Fun, New Signs of Early Onset Dementia
That's sarcasm. But read about the news signs I developed since YESTERDAY
What if dementia isn’t what you think it is?
In my younger years, I always imagined dementia to look like a frail person shuffling around their home, looking for people who no longer exist in this world. I imagined them slack-jawed, always being shadowed by a nurse eager to get the person to drink more water.
But what if dementia looks like me?
You could show up at my house today (don’t), spend a whole morning or afternoon with me, and not have a clue that I’m struggling with word finding and memory loss.
I’m 57 years old. I’m fit, I’m otherwise healthy, and I can still write posts for Substack (with help from autocorrect). I look in the mirror and still see the same person that was there yesterday, and the day before.
I have shortish curly hair. It’s dyed dark brown with highlights to blend in the greys peaking through. My deeply tanned face is filled with laugh lines.
I lean closer to the mirror and look into my eyes. There’s nothing that I can see to betray the signs that I have early-onset dementia.
My new, fresh, and fun signs that something is wrong!
Here’s what happened this morning
Got out of bed at 7 am
Make a coffee (Scuro - Nespresso - Black)
Opened the balcony door to let my dog outside.
Sat on the balcony and enjoyed my coffee.
Completely normal, right?
Not so fast.
About 30 minutes later, I went back to the kitchen to throw a tissue away. I live in a 973 square foot apartment, and the in-suite laundry and garbage bins are in the same tiny closet.
I opened the door and SURPRISE, the dryer was running.
I have zero recollection of piling those clothes into the dryer this morning.
From the time I got up (7 am) to the time I drank my coffee and headed back to the kitchen (approximately 30 minutes) I MUST have put the laundry into the dryer.
Did I run the washer last night and forget it?
I guess I must have.
Should I be deeply concerned that I have no recollection of putting it into the dryer this morning?
Absolutely!
Please share this post so others who may be going through something similar know they are not alone.
Here are a few more brand-spanking-new signs of early-onset dementia.
I wrote about the signs of early-onset dementia (at least the symptoms I’m having) in an earlier post (July 12th - I had to look it up).
Here’s a quick blurb:
My Early Onset Dementia Symptoms
Before I write this, I want to let you know that I haven’t received an official diagnosis yet. But I know. My husband knows. We can both see it.
New Signs Experienced Since July 12th
For reference, the day I’m writing this is July 15th, 2025. So it’s only been three days since my first post on the topic.
Stuttering
I’ve never stuttered a day in my life. I was playing with my dog (a gorgeous Parson Russell Terrier named Archie) and stumbled on the word play.
It came out, “Do you want to p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-play?”
That scared me. It’s never happened in my life.
Forgetting Personal Hygiene
I’ve been forgetting whether I’ve brushed my teeth or not. It’s not apathy. It’s not that I don’t want to do it. I just can’t remember if I’ve done it or not.
To help me remember, I’ve created a checklist and placed it in the bathroom. That way, when I’ve finished brushing, I can just place a tick on the date and time.
If and when I forget, I just have to check the list.
This is all fine and dandy, until I start forgetting to check the list!
Forgetting to Flush The Toilet
When I was a kid, I was asked not to flush the toilet for #1s. That’s because we lived in a rural area with a well that would go dry if we weren’t careful with the water.
Today, at 57, I live in a high-rise apartment. Nobody is telling me not to flush the toilet. I’m just forgetting to do it.
Yesterday, I forgot five times. Not to gross you out, but it was only pee.
Forgetting I Have Glasses of Water All Over The Apartment
I pour a glass of water (sparkling, of course!), drink a bit of it, then get up to do something. Minutes later, I get ANOTHER glass of water. And then I repeat the cycle all day long.
Stay Tuned!
I hope you’ll stick around. I can guarantee there will be new symptoms. My fear is going somewhere and then forgetting where I am. I want to take the ferry over to the city today, but I’m scared.
I probably will anyway, because I don’t want to just sit around the apartment waiting for a diagnosis.
What do you think this is?
I realize you’re probably not a doctor, but do any/all of these signs seem concerning to you? They do to me.
Send me a comment with your thoughts and insights about early-onset dementia. I’m really looking forward to hearing from you.