One of the things that continues to disintegrate (read lose integration) is Gregory's ability to make connections. It was time for his evening coffee. He filled a coffee mug with coffee from this morning and put it down next to the coffee maker. He went to the refrigerator, took out the milk, and put it down on the opposite counter.
First he just stared at the milk as if trying to remember what he was doing, or how to do it. He looked back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. I sat quietly and tried to become invisible so as not to distract him. This went on for about 30 seconds which in real time isn't so long … but in Alzheimer's time seems forever. Try sitting there doing nothing for 30 seconds and see how it feels.
He next began to return the milk to the refrigerator, stopped mid-move, and put it back down on the counter. FInally, after about 15 second more, he turned to me and said, "Can you help me?"
I pointed towards the mug and said, "You need to put some milk in the coffee." Didn't register. "Open the milk." Success. "Take it over to your mug (pointing.)" Success. "Pour some milk into the mug." Success. Then the connections returned. He put the mug in the microwave, closed the door, pressed "1 minute," and waited until the signal sounded. He took the mug out of the microwave and thanked me. Success.
Other times he forgets how to pour the coffee into the mug, where to warm it up, how to run the microwave. What is amazing is that I felt no negative emotions. I was able to help him in a neutral way, didn't get upset, didn't consider him "stupid" for not remembering, didn't raise my voice, didn't dwell on what the future holds. I guess I am getting better at this.
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