and being that most of them know mom use to be such a devoted prayer warrior they thought she was overwhelmed by the gift, the activity cordinator bent down to hug her and said Miss Helen Im sorry your crying are you hurt by something? My mom innocently looked at her and held out the rock which she had opened and said " Because Im a Bad Girl all I got was a lump of Coal!!! lol
Sometimes mom gives them all down the road and so because of that I suppose she thought she was in trouble. I got such a kick out of that and so did the nurses!!!!! I wrote that in her journal Im keeping, Im glad sometimes we can see the bits of humor in our loved ones lives , it helps .....
jess
Jumbled words seem to make the caring job that little bit easier don't they? There is a gentleman I know .. if you say "how are you today?" he'll look up, smile and say "oh shringing I think"
Shringing??
Would you like a cup of tea? We ask
"A TREE? I want a soup-ee-doop"
Always good for a giggle ...... but the best one is when he's having a 'lucid' day and talks well. He looks at the other residents and makes the most hysterical comments (eg: one lady refuses to shower or where underpants) he pointed to her one day and said "Check out the balls on that bloke" ...
My grandmother had worked in banking and investing most of her life, and when she was in assisted living she insisted I go out and buy all the Olive Garden Stock that I could. She said she had called the corporate headquarters and they agreed to build an Olive Garden (her favorite restaurant) across from the the assisted living home she was in. I literally had to make up fake papers to comfort her that she was a co owner and even drove 2 hours to the closest one to get her a dinner. She insisted that they made it for her since she was a coowner. She passed in 2004, and lo and behold they did build an Olive Garden in her town this past year. Every time I pass it I think of her as co owner, and know she would be proud to think she actually made it happen. (Which of course she did not...lol). My friends love eating there and always refer it to eating at Nana's place instead of the name!
MimGregg
Another funny story, there are so many now that I look back. 3 weeks after my mama died my sister was getting married in Georgia. We live near the coast in SC and I had a 7 year old, and a 77 year old in my car trying to find our way for what was supposed to be a 6 hour car ride. Nana insisted she could help with reading the directions and map since I was doing all the driving. Long story short, she read the map upside down and we ended up on a 12 hour ride throughout the state of Georgia!!!! We made it there, late for the rehearsal dinner which I insisted on wine only for me (I deserved it, trust me...lol). Nana was a hoot though. She told everyone that I had decided to take them on a trip through the mountains since she loved them so, and she "helped" me by reading directions and the map. She was so proud of herself for reading the map and directions. Since my sister was getting married, I told my brother and his wife that they had temporary custody of her so I could help my sister prepare for the ceremony which was a medieval wedding at a beautiful mountain park overlooking a large lake. As we walked down the trail decked out in beautiful medieval wedding garb, my Nana was telling everyone that she did not realize we were going to have a play first before the wedding.......lol. She clapped and cheered during the ceremony and told everyone how pleased she was with the performances. She was amazed that the grand and great grand kids had been able to "practice" for the play we put on for her since we live in 3 different states. Later she asked my sister when she was getting married, and my sister said it would be later that we wanted her to have a mountain trip and play to get her mind off losing her only child 3 weeks before. Bless her heart, she thought we were wonderful for thinking of her and reminded my sister to let her know when they were getting married....LOL. You have to laugh or dehydrate from crying.
MimGregg
The funny side of Alzheimer's 
