The Fight Eases

Last week was spent with Mom and Lyn.  It was a good time to observe her closely.  This always leads to a long, in-depth conversation with Mom in which we discuss the changes we've observed.

Lyn's vocabulary is reduced.  Her ability to string words together and put thoughts together are also deeply compromised.  Her willingness to eat anything other than a very small handful of foods has also diminished.  All of these changes have been gradual and expected.  They've also been noted in conversations over the past several months.

Of greater significance is that the fight is going out of Lyn.

She is confused and frustrated by her confusion on a daily basis.  At this point, she's not able to make any sort of decision.  She'll say "No" when she's done or doesn't want something.  However, if you ask a "want" question such as "What do you want to eat" or "What do you want to do?", she's unable to answer.  She now complies with whatever you suggest.

She still wants to be the center of attention.  She retreats to her room to be alone when she can't handle attention going elsewhere.  She used to get argumentative and grouchy.  That's gone now.  If she didn't like how I was doing something, she'd tell me and then grumble if I countered her.  That's gone now.  She tried to offer corrective direction to me just once in the week and quietly stopped when I told her I was good.

Each day, there were times when she was was not present even when she was sitting at the table with us.  The light is increasingly gone from her eyes.  They are flat and empty.

She's loosing the fight and we're watching it happen.  There's nothing we can do to stop it.