Janet: "I recognised the symptoms myself. We'd had Alzheimer's in the family, so I knew what to look for. So I can't say it came as a surprise. It had become really apparent at work. I was a Senior Social Worker and had a very good assistant who left and then the problems became noticeable. I kept giving my assistant the same forms over and over again! Alzheimer's has meant I had to give up work."
Brian: "She's changed. She's much quieter than she used to be, particularly in company. In situations where there tends to be a lot of people speaking and conversations to remember, I've noticed it's affected her confidence because she has difficulty in remembering who's said what. She's also lost her sense of direction and can get lost easily when we're out. As a result, she can't drive. I work part time which involves travelling and Janet has to come with me. Although she's all right in the house on her own, I wouldn't be able to leave her by herself overnight. In the next year or two, I'll have to give up work."
Janet: "The diagnosis was hard to cope with. I came home and howled. My GP was very good and sent me to a Memory Clinic, where I had tests and gained further insight into the disease. I also have medication which seems to be very effective in slowing the disease down. I attend the clinic every two months. Brian sees the doctor separately and has the chance to tell the doctor how he thinks I'm doing."
Brian: "She also has periods of irritation and black moods when the disease is attacking the brain - almost to the point of being demented. The prognosis is not good - things are going to get worse. One of the more difficult things is that Janet is relatively young to have the disease, which is usually more widespread in older people. Younger people have more to lose..."
Janet: "I don't allow myself to worry about the future. I just take each day as it comes. Part of this is a gift because we waste our lives, don't we? I notice things more, like the sunshine on a leaf... I no longer say 'oh well, it doesn't really matter,' if I want to do something. Now it does matter and I make sure I do it. If I have two years, I want them to be the best two years."
