Today I'm mentally and physically exhausted. This feels like the only place where I can be honest without feeling judged. Not many people know that I'm living with stage 1 dementia. Every day I wake up hoping I'll recover soon. Taking nine medicines every single day feels overwhelming. Sometimes I wonder... isn't it too early to be saying goodbye to my good and bad memories? This illness feels like it's slowly eating away at pieces of me. Some days I get lost between the past and the present. I become confused, frustrated, and angry not because I want to but because my mind doesn't always cooperate. The hardest part isn't the medicines or the confusion. It's pretending that I'm okay when deep down I'm suffocating. I keep feeling like I'm losing the potential I once had, and that thought hurts more than I can explain. Sometimes I wish someone would simply sit beside me, pat my head, and say, "Everything will be okay. I'm here with you." I don't need grand promises just someone who chooses to stay. Even with all this, I haven't stopped hoping. I still believe that one day someone will love me, accept me, and see me beyond my illness. Until then, I'll keep praying for healing and trying my best to hold on to the person I know I am. I hope tomorrow is a little kinder than today. 🌸