But Alzheimer's is for old people

The name of this blog couldnt be more apt for what I am about to talk about - trying to get a diagnosis of Alzheimer's for people under the age of 65!

Now Early Onset Alzheimers is a real thing, yet when you or a loved one are trying to get a diagnosis from a doctor it doesnt feel like it!

From my experience of trying to get a diagnosis I feel like we werent listened to as a family unit! A lot of questions were quite rightly asked only to my mum and they would take her word on it! That doesnt meant she was giving an honest answer?

This was someone who has worked in care homes for as long as i can remember and knows everyting there is to know about Alzheimer's, so is quite rightly terrified of the outcome of these doctor appointments! So she is going to try and sway the answers from alzheimers as much as possible - i mean who wouldnt?

We spent a lot of months back and forth at the doctors - mum sometimes showing up at wrong dates may i add! And again not a lot of listening to the family and the changes we have noticed!

This is something I think needs to be changed! This doctor had never met my mum in his life so he doesn't know what changes have occured and what the worrying signs were for us! We felt like we were fighting a losing a battle!

So keep in mind this is months this has been going on, and still no 'official' wanting to broach the possibility of Alzheimers as 'she is too young to be showing signs'

Eventually my mum was reffered for a brain scan, and the results (which took a lot of chasing up may i add) showed the inevitable - Early Onset Alzheimers Disease!

I just cant help but think because of my mums age, we had to do a lot of jumping through hoops to get the end result!

I just cant understand how it took so long for us to be sent for a brain scan, which was as far as i could tell, the clincher in the diagnosis?

We have to end this belief that people are too young to get alzheimers and speed up the diagnosis process!

#alzheiemers #awareness