A neurologist is quoted on an online forum as saying to someone who was impatient about the fact that it was taking her so long to obtain a diagnosis: ‘no diagnosis is better than a wrong diagnosis’. So here we have a sensible neurologist  –  pretty remarkable.

But having thought a lot about our experience, I would go further. I would even say that, depending on who you are, the road to a diagnosis might well be one on which it’s better to travel hopefully than to arrive. S and I were somewhat reassured to be told at various points that the ‘obvious’ diagnosis was not necessarily correct. In fact, we were even told with some certainty that S definitely didn’t have Alzheimer’s. Though it was clear many years ago that she had some form of dementia we found that it was possible to ‘get on with our lives’. One diagnosis and 12 years later, I am happy that we had all that time together, sharing some great experiences, thinking that things might not be so bad after all.

Some people who are desperate for a diagnosis want it so that they can ‘get on with their lives’. But you have to do that anyway and I would have thought it’s a bit easier if you have some hope that you might not have a terminal disease (other than the one called life that we all have).

Some people believe that once they have a diagnosis, the cavalry will arrive with loads of support. Sadly, they are often disappointed at the length of time that takes. And people have sometimes been told, on diagnosis, that nothing much can be done for them.

Looking back, I don’t think that an ‘early diagnosis’ would have been a good thing for us at all. I actually believe that we’re still benefiting from the fact that we had so many good years. And all that time, S had Alzheimer’s  – apparently. Well, maybe we can still have some good times.

Read more at: http://adventureswithdementia.blogspot.co.uk/

  

Ray

My wife has a 'condition'. Many people who have to have labels would say she has dementia. She first attended a memory clinic in 2000, aged 52, and has suffered a marked decline recently. We have been trying to follow the advice of our Guru: 'Live a Good Life'. It's not easy but there doesn't seem to be any better advice around. I found myself saying to a friend that I would find my wife's condition very interesting if I wasn't so involved. I've realised now that I do find it, and the issues it raises, interesting. And that there's nothing wrong with that. It's one of the things that keeps me going. Not that I have any choice. I think more and more that I'm a very rational person (though I'm not claiming that I always behave rationally). I have to try and make sense of things. In my current situation, this is quite a challenge. We all need challenges, they say. I'm hoping this blog might help me, and maybe others, in some way. If I'm wrong, it won't last very long.

7 Responses to Is a diagnosis necessarily a good thing?

Add a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *