Life is funny sometimes. Just when you think you’ve got a hold on the map, it throws you down an unexpected detour. Let me share with you a twisty-turny detour I embarked on over the past year.
Imagine waking up one day and being told your future won’t look quite how you’d planned. That was me a year ago, age 45. After a brain scan, the doctors sat me down and gave me the news: I had CSVD, which stands for Cerebral Small Vessel Disease. Now, this wasn’t just a bunch of complicated medical jargon to me - it was an indication, a link to the symptoms of dementia I had been experiencing. I was enrolled on a research group for Early Onset Dementia and I thought that was my new life.
Navigating through this new information was challenging. My youngest son, who has autism, already had a unique journey of his own. On top of that, my eldest daughter was in the waiting room of life, on the brink of an official ADHD diagnosis. The idea of not being around for them - to guide them, to be their rock - was utterly heartbreaking.
The subsequent months felt like an endless loop of consultations. From one doctor’s office to another, the narrative remained the same: CSVD, dementia, symptoms. But I wasn’t one to be content with just one perspective. Each unanswered question fueled my determination to dig deeper.
After what felt like an eternity, I finally found myself in the office of a specialist, a professor, and neurologist. Those two hours were enlightening. We dove into my history, ran tests, and pieced together a clearer picture. The conclusion? It wasn’t early onset dementia after all, but ADHD.
Suddenly, the patterns in my life made more sense. My tendency to jump between projects with unmatched zeal, the countless ideas that fizzled out as quickly as they came, and the endless thoughts that often raced through my mind - all these weren’t just quirks. They were manifestations of ADHD, a condition that, especially for women of my generation, can sometimes mimic the symptoms of early onset dementia.
While this revelation shed light on my own journey, it also made me reflect on my family’s path. With my daughter possibly sharing the same condition, I wondered about our intertwined destinies and the shared quirks that had always felt so natural.
Yet, challenges lay ahead. The path to seeing an ADHD specialist is not a short one. With a whopping 29-month waiting list, I’m considering taking the private route to expedite the process. After all, understanding oneself better is invaluable.
So here I stand, at a crossroads, embracing the detours life has presented. The journey has been winding, full of bumps and surprises. But every twist has made me stronger, more resilient, and ever grateful for the lessons along the way. Because sometimes, it’s the unexpected routes that lead us to the most profound discoveries.
Do you have any experiences about the ADHD diagnosis process?
