Thursday, July 19, 2012

Memory loss and other things

You know how when you are so busy and you make a list of things that you would do once you get a breather and when you eventually get one all you can think of is lounging? if possible doing absolutely nothing?*those days are long gone for me* Blogging was on top of that list. It has been a month since I posted anything. I would like to pass the blame to my journal- after writing, my fingers are so tired I can't type; or my kids- who always choose to want to use the computer for their abcmouse program at the exact time when I want to go online. I take the blame. Hope you all are doing good? The heat and humidity is something else over here and the little ones refuse to stay indoors where it is cool. They are always suggesting one jaunt or the other that would take us outside.

Everyone forgets, right? They say when a woman is pregnant, she forgets some more. When I was growing up, if I was going somewhere and all of a sudden I  don't remember where or what I was about to do, I was told to go sit down for a bit. Most times, as my butt is about to the hit the chair, I remember what it was. I don't know the science behind it and I never questioned it but I thought it was genius. As I grew up, I forgot some more, nothing big, but I forgot all the same. I laughed it off and just started keeping notes. I am not laughing about it anymore.

I temped at a memory care center for a few weeks a while back and just seeing what lack of memory turns people to, is making me have a second think about my own memory. Though there is no conclusive cause of dementia, old age, gender and heredity  have been linked with it. Just seeing these people, who probably were powerful people in their circles when they were in their prime so helpless and lost now...... I met different characters. Two of them struck me. One of them, an old lady who from the way she talks was probably in the medical profession and she goes around like she is doing ward rounds and she keeps talking to me about patients and whether I was giving them the proper medication and asking me if I have gone round to give them words of encouragement as that was hospital policy. Sometimes I played along, some other times I gently told her we aren't in a hospital but if she wanted to share words of encouragement that was fine. It made me wonder how they were when their brains were still functioning.  The other person, a guy, who thought the center was his high school and on two occasions wanted to arrest me for keeping him  there against his will. In his sober moments, he keeps asking if he was in a nursing home, cos he told his wife he wouldnt want to be in one. My heart went out to him.

I just wondered, if I lost my memory, what kind of person would I be?




Source 

An elderly couple was having problems remembering things so they went to see their doctor to get checked out. After examining them, the doctor confirmed that they were physically okay but they might want to start writing things down and making notes to help them remember. They thanked the doctor and went home.
Later that night they were watching tv when the old man got up from his chair and the wife asked him where he was going." To the kitchen" he said. "Will you get me a bowl of ice-cream?", she asks. "Sure", he said. She then asked him, "Don't you think you should write that down so you remember?""No, I will remember that," he said." Well, i will also need strawberries and whipped cream on it", she said. He said "Ok"."I know you will forget that so you better write that down" she replies. The old man said," I can remember that you want a bowl of ice-cream with strawberries and whipped cream" with irritation in his voice. He fumed into the kitchen. He returned 20minutes later with a plate of bacon and eggs. The wife stares at the plate for a moment then said " You forgot my toast"