Out Of The Fog

Developing Habit Patterns For High Performance

Out of the Blue: Part 4

I sit patiently watching my dad, who is resting quietly in his bed in the nursing home. A highly respected airline captain who finished up in command of very large A380 jets, he should be enjoying the fruits of his labour in semi-retirement. Instead, he lays for many hours in his nursing home bed and while he looks fit and healthy on the outside, the almost complete loss of memory has resulted in a state of lifelessness. It’s the outcome of the early onset of dementia which has taken his life away.

It all started a few years ago with increased bouts of forgetfulness, confusion and, over time, ever growing frustration. After a scare with a stove top being left on that could have ended very badly, dad eventually agreed to see a doctor. He’d already taken sick leave and after numerous tests the diagnosis of early onset dementia (he was in his late 50s) came as a shock to the family. Everything seemed to happen so quickly, and dad eventually lost his aircrew medical.