(From March 3rd)

One of the pitfalls of living with someone who has dementia is never really trusting what they say as being what they mean. You sometimes have to play word games to get to what they are trying to communicate.

I assumed Mom and I were having one of those conversations this morning when she approached me as I was rushing to get out the door to work. She handed me a cup of coffee I had made her before I hopped in the shower, and said “I don’t think this is like it usually is when you doctor it up for me.” I had neglected to taste it before I gave it to her earlier as she enjoys her coffee very sweet. I said “Whats the matter with it?” She exclaimed “I don’t know but it is just awful!” I mentally rolled my eyes and said “Oh come on Mom it’s not awful, I probably just didn’t make it sweet it enough.” Mom said “Well taste it!”

Now it is worth pausing here to consider exactly why I thought that was a good idea….. But I did as was requested and took a big swig of her coffee. It tasted so heinous my immediate reaction was to spit it back into the coffee cup with such force that the coffee went flying all over the front of my blouse! Mom said “I told you…”. Evidently I had not made it sweet enough and while I was in the shower she took it upon herself to put more sugar in…..except she apparently had used copious amounts of SALT not sugar. Her communication was clear as a bell….and I was late for work!