What were the first dementia signs you noticed?

It was my sister, whom at first I thought was putting me on, or wanting to get off the phone. She would say "You already told me that." But when one of my friends told me, I began taking it seriously. Not long afterward I was diagnosed with Dementia . Now I'm aware of forgetting things I've known a long time, so I make lists. Gotta fight this disease back, as long as I can!!! ALL BLESSINGS!!!!
B

I wish my husband were as wise as you are. He's still in denial. It would be so much easier to manage our lives if he could accept the changes that are occurring. Best wishes to you.

I guess I started making "lists" during the pandemic to limit grocery shopping or other trips into a risky world. I never did before, just stopped in store on the way home. Now I find making a list, starting after a grocery trip so helpful when I get to store, it's not necessary but definitely helps make my trips more efficient.

I can say from experience that a Dementia diagnosis, whether from a doctor, family, or friends, is a frightening reality to accept. Even now I try to prove to myself that it's not true, by trying to get everything done right. Perhaps once your husbnd recognizes and accepts his memory issues, and as other family members and friends point out how he's changed, he'll will acknowledge it. Wishing you both all blessings!

My husband was meticulous, but began leaving cabinet drawers and doors open. Next came general messiness, wearing mismatched shoes, inability to use his phone or read, spilling food, etc. (a result of not interpreting what his eyes tell him).

I was so glad you wrote “began leaving cabinet drawers and doors open,”…when my hubby started leaving the large medicine cabinet door as well as the kitchen cabinets and drawers open I knew something was definitely wrong. I have been looking for someone else to mention that. I have yet to have a doctor agree that yes that could indicate the disease is progressing and when on this journey you are desperate to have someone acknowledge that yes unusual behavior indicates a progressing. He has trouble reading. He says that understanding the preacher’s messages at church is getting harder. He can’t sing hymns as he can’t follow along quick enough. As a result he is less interested in going. His ability to use his cell phone is also decreasing, and more and more he will ask me what particular apps are for. He is losing the ability to keep his things organized and every drawer is becoming a “junk” drawer which results in him never being able to find anything. That would have driven him crazy 3 years ago. It drives me crazy now, but I try to keep quiet and just limit the drawers he can claim as his. The doctors are quick to write prescriptions, but I haven’t found one that really wants to talk about the progression of this disease that is slowly taking my husband away from me…I feel like we are on a drifting ship…wondering how and where we will end up. Thank goodness for Mayo Chat and good books.

I’ve never seen anyone mention this, but even before my husband was diagnosed, it was a look in his eyes.
His soft blue-green eyes seemed to get dark and distant, like maybe his brain was trying to figure out what was happening. It’s been 13 years since his diagnosis, and I still see it at times.

I’m afraid this is common. I think my husband realizes how dependent he is on me, and has exaggerated his worries that I might have a wreck or leave him for someone else.

Looking back, I now recognize signs which I thought were just odd at the time. A new press & seal type of plastic wrap came out and I bought some for mom. She could not understand how to pull it out. I got impatient, unfortunately.

Also, she was an avid quilter. During this same visit, she was going to cut some fabric and put the ruler on the wrong side and couldn't figure out how to do it. I thought it was strange and couldn't understand her difficulty with something so "simple".

The next beginning things: if out at a restaurant, she'd turn the wrong way out of the restroom that she just went in - always going the wrong direction. Getting lost in large stores. We were going to Lowe's and Walmart - while at Lowe's she thought we were in Walmart and couldn't find the frozen food. She finally asked a worker.

Humor helps but dementia sure can bring grief and sadness for all involved.

Yes! My mom was the same. There was a lack of focus and it seemed like she was also trying to figure something out or what was going on. Very noticeable in photos too. I can tell if she is with it by looking at her eyes.