Michael Lipman: ‘If I knew then what I know now, I’d have been a lot more careful’

The former England flanker has mild dementia and probable CTE and says the memory lapses and mood swings may be hard for him, but are even harder for his wife Frances

It’s been two months since Michael Lipman was diagnosed with mild dementia, two weeks since he was diagnosed with probable chronic traumatic encephalopathy. He feels in limbo, wonders if what’s happening would make more sense if he was an old man. “I’d think I’d be like: ‘Yeah, OK,’ you know?” But he is only 40. He has no idea what the rest of his life is going to be like, and that scares him. So he’s doing what he can. “Taking exercise, trying to eat well, limiting alcohol, just try and treat yourself well, and keep your mind ticking over by doing crosswords and sudokus, studying, anything to help you train the brain.”

There are days when Lipman doesn’t want to get out of bed. “If you go outside you might embarrass yourself, might do something, or say something, that’s going to get you in trouble. I feel like your bedroom is your safe zone, you know? And when I’m in there no one can do anything to me.”

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