Hearing Or?

Bobs speech has pretty much gone silent again. I guess I shouldnt say silent.  He will say three or four Jibberish words that make no sense. I try to decipher their meanings and as hard as I try most of the time I dont figure out what he is saying before he gets angry. Rather then deal with his anger I will quickly say.   "Thats Interesting", or maybe if it seemed like a question "I'll say I'm not sure". Something to let him know I heard him.  He also has been slapping the table next to him in some form of communication that I havent figured out yet.
 Bob has been 100% deaf in one ear for years and has lost 85% of the hearing in the other. They think.
They really are not sure if he is responding correctly to the hearing tests right, so it is making it impossible to get a proper adjustment on his hearing aid.
Not that he will wear the darn thing anyway.. He hates it.
It is very hard for them to figure out if he is not responding because he cant actually hear them or if its the Dementia. There have been many times I have been right in Bobs face (speaking in a voice loud enough for the people at the end of the street to hear me) and he still looks at me as If I havent said a word.
I'm guessing a combination of the two...

Silence is not always Golden

I think one of the most difficult issues to deal with in Alzheimer’s patients is their lack of communication. Bob's silence is sometimes extremely frustrating and causes a feeling of horrible loneliness for me. His ability to carry on a conversation here lately has been non existent at times.

I know most Alzheimer’s patients lose their ability to successfully communicate early on during the course of the disease. I just didn't realize how frustrating it can be. With Bobs severe hearing loss we had been pretty good at communicating with hand signals and body language but now it seems that the only time that he even tries to communicate is when he is frustrated or angry or just having an exceptionally good day.

Him not being able to communicate affects so many aspects of our journey — from practical matters to emotional matters. I often feel like I am caring for an infant. Watching his face for signs of pain or emotions. Besides the practical issues that are health related, not being able to hear him  speak also takes an emotional toll on me. I carry on two sided conversations and often find myself trying to force a response or conversation out of Bob. One worded responses seem to be our  new normal. Unless he is upset, or angry.. or may be having a good day. Then and only then does he seems to be able to get a reasonable sentence out.

I miss his voice. I miss his laugh. I wish he used them more often.  I wish........

Company

Today Bob told me it was time for our company to leave because he was tired.
What company?
Apparently the people on the TV across the room.
They are being "too loud"... which is kind of funny --since Bob is almost deaf.
Remember back in December I told you I wanted to get a Saltwater aquarium up and running again.. Well I did it.. My son bought it for me awhile back. What a sweet kid huh? So- the tank has been cycling for awhile and I have started adding coral and fish.. I'll share pictures soon.

Answer the Door

I needed to go to the store . I knew Son 2  would be swinging by any second so I left Bob home alone knowing that it would just be for  5 minutes..  I get home-- Son 2 is out in the yard and Bob has the deadbolts on the door locked- I unlocked the door and we went in and Bob was taking apart the door chime--

I said what are you doing-- he said--- this damn thing kept going off-- I am fixing it-- I said well  when it goes off-- dont you think you should look outside and see who is here?  Its a door bell.. Brian has been ringing the door bell.  He looks at me and says-- no its not-- its a fire alarm-- 

(And what about the knocking?) 

Son 2 has a key to the main locks-- he now also has a key to the deadbolts--

Can You Hear Me Now?

I often wonder how much of Bob's daily confusion is caused by his hearing loss.  I often repeat things 3 or 4 times before he really hears me..

If you have ever lived with someone who has extreme hearing loss you know what I mean-- you say it once-- they dont hear you-- you say it again-- they hear you but dont hear it right-- then you say it even louder-- and they say-- Geez-- You dont have to yell!

Bob is completely deaf in one ear and has lost 80% of his hearing in the other. He has hearing aids-- but they dont really help that much and he hates them.

I said to him
"Babe-- Do you need the bathroom before I take a shower?"
Him- "Okay"- (and went in there and sat down on the tub ledge)
Me- "What are you doing?"
Him-" Sitting in the bathroom while you take a shower."
Me- "Why?"
Him- "Because you asked me to."
Me "Huh?"

Well- One of us is confused and it wasnt him.