Problems understanding spoken sentences (verbal comprehension):

Floating Words

Words float around and past me.

sometimes they splash against my body.

i hear them spoken.
i understand each word.

I reach for them,
but mostly they just float around me without joining;
without coalescing into concepts that i can grab, hold, and understand.

Sometimes i am able to grab a passing thought and hold it;
finally understanding,
responding to the speaker and building relationship …
… but then it is gone again.

Words float around and past me.

Sometimes i feel alone
… and require visuals or TOUCH.
—  © Truthful Kindness
2018 Dec 11

“Hold My Hand to ANCHOR me” is another piece of prose, at this Link >> https://truthfulkindness.com/2014/11/07/hold-hand-anchor-me/

.

During 2018, this has gone from a rare occurance … to part of my “new normal”.
First experiences were very scary !!!  They can also build huge relationship misunderstandings;
It is not that i am purposely “checking out” from conversation, i just cannot understand what is said.

Not just myself, but everyone in the relationship needs to:
Grieve the partial loss of another ability; another tool in our relationship toolbox.  Accept that partial loss.  Then strategize to make the best of remaining abilities for rich relationships as long as possible.

At this point,
1) give me some time and verbal comprehension may click back into place.
2) My visual processing is still good right now (even if reading comprehension is not), so try graphs, charts, and pictures of what you are talking about.
3) If not, i probably need a nap, because trying to understand words into concepts is a lot of work for me now.

.
Dec 2018, my guess is that 25-30% of my social time is spent with little understanding of concepts spoken.  It is just disconnected words.  Mostly i “read” tone of voice and face/body expression.  Sometimes i just sit in video chat, watching everyone, and just BE with them even if i do not understand what is said.  In those cases, it is embarrassing when asked a question, because i had been unable to follow the prior conversation, and now it will be obvious.
It is not that i don’t care, i am simply losing that ability.

Sometimes written is better (partially because i can read it over and over again) … and sometimes it is not.

♦  Everything changes  ♦

.

Very thankful that i can still compose written concepts — even if i may not understand what i wrote, LOL.

Summary: Written comprehension has been compromised for years, but now verbal comprehension disabilities are a quickly-increasing part of my “new normal”.
Communication input is becoming strongly compromised, but written output of communication is still mostly intact, and i very much rely on that tool.
Family and others need to begin reading what i write, if they wish to retain close relationship.

Related Links.
Right-click on colored text and selecting “open in new tab”,
will allow you to return to this tab easily (at top of window) when you finish.
Remember, Links are on colored text, NOT the pictures.

Hold My Hand to ANCHOR me >> https://truthfulkindness.com/2014/11/07/hold-hand-anchor-me/

No Meanings for Words >> https://truthfulkindness.com/2016/09/06/no-meaning-for-words/

Importance >> https://truthfulkindness.com/2016/01/26/import-communication-pwd/

Communication Part 1 of 3
by Truthful Kindness (Factors of Environment, Content, and Timing) at https://truthfulkindness.com/2014/12/12/verbal-comprehension-strategies-1/ ;

.
* Admin issues:
This is another entry that i needed considerable amount of help from my husband on both explanation & photo.  Featured photo was taken with foam letters floating in pool at CV Starr Center, in Fort Bragg, CA.  SHARE dementia awareness thru buttons below. Feel free to leave your thoughts in the form of comments, but please filter your comments with truthful loving kindness to all concerned. If interested in receiving notice of future blog postings, subscriptions are available through a “follow” button in the upper left corner (MS Explorer) or lower right (Safari, Mozilla Firefox and Chrome). If there is an advertisement below, I have no control over what is shown. My own full legal name is Truthful Loving Kindness. My current diagnosis is still Mild Cognitive Impairment, but my neurologist said I am in a unique position for helping because I have “one foot in each door”. Text Copyright © 2018Dec11. Tags are: communication, dementia, PLwD, relationship, symptom, verbal comprehension.

Winner of “20-Best” Alz Blogs since 2015, including current year >> https://www.healthline.com/health/alzheimers-disease/best-blogs-of-the-year