🎵 “Signs” – EOA What You May See Before the Diagnosis (Tesla)
Updated: Jul 26
I love music.
All music.
All genres.
And I relate a lot of life events to songs.
So as I write, you’ll see songs woven in.
They may not be your taste…
👉 And guess what? That’s okay.
I’m confident in who I am.
And that I am NOT everyone’s cup of tea.
👉 But I’m the girl who gets stuff done and I want to help someone else not have to go through all that I had to go through, and help you know you are not alone.
🧠 The Beginning of the Journey
If you’re here…
You’re probably seeing signs.
And you’re asking:
👉 “Is this something?”
👉 “Am I overreacting?”
👉 “What do I do next?”
I’m going to walk you through:
What I saw
What I did
And what I would do differently
👤 Before the Diagnosis
Before any admission that something was wrong…
My husband was:
Healthy
Fit
Looked 45 at 58
Annual doctor visit type
No:
NO High blood pressure
NO High cholesterol
NO Diabetes
Labs:
BP 117/72
Blood sugar: 88
A1C: 4.5
👉 Everything looked perfect on paper.
🏥 The First Medical Clue (That Wasn’t It)
Spring 2022—we went to his primary doctor.
Full blood panel showed:
👉 TSH was off → diagnosed hypothyroid
They prescribed:
Thyroid medication (Synthroid 25mcg)
Anxiety medication (Xanax as needed)
And to be fair:
👉 The thyroid medication helped
👉 It cleared some morning fog
But…
👉 It did NOT fix:
Confusion
Word loss
Behavioral changes
⚠️ When I Knew Something Was Still Wrong
About 2 months later:
Increased irritability
More irrational behavior
Continued cognitive issues
So I pushed.
👉 We went back.
🧠 First Cognitive Test
Primary care did:
👉 MMSE (Mini Mental State Exam)
He did not score well. Like 13/14
👉 That got us referred to neurology
⏳ Reality Check (Florida Wait Times)
Neurology appointment?
👉 6–8 months wait.
So here’s my advice:
Check your insurance network
See if you need a referral
Read reviews
Ask friends
Use local groups
👉 Don’t just take the first available—be intentional
🚨 Early Signs of Alzheimer’s (What to Watch For)
These are the common ones—but remember:
👉 Not everyone shows all of them
👉 And not everyone shows them the same way
🧠 Memory Loss
Forgetting recent conversations
Repeating questions
Asking same question different way (they did not comprehend your response)
🏠 Difficulty with Familiar Tasks
Things they’ve done for years suddenly become hard
🗣 Language Problems
Trouble finding words
Using incorrect or made-up words
🧭 Disorientation
Losing track of time
Confusion about place
💸 Poor Judgment
Financial mistakes
Risky or unusual decisions
🚪 Withdrawal
Avoiding social situations
Losing interest in hobbies
😡 Mood & Personality Changes
Anxiety
Depression
Irritability
Sudden personality shifts
👁 Spatial Issues
Trouble judging distance
Difficulty with depth or contrast
⚠️ If You See These…
👉 Go to a doctor
But more importantly:
👉 ADVOCATE
You know your person.
If something feels off:
👉 Don’t accept surface-level answers👉 Don’t stop if it doesn’t make sense
Push for more.
💡 What I Would Do Differently
This is important.
Looking back…
I would have paused for a moment.
Not to ignore it—
👉 But to protect our future
💰 Financial Protection (Do this early if you can) (whole post on this)
Before a diagnosis:
Life insurance
Long-term care insurance
Financial planning
Because after diagnosis?
👉 You will likely NOT get approved
👉 Options become very limited
👉 Even insurance (like auto) can be impacted
Final Thought
The signs are subtle at first.
They don’t scream:
👉 “This is Alzheimer’s”
They whisper:
👉 “Something isn’t right…”
Listen to that.
🎵 And This Song Says It Best…
“And the sign said…”
Sometimes the signs are there.
👉 You just have to trust yourself enough to see them
💛 My Advice
Pay attention
Take action
Protect your family early
And most importantly:
👉 Trust your gut
💬DISCLAIMER:
I’m not a doctor, lawyer, therapist, or expert—just a wife trying to figure this out one day at a time. Everything shared here is based on our experience and things that have helped us along the way. Take what helps, leave what doesn’t, and always check with professionals when needed.
I also use AI to help clean up my writing, organize my thoughts, and pull together resources because honestly… caregiver brains are tired too. If something here helps another family feel a little less alone, then it’s worth sharing.
What did you notice First?
General Confusion or Memory Loss
Losing Things
Driving Changes
Word Loss
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