How We Reacted to Our Diagnosis
Everybody is unique, and this news has different meanings for everyone. These are some of our first reactions, and some advice about how to deal with the news:
“The first thing you should know is that it’s not that bad . Everybody thinks it’s horrible, but it’s not that bad .” - Les
“I got the diagnosis and I thought I was going to die, then I thought I might not .” - Les
“Not being sure of my diagnosis… I was so scared… . I didn’t know which way to go .” - Evelyn
“Dementia… I hate that term .” - Elizabeth
“Don’t overreact . Get support . Try to avoid getting sick with worry .” - Elizabeth
“This is a major attack on your confidence. You think ‘ This isn’t fair, why me? ’ It helps to talk to others who are going through the same thing —to understand how they are experiencing it .” - Gerrit
“So you have Alzheimer’s . Let’s talk about it .” - Les