I’ve been working quietly on something for a long time now.
Not a single post, not a single story—but something larger that has been slowly forming underneath all the writing.
This is the beginning of that project.
Tru here.
What this is
This project is an attempt to describe cognitive change from the inside—
not just what it looks like, but what it feels like,
how it affects perception, decision-making, energy, identity, and relationships.
And just as importantly:
It is about what happens between people when one mind and brain are changing and the other is not.
Because that space—between—is where much of the confusion, frustration, and unintended harm lives.
Why this matters
One of the reasons for this project is something I keep running into:
Frequent misunderstandings and misdiagnoses between dementia symptoms and mental health conditions.
When we say “mind” alone, it is often interpreted through a mental health lens.
When we say “brain,” it points more clearly to neurological change.
Both matter.
And when the distinction is not understood, people can be:
- misinterpreted
- misdiagnosed
- or supported in ways that do not match what is actually happening
This is not a small issue.
It affects care, relationships, and outcomes.
What makes this different
This is not only my voice.
Woven into this project are written contributions from others living with dementia symptoms—
people describing their own internal experiences in their own words.
Because no single perspective is enough.
Patterns begin to emerge when multiple voices are heard:
- similarities across different types of dementia
- differences that matter
- and insights that are often missed from the outside
This is shared lived experience, not observation from a distance.
What this project is trying to do
This work is not about fixing the person.
It is about:
- understanding the mechanics of what is changing in the brain,
- recognizing how that is experienced in the mind,
- and seeing where expectations no longer match reality
From there, the goal is to design differently—
in communication, environment, and support—
so that dignity, safety, and energy are preserved as much as possible.
Where this is going
This will unfold over time.
Some pieces will come from my own past blog entries.
Some will be newly written.
Some will connect ideas that didn’t make sense before, but do now.
Some will be written by me.
Some will be written by others living with dementia symptoms.
… and a few will be written by care-partners in this journey with us.
Eventually, this work is forming into a set of books, but right now, it is still becoming.
For those walking this path
If you are living with cognitive change,
or walking alongside someone who is—
you are not imagining the disconnect.
There is a gap in understanding.
Between mind and brain.
Between people.
And it can be bridged.
That is what this project is about.
More to come.
— Tru
Attached Picture:
Yes; the cover photo is a digital painting of mine from 2026May02. For this one i mostly used AlainaJensen chalk brushes , with Procreate tools on iPad that compensate for my tremors.
Contact Options:
Other contact options are FaceBook and “X” (aka Twitter), both under “Truthful Kindness”. On Reddit, i am at “TruthfulKindness” in groups “r/dementia”, “r/lewybodydementia”, and “r/alzheimers”. i dropped my LinkedIn membership quite a few years ago. If requesting “friend” status for any form of Social media, please send a private message explaining that you are a reader of my blog. …
* Admin issues:
* Admin Notes — Lost my notes; no idea how many hours invested on this text, plus 16 hours on art for this entry. This entry is by Truthful Loving Kindness (my full legal name) for https://truthfulkindness.com/. For comments or questions, please use that website. The subscription box is now located at the bottom of each blog entry. My full legal name is Truthful Loving Kindness. My current formal diagnosis remains at the stage of Mild Cognitive Impairment, although my Primary Care Physician and several other medical professionals consider it some form of dementia; my PCP records currently state “Dementia without behavioral disturbance, unspecified dementia type.” In recent years, my PCP, my husband/care-partner, and I have jointly decided to discontinue specialist consultations, as the distance and emotional strain of repeated evaluations are not worth the cost to my well-being. My symptoms most closely resemble Lewy Body and vascular dementia patterns; however, SPECT and PET imaging show the most significant brain changes in the temporal lobes, creating overlap with the logopenic variant of Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA), a subtype within the frontotemporal dementia spectrum. Nothing in this blog is meant as medical, legal, or service dog advice; what I share here comes from lived experience—an attempt to design around decline and make daily life more workable—so please use your own judgment and consult professionals who understand your specific situation. Text Copyright © Truthful L. Kindness, 2026May03. You can learn more about me under the “About Me” tab (note: that page is due for updating). Comments are welcome—please filter them through truthful loving kindness toward all concerned. As of 2026, I use ChatGPT as an editor, which improves readability and reduces the time I spend in the writing process. I do not mind re-posting of my work; however, if you do re-post, you must clearly indicate that the writing is not your own, prominently identify my authorship as Truthful Kindness, and include a clear link to my website so that questions and comments can be directed to me personally: at http://www.truthfulkindness.com.
*** categ: Bks, Jrnl. *** tags: brain health, caregiver support, caregiving, cognitive change, communication, dementia, dementia awareness, diagnosis, lived experience, misdiagnosis, Persons Living with Dementia . *** Add to Pgs/ AbtBlog/Bks *** S&S Categ: Bks
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