It occurs to me that old married couples have heard each other’s stories many times. Idle pleasantries between acquaintances and friends usually lead into a story about some past experience. It is harder to do with old married couples. They have heard the stories. Often they both participated. Aging and PD memory loss have changed our conversation about trips, children, childhood, food, children’s sports, many things.
I am a pretender often. She may forget who I am as she is talking. She may forget I was there; an hour ago, a week ago, a decade ago. I might forget I was there a decade ago. She wants to remind me of someone else from her childhood, someone I should know.
I work on my small talk with her because she will find a story from her childhood and it is calming to her to tell me the story.
As I think past all of that and how I can help and respond to Cheryl I still worry when she says to me, ” I’m ready to go home now.” She does this near bed time.
Lately she seems to merely mean that she is tired and wants to go to bed and rest.
Carpe Diem.
Adjunct_Wizard 
Paul,
Cheryl is so lucky to have you! Your stories are precious and always will be to those who know the two of you. I am dealing with much the same with my sis, Reet, who slips deeper into dementia each week.
My longtime friend, Ken Czillinger, dealt with a year of Parkinson’s and would often think he was “flying apart” and covered with bugs. I’d give him a good hug “to hold him together” and then proceed to help him “pick all the bugs off” and throw them at the wall. The de-bugging completed, we’d have a good laugh together. Of course, I’d head to my car and have a good cry afterward. I have so many wonderful memories of our antics together that happy my heart today, and I know you are doing the same.
Ken readied me for the ministry I have today caring for 30 Sisters of Mercy in their retirement home here on College Hill, a good number of whom deal with dementia and one with Parkinson’s. I consider the day a winner when I can help them smile and have a good belly laugh!
Holding you and Cheryl in prayer that thru all the changes you can experience joy.
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Thanks for the prayers, Ann.
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