25,000 bolts of lightning hit Frankfurt airport in just one hour on Wednesday 16 August of this year, 2023. 60 litres of rain per square metre came down between 20.00 and 23.00 hours in this Hessen region, southwest of Germany, together with wind speeds of 60 miles per hour.
This agressive storm just touched us at my daughter’s house, but we watched as this extreme weather unleashed ‘christmas lights’ on the area and all that went with it.
And dementia is one heck of a lightning strike!
For years it lays dormant. For years it remains silent. For years it moves with stealth.
Till the day it strikes, till that bolt turns your world, and of those around you, totally upside down.
The day it shows its face is not dramatic, but the ball is rolling and you cannot stop it.
That is dementia.
The day you called me and repeated the same thing to me several times over, was the day your life changed; the day Dad’s dreams of a wonderful retirement of travel, relaxation and life together smashed into little pieces; the day my family and I had to change plans; the day my brothers had to plan more visits than ever before to Malta; the day we lost our mum; the day Rosa passed away and a new person emerged.
That is dementia.
We eventually really lost you. It was a 12 year battle. A very tough 12 year battle, most especially for you. Yet this fight was not really lost, was it? No. We continue to fight, we continue to search, we continue to reach out. We never give up. Not until the day we see a cure, a total cure.
Not till the day dementia is no longer a threat, no longer a worry, no longer a fear.
Will I see this day? No , I am told. Will I benefit? No, I am told. What is my fate and yours?
Who knows?
My mother has dementia and it is progressing fast. She has deteriorated to the point that we are unable to look after her at home which is heartbreaking. The thought that crosses my mind and I am sure, the mind of anyone caring for a person suffering from dementia is – is this how I am going to end up? I personally think that I, and anyone else at risk need to take preventative measures. Easier said than done because we are ALL at risk of developing this disease as a result of the pollution which is in the air that we breathe, the food we eat and the water that we drink. I also believe there is another factor contributing to the increase in dementia around the world and that is our lifestyle which has changed. We are living stressful lives. Our surroundings are contributing to this stress as are our jobs, schooling etc – we are out of harmony with the natural rythym of our planet and our bodies. We have also become sedentary creatures and this further contributes to this and all disease. One other factor that is creating more stress within our bodies is to some extent invisible – it is there but we are just not aware of how damaging the following toxins are. Simple things such as breathing in or touching petrol, all the hair and body products we use, The pesticides sprayed on our foods, the fungicides used on clothing and furniture… the list is endless. One last thing I would like to mention is our thought process which is equally toxic …anger, frustration, worry and all other negative emotions, all add to the toxic load that our body has to cope with. So in all honesty, it is no wonder that dementia is on the rise as are many other autoimmune diseases. We all talk about the hope of miracle drugs which might or might not reverse or slow down the disease when what would really help is to start thinking and living differently – very difficult in this hectic world but doable if we put our minds to it. So my question would be – how can we as a community, and in particular, the dementia society, how can we begin to discuss a plan of action where WE take control in our healing, both preventative and also reversable for those sufferers who are in the early stages of this and any disease?
Alexandra,
Learning more about the risk factors will give you the knowledge of how to try to avoid it.
We have a talk at San Gwann local council on Monday 11th at 7pm where you can learn more.
thanks
anne