More or less. Which we mean literally even if it sounds-- [she pauses in her work and makes a wobbly hand motion, punctuated with a flash of a grin.]

Host minds drift naturally toward the Nest due to their connection to the symbiote. But the drift can be slow enough to maintain some sense of individuality for most lifetimes if the Host wishes it. Take the Prince, for example. He has been here the same length of time as us - as Cathaway -, and he is nothing like we are. But yes. Some measure of the bleed is inevitable.