George McKenna initially began experiencing hallucinations and trouble with mobility
George McKenna initially began experiencing hallucinations and trouble with mobility
A grandad who began experiencing “hallucinations” was later given a devastating diagnosis. Wendy Cordier’s dad, George McKenna, lived with Parkinson’s for a number of years. But when his mobility rapidly declined, the family knew something else was wrong.
The mum-of-three told the ECHO: “He went from being able to walk a little bit to not at all. And then the hallucinations started.
“He’d see clowns and babies a lot. You’d go to sit down and he’d go, ‘careful of the baby!’ Or when I’d come round to the house he’d point to the back garden and say, ‘did you come on that bus?'”
It was when Wendy was reading an article about Lewy bodies dementia that she saw similarities between the symptoms described and those her dad was presenting with.
George was tested at Arrowe Park Hospital, and a few days later the family were given the devastating news he had dementia with Lewy bodies, a neurodegenerative disease for which there is no cure, and a lifespan of five to eight years post-diagnosis.
Symptoms of the disease leave patients drifting in and out of awareness, as their minds become less and less dependable, plagued by visual hallucinations, delusions and nightmares.
According to the Lewy Body Society, Lewy body dementia is the second most common dementia in older people but is often misunderstood, even by medical professionals.
There are around 100,000 people in the UK with this form of dementia, similar to the number of people that are living with a brain tumour. It is the second most common type of neurodegenerative dementia in older people and accounts for 15 to 20% of all cases.
Wendy said: “I’d never heard of that kind of dementia before. My heart just sank because I kind of knew what the end might be like for him. In the end he couldn’t drink, he couldn’t eat or walk. He could talk a little bit. He still had the best sense of humour ever.”
Four years after his diagnosis, George died at home aged 79, surrounded by his family. Wendy described how although her dad was facing a devastating cognitive disease, he never forgot who his family were.
Wendy said: “His last words to me were ‘I love you’. The day he died he waited for us all to be together. My sister had come up from Cornwall and my mum and brother were there. I was able to tell him how much I loved him and what an amazing dad he’s been.”
After her dad’s death in November 2020, Wendy was struggling mentally. She said: “I couldn’t see a way out. I kept thinking I was going to end my life because I just couldn’t be happy.”
A couple months later, the 53-year-old discovered cold water swimming. She said: “I took my first swim in the Marine Lake in West Kirby. The feeling I had when the cold water took my breath away for a few seconds the first time is hard to explain, but I felt at peace for the first time in months.”
Wendy, who only learned front crawl last summer, is now planning a whole year of open-water swimming events including the Cool Mile in Princes Dock, Liverpool (April 12). Her main event will be the Swim the Arctic Circle on Saturday, July 12.
Open water swimmers will swim 2km across the River Torne, crossing the border between Sweden and Finland, a time zone and the Arctic Circle – all to raise funds for the Lewy Body Society.
The charity campaigns for improved diagnosis and treatment of the disease by funding research while supporting those directly affected.
Wendy said: “I have found friends at the lakeside and the beach, people who have changed my life and made it feel like I belong. I lost my dad but found my beautiful friends by the water.”
Jacqui Cannon, CEO of the Lewy Body Society, said: “We wish Wendy and her friends the very best of luck. We know how popular cold water swimming has become and how useful it can be for people struggling with mental health. The Lewy Body Society is so grateful that we have such loyal supporters.”
Anyone wishing to help Wendy and friends reach her £2,000 target in memory of her dad can do so here.
