Too Dark


Mom decided her front door needed a fresh coat of paint.  The house is stucco brown, the unofficial state color of New Mexico, and the door was the same.  Mom picked out a nice dark green to improve the door's appearance.  

While Lyn was out on Saturday, she painted the first coat on the door.  Shortly after she was done, Lyn returned home with her respite provider.  She walked into the house through the front door and didn't notice the color change.  If the respite provider noticed, she didn't comment.  After the provider left, Mom told Lyn that she had changed something.  Lyn immediately told her to not make her guess because she was tired and her brain "just can't take guessing."  

Mom ended up having to help Lyn out of her chair to guide her to the front door.  The door was sitting open to the room.  The green was facing Lyn as they approached it.  When they were in front of it, Mom told Lyn she had painted and the green was the new color.  Lyn looked and said "Too dark.   I don't like it."  She then followed up by saying no one would like it.  

Later, Lyn told me it was too dark.  What struck me was the tone of voice and the phrasing was just like Grandma!  The negative tone was the hallmark of my Grandmother's last few years.  In the Alzheimer's community, care takers are regularly reminded "It is the disease talking."  Apparently, the disease sounds like Grandma.

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