Woman diagnosed with Alzheimer's at 59 given day of "freedom" before her kids told her about diagnosis
- last year
A woman diagnosed with depression which turned out to be Alzheimer's in her 50s was given a day of "freedom" before her children told her about her diagnosis.
Linda Sutherland, 68, was diagnosed weeks before her 60th birthday, after suffering from a short temper, weight loss and memory loss.
After the death of her husband Ronnie, aged 66, the changes were blamed on depression.
But son Graeme Sutherland, 31, thought something else was behind it.
He first noticed something was wrong when he took her to the Harry Potter Studios for her birthday and she got very upset when she couldn't take a photo.
After the trip, he took his mother to the doctors, and she was diagnosed with a progressive stage of Alzheimer’s.
Graeme and sister Kirstin, 31, a nurse, were devastated, confused, and unsure what to do next.
Kirstin gave their mum one last day of "freedom" before they told her about her diagnosis.
Graeme, a claims manager from Glasgow, Scotland said: "My mum had been receiving counselling for depression but nothing was getting better - it was getting worse.
"It was a shock when we were told she had Alzheimer's, especially after we got told she hadn't got it to begin with."
On the family trip to London in 2016, he noticed his mother spraying deodorant in her shoes, wearing unclean clothes, and she could not understand how to press a button when on a trip to the Harry Potter Studios.
"I think my mum knew. She was upset about it but straight away very cooperative and helped us see what support is out there.
"The way my mum reacted she knew something wasn't right - this was the final confirmation."
Graeme and his sister, started taking turns caring for their mum, with one of them being by her side 24 hours a day.
He said: "It was very challenging. It made us grow up very quickly.
"It has made me realise that life is way too short. it has drained me and my sister quite a bit both physically and mentally.
"We were in our early 20s at the time. We lost a large sum of our life but I wouldn't change it for the world."
Linda has been in a care home for around a year.
Graeme said is was "selfish" to keep their mum at home for so long.
Graeme said: "It is difficult to watch someone so ill every time you visit - it is the long goodbye.
"She is now losing her speech. She speaks like the characters from the Sims game - making words and noises that don't make sense."
Graeme said it isn't all "doom and gloom" and that his mum is living life "blissfully unaware" of what is going on.
He said: "We do have good times.
"She is getting worse but she is very happy - she just sits and watches TV, sings away and gets involved with activities."
He said: "Alzheimer's always falls under the radar as an old persons disease but it is really common now.
"It is getting younger and younger with Bruce Willis being diagnosed it is coming into the mainstream.
"Sadly, it is just something that not many people know about, I want to educate people on the different stages."
Linda Sutherland, 68, was diagnosed weeks before her 60th birthday, after suffering from a short temper, weight loss and memory loss.
After the death of her husband Ronnie, aged 66, the changes were blamed on depression.
But son Graeme Sutherland, 31, thought something else was behind it.
He first noticed something was wrong when he took her to the Harry Potter Studios for her birthday and she got very upset when she couldn't take a photo.
After the trip, he took his mother to the doctors, and she was diagnosed with a progressive stage of Alzheimer’s.
Graeme and sister Kirstin, 31, a nurse, were devastated, confused, and unsure what to do next.
Kirstin gave their mum one last day of "freedom" before they told her about her diagnosis.
Graeme, a claims manager from Glasgow, Scotland said: "My mum had been receiving counselling for depression but nothing was getting better - it was getting worse.
"It was a shock when we were told she had Alzheimer's, especially after we got told she hadn't got it to begin with."
On the family trip to London in 2016, he noticed his mother spraying deodorant in her shoes, wearing unclean clothes, and she could not understand how to press a button when on a trip to the Harry Potter Studios.
"I think my mum knew. She was upset about it but straight away very cooperative and helped us see what support is out there.
"The way my mum reacted she knew something wasn't right - this was the final confirmation."
Graeme and his sister, started taking turns caring for their mum, with one of them being by her side 24 hours a day.
He said: "It was very challenging. It made us grow up very quickly.
"It has made me realise that life is way too short. it has drained me and my sister quite a bit both physically and mentally.
"We were in our early 20s at the time. We lost a large sum of our life but I wouldn't change it for the world."
Linda has been in a care home for around a year.
Graeme said is was "selfish" to keep their mum at home for so long.
Graeme said: "It is difficult to watch someone so ill every time you visit - it is the long goodbye.
"She is now losing her speech. She speaks like the characters from the Sims game - making words and noises that don't make sense."
Graeme said it isn't all "doom and gloom" and that his mum is living life "blissfully unaware" of what is going on.
He said: "We do have good times.
"She is getting worse but she is very happy - she just sits and watches TV, sings away and gets involved with activities."
He said: "Alzheimer's always falls under the radar as an old persons disease but it is really common now.
"It is getting younger and younger with Bruce Willis being diagnosed it is coming into the mainstream.
"Sadly, it is just something that not many people know about, I want to educate people on the different stages."