Welcome to the club, iloveleah. Those of us who have parents or spouses with memory issues will find that rambling town on our journey.
My Dad will get his brain into a loop and won't shake it loose during a conversation. He was fixated on a receipt sent by his stock broker, would read me everything on the receipt.... then I would explain what that receipt was about.... instant replay of reading the receipt.... I would try another approach of changing subject.... again, instant replay of the receipt.... [sigh].
Next day visited Dad and promptly put that receipt in my folder telling Dad I need to file it with the other stock statements. So that puts an end to that subject... until something else gets his attention.... like the Verizon strike.... or the Presidential candidates.
iloveleah, I try to accept those days are gone here. Sometimes I'll try to have an adult conversation with my mother. It is a total impossibility. She'll revert to talking about her childhood or something about one of my brothers each time. It's always the same stories of long ago. I believe there are only certain points in time she remembers, so she revisits those times again and again. She is totally lost when it comes to contemporary adult conversation. Still sometimes I try, then wonder why I tried. I guess it is because it is something that I need.
I forgot to mention the rambling. I don't know about other people, but my mother does it when I'm trying to watch TV or read. I know that she wants to talk, but her voice is low and I can't figure out the things she is talking about. Sometimes I try to listen. It is normally something from her earlier years. I don't know... it seems like when I pay attention that she stops.
Yep. I call it Personalized Who's on First. Ya know the old Abbot and Costello bit. If you haven't heard it check it out on YouTube. Initially mom use to do it to my brother for kicks as it alway got him all worked up - and I never fell for it - she'd have a good laugh after he'd leave. Now, sadly it's the real deal.
I find myself just holding the phone away from my ear when the phrase is repeated a 3rd and 4th time. I'll say something and she'll say " I know what you mean" and then on with something totally unrelated. I'm laughing while typing this just thinking about how crazy it is!
My Dad will get his brain into a loop and won't shake it loose during a conversation. He was fixated on a receipt sent by his stock broker, would read me everything on the receipt.... then I would explain what that receipt was about.... instant replay of reading the receipt.... I would try another approach of changing subject.... again, instant replay of the receipt.... [sigh].
Next day visited Dad and promptly put that receipt in my folder telling Dad I need to file it with the other stock statements. So that puts an end to that subject... until something else gets his attention.... like the Verizon strike.... or the Presidential candidates.
I thought it was bad to wake up to "I don't feel good today" each morning. I don't think I could handle what you're going through.