Forgetfulness?!
Question:
Forgetfulness?
Ok... let's see. How... what was I gonna say? um... I forgot.... Oh yea... right.... Why do I always have such short term memory loss? I could be in the middle of a sentence, and forget what I was going to say. Or, going into a room, and forget what I went in there for! What causes that, and how to remedy it?
No wize cracks please! I'm very serious!
Answers:
I don't know your age, but if you are "a bit older" this is a normal part of aging. The brain begins to atrophy at 60 (not a pleasant thought) and the first thing to go is NOUNS...people's names, towns, places. It's so disgusting! I've hit 66 and I haven't completed a sentence in several years. I'll say, "Oh, I meant to tell you that..." and I am stuck right there. I don't have a clue!!
REMEDY? Uhhhhh....well.....hmmmm....
However, I try to focus on one thing at a time. I write myself reminders. I keep a Yahoo calendar and check it faithfully several times a day if necessary. I make a list I call "TODAY" on which I jot down those things I need to do and mark them off as I complete them. I set the alarm on my cell phone to remind me it's medication time. I spend time with friends to keep my social skills sharp. I play "brain" games on the computer. I read. I watch the news and then I discuss it with friends. I go fishing. Yes, fishing! It's a wonderful way to relax and enjoy the beauty of God's world. If the fish aren't biting, I feed the ducks. I try to learn something new every day. Then I quiz myself the next day to see how much I remember about it.
Yes, you are serious because it's a serious part of aging. But it's not one we can avoid. So ask your doctor what you can do to minimize the trauma of watching your memory slide down the drain. And then sit back and enjoy what you can for as long as you can.