Sadness over diagnosis

just diagnosed dementia very sad and scared

I am so sorry about your diagnosis.
I know that there are places you can go to work on your memory.
My dad went to one of these places.
They did all sorts of exercises and activities to help keep his memory working.
Perhaps there is a place like that near you????

Be positive!
Ronnie (GRANDMAr)

Hello @cathy514 I am so very sorry to read of your diagnosis. Do you have any support around you at home to help?

@cathy514
I think that @grandmar has a good idea. Ask for a referral to a cognitive therapist. Physical and occupational therapy might also help.

I gosh. I am so sorry. I am thinking that that is down the line for me as well because my mom has dementia.
She started showing signs at age 76 and I'm now 65, so I figure I will also show signs in ten years. She is 88 now and still lives on her own. It is a scary diagnosis. I hope you have some resources in your city or town that you can call to help you navigate this. Do you have family that lives in your town? Can they help you get through this?

Hi Catmom777,
I agree, dementia is scary, but you can't let the possibility of getting it someday worry you.

My dad was the youngest of 5 children.
His parents died young, when he was in the service.
My grandmother had heart disease and my grandfather liver cancer.
Of course, who knows what would have happened if they lived in a different time where medicine, surgery and early detection was available.

My dad's oldest sister feared dying young.
She never mentioned from what.
I'm here to tell you that she went on to live into her mid-90s.
She developed dementia in her late 79s and breast cancer.

One of my dad's sisters developed heart disease and died in her 70s.
My dad developed heart disease in his 40s, probably due to smoking and eating wrong.
My dad also developed dementia. That happened in his 70s.
My dad, who lived with heart disease since his 40s, had 2 by-pass operations, and a couple of pace-makers went on to live into his mid-80s.

My mom was the middle child of 5.
My grandmother died at 87.
She broke a hip and had a stroke; she was never the same after the stroke.
My grandfather died at 91.
NOTHING was wrong with him.
He was a smoker ALL of his life!
He woke up one day, didn't feel well, and was dead by nightfall.
Three of my mother's siblings died in their late 60s/ealry 70s.
My mom, a non-smoker died from lung cancer at 67.
Her oldest sister died in her mid-90s....just old age.
Her youngest brother and my only surviving blood uncle or aunt is still alive.
This year, he was dianosed with some sort of cancer.
They gave him treatment to shrink the tumor so he'd be comfortable.

Why all this?
Genetics!
When my dad had his first heart surgery I was terrified I have heart disease and die young.
No heart disease and still around.
When my mother had lung cancer and died at 67, again I was terrfied.
This time, however, I do have nodules on my lungs that are watched.

Guess what I wanted to say in this overly long post is that genetics certainly plays a part in what happens to us and NOTHING we can do will stop some terrible infliction from getting us.
However, as I said before, times and medicine is constantly changing. It is no longer guaranteed that we will develop what our ancestors had (has).
There are certain things we certainly can do to help eradicate the disease from getting to us or at least postponing it and lessening it.
So, if developing dementia is truly scaring you, do something to try to at least prolong it.
Eat right and exercise your body and especially your brain.
As you know, your brain is a muscle....use it or lose it.
Do things that challenege you, read, learn something new, do puzzles, construct something, take a class, etc.
Don't let the disease get you before it gets you!

Happy Friday!
Ronnie (GRANDMAr)

@cathy514 Cathy, I am so sorry about your diagnosis. You have some good ideas there from @grandmar and @hopeful33250.

I understand totally how frightening that diagnosis is. When I first had HE episodes, prior to them being recognized as a cirrhosis symptom, my PCP called me and said she thought I had Alzheimer's! That thought has never left my mind.

Please do try some of the suggestions, they definitely could help.
Hugs, JK

@cathy514 I am so sorry about your dx. I can’t imagine what you must feel. You need to let yourself grieve and don’t beat yourself up about it! I am praying for you and trying to come with suggestions! Karen

Hi @cathy514 - I am so sorry about your diagnosis. I know how scary it was for us when my husband was diagnosed so I can imagine what you are going through. On another post, I think you asked for information about getting seen at Mayo. Here is a link that might help you get more information on that. If it doesn't come up right at the top, scroll down until you see the part about self-referral to Mayo.
Wishing you the very best:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/can-mayo-help-with-undiagnosed-fatigue-and-brain-fog/

Being hit with a bad health diagnosis is enough to knock the strongest healthy person down. I had AFIB which only came out in my late 40s. After multiple doctors appts, different facilities, I found out it was caused by genetic heart condition. I ended up having major heart surgery, 6 to be exact, almost dying 2 times, putting on 60 pounds from being immobile, all over 4 year time table. After all that, I was told I would need to be put on heart transplant list. It was at this point I said to myself HELL NO! Not yet, I am too young! I was used to hiking, walking, running, kayaking, etc... This can’t be my life!
I joined a support group with people who have various illness and it was best move I made. I lost 30 pounds just dieting ( because any exertion would cause heart to start going into failure). I can finally walk up and down my driveway with no help! I’m working on the other 30 pounds so can increase my walking and make me feel stronger.
Last time I saw the 2 cardiologists (during simple gall bladder surgery) I was walking in hallway in hospital, their mouths dropped open. They could not believe how well I looked and was doing.
The moral of my story is not to get pity for myself but to show you Do Not Let Your Illness Define Your Life!
Pick yourself up, Accept what your dealing with, Keep moving forward. There will always be a day where you crash and feel sorry for yourself, that’s ok! Just get up the next morning and restart on a good path! I have restarted so many times, my family now uses that word and we laugh about it!
I wish you all the best! Know you are not alone!