My MIL threatened me with a knife

Does her doctor know?

“Fors her doctor know?”

Not a chance. The 95-year-old husband laughed about it and the son and daughter-in-law and sister could care less because they’ve never cared for me and my wife.

I should’ve called the sheriff!!!

You have no way of knowing what the potential for escalation is, but there is a risk that she could act if she feels threatened. At the very least, I would try to secure or keep potential "weapons" out of sight and reach. If this type behavior persists, discussion with her physician is needed. Medication might or might not help. But do not ignore this (potential) threat.

Keep yourself safe! If that means you don't visit, so be it. Let the family be angry with you, you don't need to be another victom of this horrible disease.

Well, her family should care. Instead of putting that knife down, she could have stabbed you with it. If they don't worry about her behavior, I would not visit again. It will be too late for them to act if she does hurt someone. It is sad, too because she does not really know what reality is anymore. But if my spouse wants to continue to visit, they could go themselves. She needs to be in a memory unit somewhere so she doesn't harm herself or someone else.

Denise,

Thanks for the reply!!

I’m actually there now & she walked past me and said “I won’t hurt you.”

My wife was making the 3 hour drive & staying the night, but my wife now agrees to just make day trips with me.

Would you be any less injured if she stabbed you because of dementia rather than actual malice?

If your father-in-law finds it amusing, he is complicit in this.

I'd be reluctant to go back there, and I probably wouldn't want my wife going, either.

Good, but I would still keep my eye on her the whole time you are there. There is not telling what she may do. Stay safe.

Apparently this behavior is typical too--I never spent the night alone with my mom when I visited from another state as she had guns, knives all over. I finally said my husband and I would stay over but she had to give me the gun she carried in her robe pocket and I would return it when we left. While we were there she walked in the bathroom when my husband was in there with a knife. But she lived alone...and in her 90's was afraid but of course would not move with me to another state or to assisted living in her town. And I did employ nursing students who spent the night as well as a daytime certified assistant who spent a few hours with her every day. Your situation is even worse--I can't believe people laugh at this. Take care, Carrie

Scott,

It’s a mess & my wife is only now starting to understand that her step-mother attacking someone may be sooner than later.

There is never a good ending with AZ and I’m dealing with her brother, her sister & a SIL, none of which ever finished HS.