DEMENTIA AND COLOURS

A strange phenomenen with we dementia people is how our sense of colour can be effected. I don't know the scientific reasons, but it's as if our vision deteriorates and yet it isn't exactly that. Perhaps it's our sense of contrast that changes but things may become more difficult to find. I keep my various keys on a cord around my kneck and over time it has lost its bright colour and yesterday evenening when I went to lock our security gate I just couldn't find the keys. I looked everywhere that I could think of and strained my memory as to where I had been and what I had done and looked where I thought the keys might have been, but without success. Eventually it became dark and I even got a torch to check in and around the car, but still no keys. Eventually, Julian got out of bed and joined me in the search. As soon as she opened the car door she spotted that I had ut them on the passenger seat. It was then that I realised that I couldn't see dark coloured objects laid on dark surfaces. The answer of course in my case is to buy a brighter cord for my keys. Also, as my wife pointed out, it would be a good idea to always hang them round my kneck. Although overall myongoing memory loss is now very little, tricks of memory do persist. The most annoying thing that I am finding is that I set off to do something and half way there I either forget where I am going or forget why. The other day I found myself walking through the trees near the Municipality building and experienced one of my blank spots. I call them white spots. Suddenly one is aware that you are walking somewhere, but can't remember why and where, Sometimes with concentration everything comes back. However, on this particular morning I only remembered where I was but not why. Returning thoughtfully home I explained to Julian what had happened. She laughed and explained that I had set ot to the Municipality to pay the rates. Overall though I am not worried by my dementia. The advance is now very slow and I am even tempted to think that there is some improvement in my cognitive abilities.Julian is less sure than I about the latter, but she agrees about the overall memory. We are both of the opinion that coconut oil is helping. It's been a very wet and windy week here in Paarl and Winter is going out with a fury and a vengance. Still Spring waits to push him out on Monday which will be the first of September. My, how the year is racing by! I had a stay in hospital for tests for old man's ailments and what a joy it was to come home. Julian missed me a lot because it was particularly cold overnight. Truly absance makes the heart grow fonder. Poor Bobby the parrot doesn't like the cold, but Boysie and his sister cope very well. They are thirteen now and originated when we lived in Scotland, so they are not too affected by the cold. David Barnato' Paarl South Africa. Don't forget to tell others about the blog and also that I am a Dementia Mentor. Anyone can ring me up at almost any time and get advice or just chat. 00278467775 or e mail direct dwheater@lantic.net My Skype name is dwheater1942