Down Syndrome: communication ups and downs

Most of the time we all have conversations effortlessly.   Lately I'm learning to see the precious-ness of that. 

All his life, Erik has been slow at conversation.   You had to allow him extra time to get his words out, but he got them out in his simple way and made his needs/wishes known.
As I've written before, things have really changed in this regard.   This has been one of the largest set-backs for Erik we've experienced and it's very sad.   He's not been officially diagnosed with Alzheimer's but for a few years now, he's been on 2 of the drugs that slow that horrible process.   The last few times Erik's visited our home he did a lot of his communicating by pointing at what he needed.     Or he'd try to get the words out and we'd wait.   Often it was clear he was struggling so we'd finally take a guess at what he was trying to say, then he'd say "yeah".  He seemed relieved that we helped him.    Knowing this is an area that Erik where Erik is losing ground makes our phone calls more sweet and meaningful.   I'm just happy to hear him on the phone even if the same conversation happens every time!


here's how it goes most every time:
"Hey, dis Erik."
"Well, Hi Erik!  How are you??"
"I fine!  How you?"
"I'm just great Erik, it's so good to hear from you.  Did you have a good day?"
"Oh yeah!" (said with such sweet feeling)
"Oh good, did you work today?"
"Yeah."
"That's good, you're such a good worker Erik."
"yeah."   pause.... "How's ..... big Mike? (my husband)
"Mike's fine Erik, he's at work now."
"at work?"
"yes."  
pause......."How's ....um... How-you been doin?"
"I'm great, Erik.   Did you see your friends today?"
".....um....um.....Penny say hi."  (Penny is his very favorite friend at his group home)
"Oh, you tell her hi from me, ok?"
"ok (long pause).....How Mike?"
"Oh, he's just fine, just fine."
(then we might go into one or two other things)...
"well, I got go now."


I remember a time when Erik would call and tell me in great detail what he had for lunch and how good it was.   (Food, one of his favorite things.  True for us all.)


He'd call with ideas he had for something..."Hey, I got good idea!"   He would tell us the good idea and we'd say how great it was and then he'd point to his brain as if to say "I know!"


If Erik did something we weren't too happy with, something that was dangerous, (like leaving his condo garage door open) we'd give him a little talk "Now Erik......"   he'd understand it all but would put the conversation to a close by saying "Be Cool."


Whenever he and Mike were driving around he loved to tease Mike by telling him (while cracking up), "hey Mike, you missed your turn!"


Also in the car he'd get in a mood, where knock-knock jokes spilled out of him.  Erik would make up his own....as in:
Erik: Knock knock!
Mike:   Who's there?
Erik:  Shoe
Mike:   Shoe who?
Erik:  You have a hole in your shoe!!!   Then he'd look so triumphant, laugh and do another one.


 He also would tell us in great detail why someone at the group home had made him mad and how he felt about it.    He would get very worked up and animated and always end the outburst with, "I don't like that!!"   (Oh really? thank you for letting us know -- we weren't sure.)  :-)


Or, oh my goodness, he reminds us of his upcoming birthday and how old he's turning.  Last year when he was turning 50 that was, of course, a huge thing.  He kept saying "I gon be 50.  Five-Oh!".  For the past 20 years, that fact (his birthday) was the second-most frequent topic he'd want to talk about.   


But by far, the most beloved topic Erik wanted to talk to us about was (trumpets sounding) to make sure we didn't forget to change our clocks when day-light savings time came around twice a year.   He told everyone, I mean everyone, not to forget that!  Sadly, he hasn't told us about this in months or even been aware that the time changes have happened.
So, my question for you is...have any of you experienced this kind of slowing down of communication with your family members?   What was it like for you?