The Man With The Child In His Eyes-Dementia

The Man with the Child in his Eyes

This Kate Bush song always reminds me of my dementia, probably because I have never grown up, nor do I want to loll. I always tell my grandchildren “Please don’t grow up, it’s a CON!! But personally speaking and according to all I know I still have that child in my eyes, I`m still like a child inside and if I am very honest I like it that way. I am far too old to change now. It’s not my dementia as I know so many who are in their 60s and still think they are 21 and there’s nothing wrong with that, even if it’s just the spirit that’s willing.

But I DO believe it has helped with my dementia as I tend to look at things as I would if I really was 21! I have always been an optimist and looked on the bright side. A famous saying in our house is “out of something bad always comes something good, as I am always reminded by Elaine my wife. Looking at life the way I do, I really do believed it has helped me get through the toughest times and with the help of my family as well, it’s a great combination.

When I was first diagnosed I went to a very dark place, and thought at the age of 53 my life was over, but my beautiful wife sat me down and said to me “Mc Namara? You have two choices, you can sit there, feel sorry for self and give up, or you can stand up, put your boots on and not your slippers and come out fighting!! Thankfully I listened and because of that I am totally convinced that’s the reason why I am here now writing this.

I have to say I am the first to admit not everybody can do this, and have lost count the amount of times I have broken down when I have heard of someone passing away with dementia after only a couple of years or so and it still affects me now I am not ashamed to say. But, that only spurs me on to try and help others where we can to live a longer and as best life as they can, the Mp3 campaign is just one example. I have many friends across the world who have lived with dementia a lot longer than me, some 15 years and some 20+years, but one thing we do have in common is being outspoken on the world stage across the globe trying to share how we feel, how dementia affects us and how we try and manage even through the Hardest times.

I believe we all have that child in our eyes as we get older, after all, who doesn’t laugh at silly things sometimes and long may it last, whoever, wherever, you are

Norrms

Sunday 3rd April 2022 xxx

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