"See
Me, Hear Me, Work With Me: Partnering With People With
Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias" -- Speeches
from the 24th National Alzheimer Society Conference,
Calgary, AB, April 18-20, 2002
Speech
by Lynn Jackson (page 1)
Good
morning. My name is Lynn Jackson. I am 46 years old and
have been diagnosed with the early stages of frontotemporal
dementia.
In
hindsight, my disease may have subtly started over 10
years ago when I uncharacteristically started to have
outbursts of anger and aggression towards a doctor that
I worked with in the emergency room. I had been an emergency
room nurse for 14 years and had previously never displayed
any aggression to any of my co-workers.
Not
knowing the real source of my "uncharacteristic" behaviour,
I decided that I may just be burnt out and that a job
change was in order. I ended up making a huge career
and lifestyle change, and moved to Mexico City.
There
I was able to land what ended up being my "dream
job."
I
loved my job, but for some reason I again began having
lots of angry outbursts with co-workers. It seemed that
any little thing would set me off.
I
didn't realize that I was cursing very frequently until
my boss came to me one day and asked "Lynn, do all
Canadian ladies use the "F" word as frequently
as you do?" I truly had not realized that I was
swearing. It took a concentrated effort to stop. I would
substitute " Jeepers!" each time I got upset
instead. Soon I became affectionately known as "Jeepers
Jackson" among my co-workers.
More
symptoms of my dementia would subtly develop over the
next few years. Along with the uncharacteristic swearing
and abrupt career/lifestyle change, I would go on to
have an almost complete personality change, developing
social withdrawal and later extreme apathy.
When
I started to develop confusion, and problems reading
and learning new things, this proved to be the turning
point. I was not functioning well at work. I began a
year-long process of extensive testing and follow-up.
I
was not well at the time of my diagnosis and had what
the doctors call a "non-plussed reaction" when
I was told I had my diagnosis. I was in "Dementia
Land" as I call it and did not get back into the
land of reality until I had had several months of expert
pharmacological treatment.
Once
back in reality land I began looking for a support group
for people with dementia. I asked my local Alzheimer
office resource person if there was such a thing in my
area and was told that there wasn't at that time but
to come back in the spring (six months later) and see
what progress had been made in starting one. I was told
that the hold-up to have one would be a problem finding
a place to hold the meetings and a facilitator for the
group.
Speech continued...
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