Appointments and more appointments
Navigating post-sepsis recovery alongside an early-onset dementia diagnosis means facing a steady calendar of specialists, clinic visits, and tests. It can become overwhelming, but sharing this daily reality helps make sense of the journey—one day, one week, and one appointment at a time.
Managing a full care team after sepsis
Dealing with sepsis means dealing with endless appointments, and every patient deals with different ailments. In my case, severe speech issues required working with a speech therapist—work that continues to this very day. Alongside that, my regular schedule involves an occupational therapist, a physiotherapist, and a mental health therapist. While every single one of these professionals helps me learn to cope with my dementia, balancing all of them demands immense energy.
Taking the prognosis day by day
I am deeply grateful for every therapist I see, even when the sheer volume of consultations feels like almost too much to carry. Coming to terms with the prognosis of dementia remains a tough pill to swallow. Currently, I take medication to help maintain my present level of functioning, though I know that in time these pills will no longer work as effectively. To give myself the best fighting chance, I focus on the advice given about maintaining a healthy diet and daily exercise, living life week by week and month by month.
Coping with exhaustion and the unknown
Appointment-heavy days take a huge toll. I find myself sleeping a lot afterward while trying hard to keep my mind engaged, even as my thoughts occasionally slip and become hard to trust. Now, the neurologist is discussing taking away my driver's licence, which feels like the next hurdle to face. Because I never had the chance to meet anyone younger facing dementia, navigating all these doctors and tests was completely uncharted territory. The tests themselves are genuinely stressful, which is why I share my honest experience here—so no one feels entirely alone when entering this medical maze.