Thursday, February 23, 2012

So I never did post anything after the AFTD support group meeting.

The meeting was both comforting and informative. I'm actually looking forward to the next meeting.

This past weekend we celebrated James' 50 birthday. My family came to help celebrate along with some of James' co-workers as well as some of our friends. When Randy and Kathy Frederick arrived I went to greet them. My mother followed me. She called Kathy "Cindy" and thought she knew her from a wedding. I had told them previously about my mom's disease. They were very understanding. It really helped to have gone to the support group meeting to learn strategies of how to deal with awkward situations.

One of the handouts from the support group meeting was a card that said "Please excuse my companion. She has Frontotemporal Disease which affects her behavior." It is amazing how forgiving and patient people can be if they understand.

It makes me very sad that my mother has an irreversable disease that will eventually end her life. I guess that is a pretty drastic way to look at what's going on.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

So we got the diagnosis a couple of weeks ago...my mother has Frontotemporal Dimentia or FTD. We knew something was wrong for the past few years, but couldn't put our fingers on it. My granny, her mom, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's about 25 years ago. We always knew it was a possibility that someone in the family was likely to get Alzheimer's but I think all my aunts and uncles hoped it wouldn't be them. I am feeling a bit like a cosmic joke has been played on my family. Anyway, I plan to write about this as best I can as the weeks, months and years progress.

Today I am attending my first FTD support group. I will write about it later.