Just when I am getting myself accustomed to Kate’s sleeping later, she got up very early this morning. I walked into the family room about 7:25. Kate was walking into the family room from our bedroom. She was carrying one of my dress shirts on a hanger. I knew immediately that she was looking for her clothes that I had not yet put out. When I got close to her, she said, “Who are you?” This began one of those conversations that I have reported on before. “Who am I?” “Who is my mother?” “Who is my father?”
This one was a little different from some of the others in a couple of ways. What I recognized after a few minutes was that she had no idea who she is, who I am, or where she is. This is the way she has been when she has had her anxiety attacks. What was different was that she didn’t display the same kind or degree of anxiety. She was quite calm. She was just very puzzled.
In addition, her memory was even shorter than usual. It was more difficult for her to repeat the names (hers, mine, her parents, our children, and her brother) I gave her when she asked. She was surprised when I told her I’m her husband. I asked her to sit with me on the love seat, and I picked up her “Big Sister” photo album that Ken had made for her. I opened it to several wedding pictures. She usually recognizes people after I have told her their names. That didn’t happen this morning. She was puzzled and couldn’t understand how she could not remember that we were married and that we have children.
After fifteen or twenty minutes, it was clear to me that she wasn’t able to process any of what I was telling her. I felt that I was giving her too much information even though she was asking for it. I asked if she would like to take a shower. She did. I took her to the bathroom and turned on the shower for her.
I came back to the bedroom just after she got out of the shower. I pointed out her clothes. She wasn’t ready to get dressed. She asked, “Who are you?” She was still surprised and said, “But you’re a nice guy.” It sounded to me that she hadn’t fully accepted that I am her husband, but I was all right anyway. In a few minutes, she asked if she could get in bed. I told her she could. I extended my hand to help her get out of the chair. She told me she could do it. Then she changed her mind quickly as she started to get up. She took my hand and walked to the other side of the bed. I helped her into bed and pulled the sheet over her. She again asked who I am. As she had done previously, she said, “You’re a nice guy.” It is 10:03 right now. I am sitting in a chair beside the bed. She is sound asleep. I wonder if she will still be confused when she wakes up.
