The Day My Life Changed Forever.....

I remember the day clearly. It was a sunny beautiful day when my mum who had lived with us in the same house for 15 years came upstairs and wished us luck in our new home! Just like that all of a sudden she had no memory of our home. Our home where we had celebrated birthdays, anniversaries, birth of babies and countless festivals round our dining table which had been hers since she was married. No memory of any of it at all!! A trip to the GP and a possible diagnosis of a Urinary tract Infection with a delirium somewhat temporarily lifted the anxiety I was feeling. However all tests came back clear and so the journey began! Countless blood tests, scans and doctors appointments. Finally a diagnosis of Vascular Dementia.

The doctors advice: “Shut up and put up!”

I sat in my car and sobbed what harsh awful advice from my mums usual caring and gentle GP. In hindsight it was great advice just delivered harshly and prematurely. I learnt my first lesson in becoming the carer for my beautiful clever and wise mother. Our lives as a family were about to change suddenly and drastically!