as a 48 year old single parent, with a parent with dementia, this is not a situation I have ever been in (thankfully). I did feel incredibly moved when reading it though. I think so many people think of dementia as an old person's disease, which is tragic enough, but to develop this while you are still bringing children up and/or still relatively young yourself, is absolutely heart-breaking for everyone concerned.
http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=590
My childhood sweetheart
Yvonne Hague
It is hard to think that the person most dear to me, my soulmate, was diagnosed with dementia.
Knowing that my father in law was diagnosed at 49 and passed away at 53 is no comfort as here I am at 39 trying to come to terms with the fact that my beloved partner of 23 years (my childhood sweetheart and father to my 10 year old daughter) was diagnosed at 40 with moderate to severe dementia.
Emotionally it is crippling me and physically I am trying to keep my full time job going to keep home and family together. My darling husband has chosen in his mind to block out the diagnosis presented to him in March this year and feels he is absolutely fine. But given the negative start to this letter I do not wish you to feel that I am giving up or struggling to find positives in daily life.
I try to create memories for us as family and try to keep positive but I cannot convey how little information or support there is for young people affected by dementia. I want to know how others cope and how I can influence the local services in a way that is of value to my husband.
He is and still remains the person I married just with a very poor memory. His character and spirit is still there and he continues to tell me that he loves me every day. Rightly or wrongly my daughter has not been told the full extent of her daddy's condition because I know that she is not strong enough at present because she is still dealing with the death of her grandfather.
Juggling work, the needs of my daughter and those of my husband is my biggest hurdle. This is truly a catch 22 situation for me.
http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=590
My childhood sweetheart
Yvonne Hague
It is hard to think that the person most dear to me, my soulmate, was diagnosed with dementia.
Knowing that my father in law was diagnosed at 49 and passed away at 53 is no comfort as here I am at 39 trying to come to terms with the fact that my beloved partner of 23 years (my childhood sweetheart and father to my 10 year old daughter) was diagnosed at 40 with moderate to severe dementia.
Emotionally it is crippling me and physically I am trying to keep my full time job going to keep home and family together. My darling husband has chosen in his mind to block out the diagnosis presented to him in March this year and feels he is absolutely fine. But given the negative start to this letter I do not wish you to feel that I am giving up or struggling to find positives in daily life.
I try to create memories for us as family and try to keep positive but I cannot convey how little information or support there is for young people affected by dementia. I want to know how others cope and how I can influence the local services in a way that is of value to my husband.
He is and still remains the person I married just with a very poor memory. His character and spirit is still there and he continues to tell me that he loves me every day. Rightly or wrongly my daughter has not been told the full extent of her daddy's condition because I know that she is not strong enough at present because she is still dealing with the death of her grandfather.
Juggling work, the needs of my daughter and those of my husband is my biggest hurdle. This is truly a catch 22 situation for me.
