The Best Metaphor to Understand Alzheimer’s
A conversation with Bill and Laura: It’s Like A School Of Fish
When I get stuck it is like I am looking at a big school of fish, all swimming together- weaving back and forth, up and down, all around, darting in and out — wrapping themselves over one another
How does she do it?
Laura and I were talking and all of a sudden, she went blank. She sort of had the deer-in-the-headlights look on her face. I gave her time to think and suddenly she just dropped her head to her chest and said, “I give up. I don’t…
“That’s okay, honey; we can get back to that. But, what’s it like?” I quietly asked. “Do you just see a black hole, or do you see something, anything, when you are trying to think of a word?”
“No, it’s not just a blank — at least not at first. When I get stuck it is like I am looking at a big school of fish, all swimming together- weaving back and forth, up and down, all around, darting in and out — wrapping themselves over one another,“ she explained as she waved her arms and hands around to help with the visual.
“Are the fish words?– are you are trying to pick out which one to use?”
“No, they’re everything: words, ideas, thoughts, memories — even things I have to do this afternoon — they are all just there and I have to find the right one and somehow hang on to it.”
“Wow, no wonder you struggle sometimes. I don’t know if I could do that.”
“Yeah and when someone interrupts or tries to help — it scares all the fish away — and then I’m left with the blank.”…
You can read the rest of Bill and Laura’s story here: http://www.yeva.co/s/@billsmutny/how-does-she-do-it
