Long been a fan of Carol Thatcher(remember her good natured, humorous wit, on Sunday morns with David frost, when we were young!) Voted for Mrs Thatcher-didn't agree with ALL she stood for, but a bloody good leader.I lost my mum-in-law: powerful brain, reduced to slop by dementia-all the best Carol

Diane, Buxton, England

Margaret Thatcher gave Grerat Britain the medicine she needed. It was necessary in order to move the country out of the 19th C into the 21st C. The 20th C was a nightmare. As for the miners, I am told they were grateful to know their future families wouldn't have to experience the same work.

Frank Ney, Vancouver, Canada

A tragedy for her and her family.

A tragedy also for this country, that she's not around now to get us out of the criminal, bank-rolling, cesspit that this Labour government has got us into.

Laura Roberts, London, UK

Thatcher was a magnificent leader. Positioned the UK as a force on a global stage and broke the back of the union-driven, lowest common denomanator mentality of the 70's Labour government that brought the UK to its knees. .. Blair and Labour should be ashamed for what they've done to the UK

Nathan, Sydney, Australia

Dementia is tragic for all those involved and very frightening. Why has Ms Thatcher chosen to write abot it whilst her mother is still alive? Sad.

John, Lincoln,

Paul,Ipswich.

Funny thing memory isn't it? I remember the 15% rates as being a result of a decade of incompetence, profligacy, sleaze, exploitation and the Lawson boom.

eric campbell, harrogate, uk

17% interest rates, 20% inflation (in 1982), a sell off assets that were so cheap they were oversubscribed 23 times. She is far from the super hero so often claimed.

Her political beliefs and actions in the main are anathema to me, but dementia is not something even she deserves

garryq, Sunderland, UK

Paul Milton Keynes - you may not suffer from dementia but you certainly have a memory problem. The 15% interest rates were required to bale out the economy after the last incompetent Labour government left us potless and may well have to be repeated after this shower is thrown out.

Paul, Ipswich,

Margaret Thatcher is the greatest lady of the 20th century. She is my super hero for ever. Thank you.

PeterPaul, Auckland, NZ

Dementia is a tragedy which is much worse than outright death. My mother has it and has fallen into the clutches of a rogue whose every word she believes and who can get her to sign papers conferring money on him. I aim to keep smoking so as not to live too long. Condolences to Thatcher family.

A Stewart, Wellington, New Zealand

I loathed her - but I would not have wished this on anyone. I saw the effects of dementia on my mother and it is a cruel, cruel way to end your days.

Eleni, Bristol,

I wish I could say sorry but i can't.

Dave Bridge, Southport, UK

actually, my smypathies to her family
anyway, be tough.

joan , jiangxi , china

We have all met people suffering exactly as Margaret Thatcher is. It is tragic that once strong minds can become so helpless.
How will we perform ourselves as we grow old?

Brian Gunn, Nottinghamshire, UK

There were many reported occasions when Sir Winston Churchill's memory failed him both privately and in public. The difference was that in 1954, aged 80 he was still Prime Minister at age 89 in 1963, he was still a member of Parliament .

William Grierson, Kimpton, UK

She has dementia and Reagan had alzheimers. What an amazing conversation they could have had.
Reagan was her buddy, wasn't he? I hate Reagan for much the same reasons that I see listed for disliking Baroness Thatcher. The space between rich and poor is widening thanks to Reagan. Who remembers?

Abby, Grand Rapids, USA

I agree with the comments made by Susan of Bristol. Watching Lady Thatchers decline must be difficult for her daughter but it it is so sad that Carol feels that she must talk to her mother of the death of Denis, this must renew the feelings of grief Lady Thatcher felt at the time.

June, Midhurst, England

I take it that those of you writing about karma have never had to watch their grandmothers cry their hearts out for 3 hours because they can't remember their own name. Dementia is a death sentence which doesn't have the decency to kill you.

My sympathies to her family.

Deborah, Norwich, UK

Will Carol or Mark, find the place Thatcher stashed Conquerors log? Mark will sell it if he finds it first!

Jimmy O`Neill, La Nucia, Spain

Cellular medicine may be the way forward....
Important website
www4.dr-rath-foundation.org/NHC/cellularhealthresearch.htm

Sue, Harrow, Middx

I did not entirely agree with Margaret Thatcher's politics but I always respected her opinions. I thank her for making a difference. I wish her and her family minimal sufferring from this illness.

John M, Chelmsford, United Kingdom

My friend's husband suffers from Dementia so I am seeing at first hand how distressing this illness can be for sufferer and family alike. I can only hope the months and years ahead are not too traumatic for Baroness Thatcher and her family - I wish them patience and courage - they will need it.

Natalie, Luton,

Sad news, even for her opponents ... I wish her well.

Thierry, Luttre, Belgium

You may never have voted for her, I never did , but her contribution and capability cannot be ignored or denied. Dementia and human frality are all the more tragic in one who has made such an enormous contribution to the world stage. My thoughts and prayers are with this amazing woman and her family

Sandra Fairclough, Singapore,

Margaret thatcher is the one sole person responsible for sowing the seeds of modern britain!Both have fallen into despair and decay.

les, liverpool, united kingdom

I have always dislike Margaret Thatcher, but it is sad to learn what her dauther says. I sympathise with Mrs. Thatcher as a human being. My feelings are with her family. I wish her well.

Agustin, Oropesa (Toledo), Spain

Dementia is a terrible illness and should'nt be wished on anyone, even if you disliked them before.

I think that we should all put our feelings aside and give the family all the support or privacy they need in this dark and difficult time.

Mark Jones, Chongqing, China

I hold in high respect Lady Thatcher. Britain is a lucky country to have during one century two PM to be a type of personality that is very scarce between countries leaders; for long Russian history there was the Peter Great to have the personality only. Socionics call that sort of personality as ‘Don Quixote’.

Alexey, Moscow,

I empathise with her family.

Her strength and conviction certainly gave the UK back its status as a leading world nation on the right track. I wish the world had many more great leaders as insightful as our Iron Lady was. I doubt she would have pampered so much to either 41 or 43 Bush.

J McNeill, Greenock, Scotland

This woman polarizes opinion, but you cannot look back with rose coloured glasses. She damaged our nation beyond any doubt, we are the nation we are because of her. Small mined and greedy, raddled with the culture of "Me First, and Second and bugger the rest. Leave her to the Yanks who love her

Michael Holloway, Sydney, Australia

Margaret Thatcher was one of the greatest leaders of the 20th Century. Regrettably, the longevity granted to us by modern medicine and an absence of war, inevitably means that many of us will lose our minds before we lose our lives. And the terrible burden is borne by those who care for us.

Jim Silberman, New York City, USA

Blimey, I'[ve never seen so many people with short memories -- you must all have dementia too. She was as hated as Blair or Brown, maybe more, and a complete disaster as PM. I certainly won't shed a tear for her, and neither will anyone else who remembers the misery of 15% interest rates.

Paul, Milton Keynes, UK

Whilst I did not agree with all her actions as PM, she was a wonderfully strong leader; having amazing insight that enabled her to bring about many much needed changes within the UK during her time in office.

I empathise with her family and wish Mrs T all the best in her remaining years.

J McNeill, Greenock, Scotland

Has anyone considered that she has dementia whilst stil in power? The 'We have become a grandmother' comment seemed especially odd at the time.

lgm, halifax, canada

my aunt had this problem and in moments of clear thinking she said that the only good thing was that she only needed one book (she used to read constantly) and she met new people every day!.
a sad way to end up but as someone already said she will not have problems of accessing care others have.

arrow, glasgow, scotland

Very sad. She would never have let Britain get into the state we are now in.

Johnny Norfolk, Mileham Norfolk, England

It makes her all the more human.

God Bless!

Frank Madigan, Capreol, Canada

Such a sad story about such a Great Lady.

Jay, Shanghai, China

Whatever the complexities of the past, our hearts are moved with compassion when one who had such power of mind has had it denied them. My prayer is that she will know peace with God in these closing days of her life and be fully prepared to enter eternity where decay will be no more.

Bob Hitching, Budapest, Hungary

i would simply like to say that she was the best pm we ever had, apart from churchill, in, a female churchill

micky, swanley, kent, uk

carol thatcher should be ashamed to reveal her mother's private and personal battle with dementia. i guess the book money must be good.

Susan, Bristol,

david san diego
karma? and you say she didnt know the meaning of compasion!

shes the best prime minister weve had since the war. her reforms have given us the chance to compete on the world stage! without her we would be stuck in the winter of discontent. even if GB is trying to take us back.

will, grimsby, uk

It´s sad yes. I hope she continues her struggle with the best sucess possible.

DM, Lisbon,

At least we knew where we were going when she was in charge even if we didn't all agree on the direction. As a nation that is what we miss now.

Gary, Swindon,

I miss her. She was truly magnificent. "W" could have benefited from her guidance.

NC, Little Rock,

She's not the only one - my father-in-law has it also !!!!!

ian payne, walsall,

"Describing her mother's "blotting-paper brain" which had always absorbed vast amounts of money"

No wonder her brain is in such a poor state-according to this article her head is full of assorted coins of the realm. Does she rattle as she wlks along?

philip, Værløse nr Copenhagen, Denmark

she has one consolation she won't have struggle on the welfare state which she so detested
unlike so many disabled people young and old have to

ken chatwood, oswestry, uk

Wish we still had Maggie running the country.

David, Poole,

I am English now residing abroad. I cannot say enough in defense of Margaret Thatcher. She led the country with strength that brought the country much, and we became stronger as a result.She had an iron will, that is true, but that will helped many to see that women can succeed in government.

Sally, Phoenix, USA

I find it difficult to feel much sympathy for a woman who did so much damage to the social cohesion of this country. I'm sure that there are many ex-miners who feel the same when they recall the cold-blooded and callous way they were treated.

D James, Lancashire, UK

Whilst I can closely empathise with her family as my own mother passed away at the age of 79 following 18 months suffering severe dementia,I doubt whether Mrs Thatcher is denied any of the drugs or nursing care that many other ordinary sufferers and their families face daily.

P.McGreal, Littlehampton,

It is indeed a sureal experience to watch a loved one change as dementia takes hold. At least with my father, now 95, it started relatively recently and at his then age he was quite philosophical about it. It makes for a facinating study of the human mind and one that can have its lighter side.

Geoff Petersson, Sydney , Australia

i remember her use of power, how greed was good, and the poor were forgotten, i remember the dark days,how she was a hero to chosen few, yes she won her war with the unions, but at what cost, under her rule, compasion was a dirty word, reading the above i understand the meaning of karma

david, san diego, u s a

what's so new about this?

Rob, Stockholm, Sweden

Sad, very sad. A terrible strain for Carol

Phil de Buquet, Newport,