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Dementia diagnosis "kick in the guts" for 65-year-old Mick Simpson
It was late 2018 and 63-year-old Mick Simpson was stranded in his truck in Wakool, with no idea where was, where he’d come from or where he was going.
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With his phone and GPS back at home, he felt totally lost, suddenly bereft of the safeguards he'd relied on to function for the previous six months — and which gave him the excuse to ignore the frightening symptoms that had begun creeping in, gradually erasing his memories one by one.
“I was stuck, so I ended up calling a mate and asking for him to come get me,” he said.
“I felt so embarrassed. It was heart-wrenching, making that call.”
Knowing he needed to seek help, Mick and his wife, Carmel, went to see a GP, where they were given the diagnosis Mick had feared all along — dementia.
“It was a kick in the guts, to both Carmel and I,” Mick said.
“All these questions started going through my head. I thought, ‘What’s going to happen?’
“In a moment, my life changed.”
Tragically, Mick’s story is not a new one — currently 459,000 Australians are living with dementia.
But that’s just the ones who are diagnosed.
Deep-rooted stigma and a lack of public awareness surrounding the condition means many people living with the illness are too afraid to seek help.
“Dementia is far too hidden,” Mick said.
“I only hope by sharing my story, I can get the word out.”
Born on a dairy farm in South Gippsland, Mick moved to the Goulburn Valley when he was in his early 20s and lived in Mooroopna and Shepparton before settling in Kyabram.
For more than 40 years Mick worked in transport across Victoria and South Australia, both as a driver and a depot manager.
He was in his early 60s when the country roads he knew so well began to fade from memory.
“I'd pick up or deliver produce — and just a few minutes later I would totally forget where I’d been,” Mick said.
“I got away with it for a bit because of GPS and phones.”
But after the incident in Wakool, Mick finally received that dreaded diagnosis — a life sentence he barely understood beyond the stereotypes.
Dementia is an umbrella term for a collection of neurological conditions, of which the major symptom is a decline in brain function.
While there are more than 100 diseases that can cause dementia, the most common include Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia and dementia with Lewy bodies.
It can happen to anybody; however, it is more common after the age of 65 years.
But while most people with dementia are older, not all older people get dementia — it’s not a normal part of ageing.
Early signs can be very subtle and include progressive and frequent memory loss, confusion, apathy and withdrawal, a change in personality or loss of ability to perform everyday tasks.
There is currently no prevention or cure for most forms of dementia.
“It took about nine months before I started to accept my diagnosis,” Mick said.
“It was tough on Carmel too — she suddenly had no idea what was going to happen, what I was going to be like in a couple years.”
Initially diagnosed with onset Lewy body dementia, Mick’s diagnosis was changed just a few weeks ago to Alzheimer’s disease.
“There’s a big misconception that dementia is all the same. But there are so many different types, which makes it tough to diagnose at the start,” he said.
Mick has been forced to walk away from a lengthy career in the transport industry due to his worsening condition — a heartbreaking decision that was tougher than he expected.
He’s also watched helplessly as some friends drifted away, struggling to come to grips with their mate’s illness.
“People can think because you’ve got dementia, you’re not listening,” Mick said.
“But I am listening — I just might not remember.
“It’s gotten to the point some people will talk to my wife but not to me, even though I’m standing right there. That can be very frustrating.”
Living with dementia, each day is different — some good, some bad, but always unpredictable.
But Mick has received endless support from his wife, Carmel, as well as ongoing care from Kyabram Social Support and Warramunda Home Care.
Looking to the future, Mick has no idea how his condition will progress.
“There are already friends and family members I no longer recognise,” he said.
“And diary and phone notes have taken over my life. If I wake up and there’s nothing in the diary, I have no idea what’s going on.
“It definitely impacts on my mental health — especially as a younger person with dementia, because you can feel so frightened of what’s coming.”
But while the future is uncertain, Mick is determined to keep forging on, taking each day as it comes.
“Just because I’ve been diagnosed with dementia doesn’t mean my life is over,” he said.
“I’ve just got to keep going, and make the most of every moment.”
On November 9, Mick will walk from Cobram to Kyabram to raise funds and awareness for dementia.
The walk will take about five days and people are welcome to join him on his journey.
For more information, phone Mick on 0473 470 616.
Senior Journalist