Beth | FTDnavigatingthecrap

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“You don’t look like you have dementia.” Suzi hears this all the time. But what does dementia actually look like? It doesn’t have one face. It doesn’t have one body - and it certainly doesn’t look the same for everyone. Suzi is living with FTD herself, and in tomorrow’s episode she speaks incredibly honestly about the loss of self, loss of self-worth and the impact dementia has had on her memory - while still being told she “doesn’t look like she has dementia.” Her response? Well…you’ll have to watch the clip. 👀 🎧 Suzi’s story is coming to FTD Navigating the Cr*p in Episode 2 of Season 3. Dropping tomorrow! And if you’re new here, catch up on Seasons 1 & 2 wherever you get your podcasts, or follow the link in my bio. 🔗 @Suzi Sue #dementia #dementiaawareness #frontotemporaldementia #ftd

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I want to share the realities of loving somebody who’s living with dementia. Because feelings don’t just switch off because you’re on holiday. They don’t get quarantined at passport control. ✈️ These pictures might look idyllic. ☀️🍹🌴 And believe me, I’m incredibly lucky to be here. I know not everyone who loves or cares for somebody living with dementia gets this chance. But pictures rarely tell the full story. Last night, despite being in Tenerife, sitting in a beautiful hotel bar with a frozen Piña Colada in my hand, I completely fell apart. Because grief and anticipatory grief simply do not respect your surroundings. You can be relaxing. You can be laughing. You can be surrounded by sunshine and beautiful things. And still have that heartbreaking reality sitting quietly in the back of your mind. For me, keeping busy with work, my apprenticeship and the podcast can be a brilliant distraction from the fact that my mum has dementia. But you can only distract yourself for so long. Sometimes it all comes crashing down. And I think it’s important to share that side too. Because dementia doesn’t just affect the person living with it. It affects the people who love them, too. So if you’re on holiday, at work, at a wedding, having dinner with friends or just going about your normal life…and suddenly the grief hits you like a tonne of bricks… I see you. You’re not doing anything wrong. You’re human. 🤍 #dementia #dementiaawareness #frontotemporaldementia #ftd #fyp

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“I kept saying all the time, there’s something wrong with my memory.” But when you’re younger, how often are memory problems explained away as something else? For Suzi, her symptoms were initially put down to the menopause, fibro fog and her mental health. It took time before the possibility of dementia was considered. And as someone living with FTD, Suzi knows only too well how important it is that younger people experiencing changes in their memory, behaviour or thinking are listened to. 🎧 Suzi’s story is OUT NOW in Episode 2 of Season 3. Hear the full conversation wherever you get your podcasts, or follow the link in my bio. 🎙️🔗 Give Suzi a follow @Suzi Sue she’s brilliant ❤️ #dementia #dementiaawareness #frontotemporaldementia #ftd #fyp