He doesn't remember how to take a shower

* He can lather up with soap just fine, but can't figure out how to wash it off.

* He also needs help getting dressed and undressed. It's the sequential interplay of 'on' and 'off' that just buggars him.

* He has two speaking voices. One is hale and hearty, emphatic with the joy of life that has always been in his possession. "My what a beautiful day!"..... "Look at that - 6 axels on that truck. My goodness!".... "You are certainly an excellent driver. I'm very impressed. You certainly know your way around. Have you lived here long?" "I'm happy to be spending this time with you."

His other voice is quiet, mumbling, with his chin tucked down. I can barely hear him. This is when he's lost in his inability to make his way between his thoughts and his word choices. Salad.

* And as for his amazing, endless appetite... it has tapered off quite a bit. He forgets to finish his meal in front of him and falls asleep. Over the past few months, he has lost ten pounds. I don't know why, since it isn't for lack of access to calories. I'm guessing his body isn't using what he eats.

*Sleeping much more often. Much, much more.


All these things indicate progression of his disease. Sad, but true. Made me cry when I realized it.

Addendum - Hey, it turns out he had a urinary tract infection. As I thought about all those things, they turned into a set of symtoms for me. The elderly are like babies in this way - you really have to hunt for the clues of an infection, have a high index of suspicion. MaryEllen helped me validate my suspicion and suggested a good antibiotic. Thank you, M.E.! He's much better now, but this just goes to show how tenuous his baseline is.