My sister has episodes of not recognizing her husband. Recently her daughter had stayed with them and my sister suspected that her daughter was someone she did not know. My sister remembers these episodes but still does not believe that it was her daughter staying with her.
For example, not long ago my wife and I went to pick up our granddaughter for a visit. We met our son at a truck stop. My wife got out to talk to our son and our granddaughter got in the back seat. Visually, it was not her--intellectually I knew it was her, so I made a game out of it (teasing--"Who's getting in this car", "Who are you", etc), all the while waiting for my vision to catch up with my sense of reality. A moment or two later I heard my son say something to me--he was leaning through the driver door. I heard the voice of a man in his mid-thirties, but my mind said he was a teenager. I responded to the verbal, knowing it was him, and waited for my sense of reality to catch up. A short time later I was mentally well coordinated, both visually and auditorially. Then, not long afterward, on the way home my wife, who was driving, said something. I looked at her and, though I knew it was her, the face I saw was that of a friend of ours. I responded, we talked a bit, and she became herself again.
Not recognizing someone, thing or place is common in dementia. What I find interesting is I am aware of what is happening as it happens, as though the two halves of my brain are each interpreting something differently at the same time while the real me watches.
Like jeannegibbs, I'm not real sure what youre asking. Don't know if this helps--but it's me right now.
I think things like that are so helpful to a group who are trying to understand and grasping for any information we can get.
Angel
It's easy to believe that someone with Alz is faking or trying to mislead you. If that's what they were like before, then maybe they are. But for the most part, no one wants to fake such frightening symptoms!
i smile and point to myself and say 'right here' and it seems to register- I thought it was an out of sight thing, but now i see it is more than that.
Anyway to respond to question at hand.
I am sure that your sister is aware that someone was there but she may not believe it was her daughter. In your sisters mind her daughter may have been you or possibly her sibling if she has one. It depends on where she is in her head. (If that makes sense) My husband would follow people in the store and I am sure he thought the people he was following was me at various stages in my life. At one point he would follow a woman in her 20's with long hair..that cold have been me in my 20's...another time he would follow a heavier set woman in her 40's..again maybe me in my 40's...I knew I was in trouble when he started following a gray haired man... ;)
We were at a check out counter one day and he kept looking around and he said he needed to find his wife I told him we would go look for her by the cars. We left the store and we walked up to the car and he got in without a problem. So while he did not recognize me he knew the car and knew he was safe.
Just reassure your sister. If she thinks you are her mother or daughter or thinks her daughter is a younger sibling do not argue. It is difficult but at that moment it is her reality. Just as you can not discount your reality she can not hers.
Neme, I found much help from different organizations that educate people about Dementia of all types. Alzheimers Association, AARP, many, many others. Awareness is increasing due to the efforts of many groups. I suggest that you find a group and take some classes, attend support groups anything that you can. This would be the best gift you could give your sister and her family. Learn about what they deal with on a daily basis. Offer help where you can. Be supportive of your sister's family.
It appears that yes, your sister remembers parts of an episode of dementia. She didn't think at the time that the woman visiting her was her daughter, and she still does not believe it was her daughter.
So what is your question? Do you think that your sister is not being honest about what she remembers, or what?
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