Not necessarily something to be feared

I read today that dementia is our most feared illness even more than heart disease or cancer.  I can relate to that as, for the three months following Ash' s diagnosis, I was more frightened than I have ever been in my entire life.  More frightened than at the top of a mountain ready to ski down when I realised I was scared of heights, more frightened than the time it dawned on me that  I had no way of stopping my pony as it took off down the road with me hanging on for dear life, more frightened than when I was pregnant and realised  I was actually going to have to be a grown up for the first time in my life .......... There have been so many times over the years when I have been frightened but nothing compared to those feelings of pure panic as I thought of what life had in store for us as Ash got progressively worse because that's what happens to people with dementia isn't it?  One minute you're both enjoying life as you plan what your're going to do with the years ahead and the next you have a diagnosis of dementia and he's sitting in a corner drooling and unable to do a thing for himself.  Only it's not like that and if you're now in the position I was ten months ago I need you to understand that your life hasn't come to an end.  There are strategies you can put in place and systems you can adopt all of which will make your life better than I would guess it has been for a long time.  You just need to believe.

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