I'm sorry you've read upsetting posts @Happy Hampton . Can you try to avoid these altogether? I know there aren't many people on this forum with your diagnosis and it's so good you still have the insight to post about your experience.
I never disparaged my mother's behaviour when she was ill with Alzheimer's because we'd always had a very close relationship and I knew what was happening to her wasn't "her" and it was heart breaking. I think, because I'd already had long experience of another family member having a serious mental disorder and, failing at times to understand what was causing his behaviour, it made me recognise that hers, too was, totally out of character.
Although she was also plagued with arthritis and her mobility became limited, she remained herself up to the end, and her spirit shone through although I know this is not always the case. The only reason she became paranoid at one time was because she had a urinary tract infection and when it cleared up she was better.
She was lucid - telling my friend clearly that there was no sugar in her tea (a visitor's error) and you could still talk to her although she didn't necessarily remember everything and this was right up to the end.
This is just my mother's experience but I wanted to give you hope that things don't always go as badly as the worst case scenario. You are very brave to deal with this diagnosis and I am glad your family are supportive around you. Try not to get disheartened, I know it is hard. You just have to deal with things as they happen - don't anticipate the things to come as they may never happen.
I never disparaged my mother's behaviour when she was ill with Alzheimer's because we'd always had a very close relationship and I knew what was happening to her wasn't "her" and it was heart breaking. I think, because I'd already had long experience of another family member having a serious mental disorder and, failing at times to understand what was causing his behaviour, it made me recognise that hers, too was, totally out of character.
Although she was also plagued with arthritis and her mobility became limited, she remained herself up to the end, and her spirit shone through although I know this is not always the case. The only reason she became paranoid at one time was because she had a urinary tract infection and when it cleared up she was better.
She was lucid - telling my friend clearly that there was no sugar in her tea (a visitor's error) and you could still talk to her although she didn't necessarily remember everything and this was right up to the end.
This is just my mother's experience but I wanted to give you hope that things don't always go as badly as the worst case scenario. You are very brave to deal with this diagnosis and I am glad your family are supportive around you. Try not to get disheartened, I know it is hard. You just have to deal with things as they happen - don't anticipate the things to come as they may never happen.