Dad's Lewy Diagnosis.

It was my eldest daughter who first noticed something wasn't quite right with her Pa. It would have been 2003. She noticed Dad's driving had changed. I put it down to him just getting older plus she is an extremely nervous passenger. It was 12 months later that the changes seemed significant to be of a concern. It was Dad's braking time. He was leaving it later than his normal to brake coming up behind stationary cars at traffic lights. At this stage it wasn't dangerous but bordering on reckless much the same as some young male drivers. No screeching tyres but there was a change. It was around this time that Dad also had trouble using an ATM. This infuriated Mum because it was only occasionally that it happened. To her, it seemed it only happened when she wanted to do something. At that stage Dad didn't have a diagnosis of Lewy Body Dementia. Mum wasn't aware of the fluctuations associated with Lewy. She often accused Dad of 'doing it on purpose just to get at her'. It was a sad time. Mum had really bad Rheumatoid Arthritis and Dad was caring for her.
In 2004 I returned to the family home. Taking Mum to Dr's, grocery shopping, gardening with her etc. Dad willingly gave up driving, saying he wasn't comfortable driving anymore. He did not want to hurt other users of the roads.