Something's not right...leading up to diagnosis

Initially, small changes appeared with Mum such as: misplacing items, repeating stories or memories, and neglecting personal appearance. She suddenly stopped caring about her greying hair, skipped wearing daily mascara, didn't moisturize her hands and face, didn't bathe every day, neglected trimming and cleaning her nails, and no longer discarded socks with holes.

She developed an unusual routine, resembling OCD. She mispronounced words, struggled to find the right ones, experienced changes in appetite, and adopted odd habits like flushing panty liners down the toilet. She couldn't settle, became very anxious, woke up very early, and, despite being very literate, misspelled words.

Her social media habits became unusual; she repeatedly liked photos and posted multiple birthday wishes on people's profiles. She called friends on messenger without realising it, forgot how to play solitaire on her laptop—a daily activity for years—and hoarded items in her dressing table drawers. It continued with things like showering but leaving shampoo not rinsed, not drying herself before dressing, and trying to turn the electric shower off using the bath taps.

The breaking point came on a chaotic day when the world seemed unfamiliar and confusing to Mum, making her extremely anxious. Gripping my arm tightly, she said, "I think I need to go to the doctor's, I feel strange, something isn't right!" I immediately secured an appointment for later that afternoon. Mum insisted I stay by her side.

Once at the doctor's, we sat through a mini cognitive test. The doctor asked Mum questions like: her name, date of birth, what year it was, who the prime minister was, what season it was, and so on. Mum barely answered anything, just replying 'I don't know' and seeming very withdrawn. He asked her to name objects on his desk, like a calculator, a notepad, and a pen, but she knew none of them. I knew something was definitely wrong. At that moment, my mind didn't allow me to think 'my Mum has got signs of dementia.' The doctor prescribed antidepressants and referred her for an MRI scan; he already knew. I saw his face soften as he tried to reassure her that one way or another, he would get her back on track, and soon she would feel much better.

I thanked him, and we left. Mum's eyes never moved from the floor; she looked defeated. It was awful.