A Confusing Start

About 8:15 this morning, I saw on the video cam that Kate was still in bed but awake and looking around the room. I went to the bedroom and sat down on the bed. She looked puzzled. I said, “It looks like you’re confused.” She nodded in agreement. Then she said, “Who are you?” I said, “Do I look like someone who is friendly?” She said. “Yes.” Then I told her my name. She asked her name. I said, “Kate Creighton and you’re very special to me.” She looked surprised and said, “Who are you?” I told her that I was her husband. This was one of those times when she couldn’t quite fathom that. I recited some of the things that have helped her in the past – our meeting at TCU, our courtship, our marriage, information about her parents. None of this meant anything to her. I finally got out the “Big Sister” photo album. As always, she liked the photo of her and her brother on the cover, but she didn’t recognize who they were. She asked who the boy was. When I told her that was Ken, her brother, I pointed to her picture and asked who that was. She said, “Me.” She looked at a few other pictures and didn’t recognize anyone. She said she was tired and wanted to rest.

I asked if she would like me to sit in the room with her. She said, “Oh, yes.” I took that as a good sign. Even if she didn’t know my name or that I was her husband, she seemed to feel more secure if I stayed with her.

About forty-five minutes later, I got up to get something from the kitchen. I saw that her eyes were open and said hello. She smiled and gave me a little chuckle. I told her I was glad to see her. She smiled again. I can’t be sure, but I think she recognized me. Then she dozed off again. I’m going to be optimistic that she’ll be fine when she wakes up.