DEMENTIA. FORGETTING THAT YOU FORGET

As long as you know that you're losing your memory you can cope. It's that day to come when we no longer remember that we're forgetting that's the big worry. Or is it?
When I thought about it I realized that when that day comes It will presumably be an intermittent process and so one will have a warning about what is happening. At present I accept that I forget things and struggle a bit with the computer, but by keeping notes I'm able to comfortably get by.
The deterioration has been very slow over about a ten year period so I have not been dramatically affected by dementia,, but the probability of Alzheimer's as the underlying cause is a bit more daunting, but I'm optimistic that my condition will not advance much further. As things are at present I have a very pleasant life style with a wonderful wife and three dogs. I write in the mornings and read in the afternoons and I count my blessings every single day.
Although my dementia is not such a problem, at age 72 other things are now creeping in and when I had a medical recently I was told that I now have very high blood pressure. I was astounded as my BP has always been perfect, but the doctor put me on some pills and told me to come back in a month. Well, the month was up this morning and I went back to the doctor. Because I don't remember the names of my medicines very well I took the box of pills with me.
I took out the box of pills and the doctor asked to just check the date. He also checked inside and to my embarrassment half of the pills were still there.
I felt like a schoolboy again on the mat before the headmaster.  Doctor was a bit cross, but I was relieved when he didn't give me 'six of the best', but in fact laughed and said he'd have to speak to Julian my wife to make sure  that she checked that I was taking my pills properly. Well, I was more frightened of her than the doctor, but she was her usual wonderful self, even though I had forgotten that today was her birthday and in fact her 50th'
So we are going off now to Fairview for lunch. Oh and I slipped out and bought her a bottle of coco perfume, so all is well.
Zero degrees here this morning, so very cod.
David Barnato.
Paarl. South Africa.