Reflecting on becoming a Nana

Sept. 5, 2019 (Chapter 23 Living with a Memory Impairment and Being a Nana in my book)

In 2005 when I was diagnosed with a memory impairment at age forty-seven, I really had no clue how it would later impact my life. In 2017, I became a Nana for the first time to twin granddaughters. I think that I journaled about my concerns with future grandchildren, but I really didn't get it until it happened. In some ways, since I don't have dementia, I thought that becoming a nana would be the same for me as my friends. I was so wrong about that! For me I always try to look at the positive side of things. I think the fact that mild cognitive impairment (MCI) entered my life way before my first grandchild was born, is a plus. My granddaughters will hopefully never need to make an adjustment. The way they know me now is the way that I will be five years from now as long as I haven’t progressed to dementia. If I progress to dementia, then they will need to change their expectations of me. In other words, I would be much more forgetful. I think that as they get older, they will realize that I am a little forgetful and they will be okay with that. They will accept that this is the way that I am.