🎵 "I'm Too Sexy" – EOA Another Day, Another EOA Quirk (Right Said Fred)
One thing I've learned about Early Onset Alzheimer's:
Every day brings something new.
Sometimes it's frustrating.
Sometimes it's heartbreaking.
And sometimes...
It's so ridiculous you can't help but laugh.
This was one of those days.
👉 The EOA brain still has the same personality.
The competitiveness.
The confidence.
The charm.
The salesman.
The social guy.
The problem is the filter, timing, and words don't always arrive in the right order anymore.
🧠 How The Morning Starts Matters
Caregivers know exactly what I'm talking about.
Before your loved one says a word...
You know.
You can tell by how they wake up.
How they move.
How alert they seem.
How quickly they answer questions.
Some mornings just feel different.
And this particular morning?
I had a feeling.
☕ Meanwhile, The Day Had Already Started
I work from home.
By 10 a.m. I was:
✔ Two meetings deep
✔ Showered
✔ Hair done
✔ Fully into my workday
Meanwhile...
Rob was still waking up.
I reminded him:
"Your doctor appointment is today at 3."
He replied:
"2?"
"No. Three."
"We leave at 2:45."
"Okay."
At least I thought he understood.
🏃♂️ The Typical EOA Day
First came the run/walk with our daughter.
Then lunch.
Then watering plants.
Then a shower.
Then fruit.
Then a nap.
Then at 1:45 he walked into my office and asked:
"Are you ready?"
I looked up.
"For what?"
"The doctor."
I laughed.
"We leave in an hour."
Again.
🤔 Number One At What?
On the drive to the appointment, he became very focused on something.
"I hope I'm number one."
"Number one what?" I asked.
"The best."
"The best what?"
"I hope I'm the best person."
Now I'm confused.
He's confused.
We're both confused.
The conversation kept circling.
"I hope I'm number one."
"Okay buddy, you're number one."
But I still had absolutely no idea what he meant.
💡 Then It Clicked
We got to the doctor's office.
The nurse checked:
Blood pressure
Heart rate
Weight
And Rob immediately asked:
"Am I the best?"
And suddenly I understood.
Not the best person.
Not number one in life.
Not employee of the month.
He wanted to know if he was the fittest patient they'd seen all day.
Because before Alzheimer's...
He was a salesman.
Competitive.
Driven.
Always wanting to win.
That part of him is still very much alive.
🏆 The Nurse Understood The Assignment
I gave the nurse a little look.
You know the look.
The caregiver look.
The "please help me out here" look.
Without missing a beat she smiled and said:
"Yes sir, you're the healthiest person I've seen all day."
And just like that...
Mission accomplished.
💪 Then The Doctor Walked In
The doctor has been with us through this entire journey.
He's one of the best physicians I've ever met.
He helped us through years of questions, testing, referrals, and eventually diagnosis.
So when Rob asked:
"What do you think? Am I number one?"
The doctor immediately understood.
"Rob, you're absolutely one of the fittest patients I've seen today."
And that's when things escalated.
😂 Feel My Muscles
Rob immediately flexed.
Then he said:
"Feel my muscles."
The doctor laughed.
Rob got closer.
"No really. Feel them."
Then he wanted to feel the doctor's muscles.
Then he wanted the nurse to feel his muscles.
Then he started explaining that everything was solid muscle.
At this point I'm trying not to laugh.
The nurse is trying not to laugh.
The doctor is trying not to laugh.
And Rob is completely serious.
🚨 When The Filter Goes Missing
This is one of those things people don't understand about Alzheimer's.
It's not that they're trying to be inappropriate.
It's that the social filter sometimes disappears.
The personality remains.
The rules don't always arrive.
The thought goes:
"I'm proud of my muscles."
And immediately becomes:
"Everyone should touch my biceps."
Without the middle step.
💔 The Sweet Part
As funny as it was...
There was also something sweet underneath it.
Because what he was really asking wasn't:
"Feel my muscles."
What he was asking was:
"Do I still matter?"
"Am I still me?"
"Am I still strong?"
"Am I still doing okay?"
And honestly?
I think that's what breaks my heart the most.
🧠 The EOA Brain Is Strange
One thing Alzheimer's teaches you:
The personality doesn't disappear all at once.
Pieces remain.
Sometimes forever.
The competitor.
The athlete.
The salesman.
The jokester.
The flirt.
The protector.
They all pop up unexpectedly.
Sometimes in the right situation.
Sometimes in hilariously awkward situations.
💛 Another Day Of EOA
As we walked out, I gently reminded him:
"Remember, we don't ask people to touch our muscles."
He laughed.
The nurses laughed.
The doctor laughed.
And we all moved on.
Just another day.
Another quirk.
Another story.
Another reminder that Alzheimer's is heartbreaking...
But sometimes it's also incredibly funny.
And if we don't laugh occasionally, we'd spend all our time crying.
🎵 Why "I'm Too Sexy"
Because some days Alzheimer's isn't sadness.
It's a grown man trying to convince an entire medical office to admire his biceps.
And honestly?
Those are the stories I'm hanging onto.
Because they're still him.
Just with fewer filters.
💬 Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor, lawyer, therapist, or expert—just a wife trying to figure this out one day at a time. Everything shared here is based on our experience and things that have helped us along the way. Take what helps, leave what doesn’t, and always check with professionals when needed. I also use AI to help clean up my writing, organize thoughts, and pull together resources because honestly… caregiver brains are tired too. If something here helps another family feel less alone, then it’s worth sharing.
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