We have been married for 16 years and he has always called me Debbie, no nicknames or pet names. I would usually call him babe, but today he came out of his bedroom and I was in the kitchen. He said "Debra..." I started to ask him what he wanted but in mid sentence I said "What did you call me?" He said "Debra" I said "You have never called me that" He said "Never!" I said "Never" He told me that he can tell that there has been a lot of changes quickly in his mental condition. I wonder if one day he is going to not know who I am at all!
Likely that will be the case, sadly. Dado knows who I am when I go visit him, but unless I tell him my name he will have to really think about it. Whenever I say, hi Dado, he says back at me, hi Dado. (Often a tear or two will roll down his cheeks when he says that)
Awwwww, both of your comments really tugged at my heartstrings. Deb, Lynn use to call me by my nickname (Nikki) and he had many pet names for me as well. Never once in our entire relationship did he ever call me by my given name, Nicole. Until the day of placement. It was the strangest thing hearing him call me that! It was so alien.....
I can't remember the name for the phenomenon, but his doctor explained to me that even with dementia, if there is a life altering event, or something that really effects them, they can go through a period of time of altered knowledge, and can even have moments of clarity. It was the strangest thing!!!!!!!!
Awwww Coco, it is so sad isn't it. Lynn rarely says my name now, but he is still able to call me pet names. The thing I hope you can know in your heart is that though he can't recall your name at that given moment, he does still carry you in his heart and he knows who you are. This is proven to me on the occasions when Lynn is able to say my name.
deb42657: He might forget your name at some time in the future but, my DW never did forget mine. She forgot our children's and her brothers and sisters, but, she remembered me to her dying day. I hope your DW does the same.
PS: I almost wrote this to 'Debra' just to be mean. Sorry.
I hope you can find something to laugh about today.
deb, he might not remember your name in the future but as Nikki says, he will always carry you in his heart. I found it very sad the first time hb couldn't remember my name or that I was his wife....I cried. But even tho he's mid-late stage 6 he generally knows who I am and my name. Funny, it's become less important to me as time goes on.