Cognition comes and goes

It is strange how the mind can come and go. Tonight I had to run to the grocery store for some more peach preserves for the dessert I was making. I bundled Rick up and piled him into the car. It was 9 pm because Focus on the Family was coming on the radio. It is only 5 minutes to the store and I knew it would only take me 5 minutes in the store, so I asked Rick if he would stay in the car and wait for me. He was wide awake but didn’t make any response. Neither did he try to get out of the car. I hurried in and came right back out. He hadn’t moved. Stan Glover, from our church, parked right in front of us and he was waving to Rick. Stan said that Rick recognized him.

I got in the car and started for home. The lady who was speaking on Focus on the Family was talking about the Christmas traditions her family had. One of them was getting out the nativity scene. She walked by it and saw the baby Jesus was missing, so she yelled, “Have any of you seen Jesus?” No one answered. Then she saw her 3 year old with bulging cheeks. She asked him for a kiss and he couldn’t do it because his mouth was too full. So she told him to spit out Jesus. It was a cute story, but Rick just laughed at it. I knew he was laughing at the story, because his laugh was very appropriate.

It just goes to show that what I suspected is true. Rick does know and understand conversations that are taking place around him. Sometimes he is paying more attention than others. Sometimes he is completely out of it, in a fog, or sleeping. But there are times that he is very much in the know. And because he can’t talk, we don’t know when those times are.

So after my earlier post of him not feeding himself, this was an encouragement. Thank you Lord!

Disease progression or something else?

It has been rather disconcerting that since Monday, Rick has just about stopped feeding himself. Alicia told me that she had to feed him his entire meal as well as his ice cream. In the past if he didn't do well with his meal, he always ate his ice cream without difficulty.

I have had to help him with most of his meals since then. He will take a bite or two and then forget what he was doing. Or he will get something on his fork or spoon and keep trying to get more on it. Then he will put it on the table instead of his mouth. Then he just about falls asleep while sitting there.

Today has been the most obvious for me. He didn't go into the center today because it was closed for the Christmas holidays. So he has been here. He has slept most of the morning. Now it is time for lunch. I fixed him something to eat and set him at the small desk in my office. I can't just let him eat. I have to watch his every move and feed him most of it. It is like he forgets that he needs to put his fork in his mouth. And sometimes I think he forgets to chew what is already in his mouth.

I don't know if this is due to a progression of his Alzheimer's or if maybe he has an infection or something that is causing the symptoms to exacerbate. He was just checked thoroughly at the hospital the first of November and now he has an appointment with the VA clinic next Thursday. I plan to ask them to do a thorough exam again then.

I sure hope this isn't going to be a continuous things.

Merry Christmas

We pray that you will have a very blessed Christmas. Remember that Jesus is the reason for the season:



Attached is a video of our family.