What you write reminds me of when my dad had a stroke in the early 80s, and my mother's taking care of him for the next 7 years or so. We all struggled to live a "normal" life.

There were moments of humor. About 6 months after the incident, my dad announced at a sunday family dinner, "i think im pretty much back to normal now, but too bad that wasnt better to begin with!" He and i laughed, but my mother and my brother were both horrified. I thought it showed his acceptance of the situation, but they thought it expressed our denial.

Some years later, my mother expressed her frustration saying, "im gonna run away!" My dad instantly replied, "Take me with you! Im not having any fun here either!" Mother, completely lacking a funny bone, goes, "What? Im trying to get away from you! Why would i take you with me?"

Thankfully, my mother when she passed did not linger, as she had already expressed her plans to be even more ornery and disagreeable if she became infirm.