We've been married for over 21 years now. After my DH's visit to the hospital last week, I took him back to the ALF. He had not eaten for awhile so I had them get him some food. They got him a bowl of cereal and a sandwich. He ate his cereal with his left hand. He has never done that in all the years I have known him. I suspected he may of been left handed originally and he was probably forced to change hands. It turns out that is true. Amazing what you learn!
He is eating now with both hands. I did get confirmation from his sister and brother that he was originally left handed. His grandmother forced him to eat with his right hand when he was little. At the time, the 'right hand' was the 'correct hand'. I guess this is one indication of how far back his mind has gone.
It is amazing, this new discovery. When my mother finally arrived at the stage where English failed her, she spoke German which she spoke as a little girl before she started school in North Dakota. This brings up a fear for me now that my husband has been diagnosed with AD. He is first generation American of Mexican parents. He spoke Spanish before he spoke English. I hope he does not digress to speaking Spanish as this illness progresses. He is in the early phase now.
Mimi, a close friend went back to German as she regressed in AD.
(btw, note that everyone who POSTS here is a spouse. Many people read our messages, which is fine, but posting and responding is limited to spouses. It at least gives us the FEELING of being able to complain about our unsympathetic relatives, etc)
My dear friend also lost her husband to Ad and as he grew worse he began to speak Bulgarian. Of course, she did not speak it, nor did the people in the NH where he ultimately was placed. Really difficult for her to communicate with him at the end. Thank goodness my Dh is english speaking from birth. As it is I don't know what he's talking about half the time, imagine if it was in a different language.
Uh oh. This language thing will not be good if it happens to Sid. His biological mother died when he was 3, and his grandmother moved in with him and his father to help raise him. She spoke her native langauge only. At home, until he went to school, that is the language Sid spoke. I cannot even imagine the frustration of that happening as he advances farther into AD. I understand only some phrases in that language.