David Baddiel’s fear as father with dementia sent to A&E alone and won’t know why
Comedian David Baddiel has spoken of his sadness after his father, who has dementia, was rushed to hospital, saying he won’t understand what’s going on
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David Baddiel says his poor dementia-ridden father has been rushed to hospital but will have no idea why.
The comedian, 56, took to Twitter to share the sad news that his dad Colin, 85, has been taken to hospital due to a problem with his catheter.
But David is worried that his dad’s dementia is so bad that he won’t understand why he’s there.
He told his followers: “So my dad’s had to be rushed to hospital due to a weird f**k-up with his catheter that I won’t go into, but, still, no-one can go with him, and A&E don’t pick up the phone.
“So. Basically, you just have to hope that he’s not just lying on a trolley somewhere. Sorry to be bleak.
“The problem is, because he has dementia, he won’t know why he’s there, or how to even ask what’s happening, or when he’ll be seen, and…sorry. It’s such a nightmare.”
He added: “Thanks so much for all your lovely good wishes. And yes, obviously I have faith in the doctors and nurses. But it doesn’t stop you worrying, I’m afraid.”
Colin has Pick’s disease, which is a type of dementia.
Symptoms can include changes to the personality and behaviour, language problems and memory issues.
David spoke candidly about his father’s condition for Channel 4 documentary The Trouble with Dad back in 2017, when he admitted there were times he felt “frightened” of his father.
Speaking after a discussion with his brother Ivor, he said: “I think one of the things that makes it difficult for us to imagine looking after our dad, is that on some level we are both still frightened of him.”
David says his dad always had a brash personality, which included a lot of swearing, but that his condition has heightened it to a degree that has sometimes proved uncomfortable for his loved ones.
David even stopped his kids Dolly and Ezra from seeing their grandfather for a while because he would sometimes make sexually inappropriate comments.
The star explained: “I’m always trepidatious about going to see my dad, particularly with anybody else.
“He says a lot of sexual stuff, it’s inappropriate, we can’t take the children, they don’t want to go anyway. He would swear, and he is quite liable to say something sexual to my daughter.”
David, who says he fears he’ll develop dementia himself one day, added: “I’ve never had a Hollywood father-son relationship with my dad, it’s mainly abusive banter. But now what has happened is the dementia has made it more extreme.
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