I had quite a scare the other day.
After waking up from, what has become my regular afternoon siesta, I couldn’t remember the president’s first name. I don’t know why I wanted to remember the president’s first name but apparently I did and couldn’t. (Please don’t read anything political into this.) Obama was no problem. I also had no trouble recalling the name of Obama’s wife, Michelle, but..what the hell?? This is the President of the United States and I’m drawing a blank.
I’ve had these..what I call brain farts..before. I’ve gone into rooms on a mission only to completely forget what that mission is once I get there. I’ve had to call my own cell phone more times than I can count in order to hear the ring and disclose its location. I go to the store and forget one or more of the main items I went to the store for in the first place. I think these are pretty common episodes in most people’s lives no matter how far advanced in age they are.
But this was a doozy for me because it lasted for several minutes; almost to the point of where I was going to check Google on the computer under U.S. Presidents. Then, as mysteriously as the name “Barack” left my mind, it popped back in.
The incident upset me so much that I started wondering if this was an early warning sign of Alzheimer’s which claimed my cousin Bob’s life last spring. So, back to Google. Turns out, It could be…but most likely, according to a recent report on National Public Radio, it’s nothing to be terribly concerned about. If you start forgetting the names of close friends and family members or get lost in familiar places or words that used to be important no longer have meaning..well, then get yourself checked post haste.
I think (hope) this couple is just kidding around.
Dr. Kirk Daffner, a Harvard Brain Specialist, says What’s common as people age, is that the speed at which information can be retrieved on demand is slowed. Through much of our lives, it was this wonderful gift; we wanted information and bang, it came to us.” He says there are lots of reasons why our brains get sluggish. High blood pressure damages the wiring that connects different parts of the brain. Poor sleep or excess alcohol are enemies of a nimble brain. And many medicines — including common drugs to reduce stomach acid, control asthma or treat depression — can slow the brain down. Hmmm, I take meds for high blood pressure, have goofy sleep habits and have been on Prozac for many years. Strike one, two and three right? Well..not necessarily. It turns out you can reduce the risk of losing your marbles by keeping the old brain ACTIVE and CHALLENGED.
So now, I can consider those hours spent in the porcelain reading room doing crosswords as a healthy time of both physical AND mental multi-tasking. Research has also found that social networks (having lots of friends) and stimulating activities are also vital to good cognitive function. I have that covered; 825 friends on Facebook where I spend so much of my time. It’s not a waste of time, It’s brain therapy. And for stimulating activities..what can be more stimulating than watching the Minnesota Vikings or “Blue Bloods” “Hell on Wheels” “Downton Abbey”or any one of a hundred favorite television programs? “I’ve gotta watch TV, honey. Doctor’s orders.”
“There is one other thing people can do,” Dr Daffner says, “physical exercise.” “Some of the best converging data about successful memory or cognition is linked to exercise.”
Damn. I was almost in the clear.
9 Responses
Very enjoyable read–from Joanie ( I am that friend you just went to the Black Hills with–use to live across the street–am a friend of your wife, the dizzy blond that can’t live without her sunglasses (if she can find them) am married to your dear friend Denny (who says he never loses anything!!)–if you need any more reminders, give me a call–if you can find my no.!!
Well Doug It could have been all those years in front of the camera reading
from those cards, or in the end reading from the monitors, that you may need
to have your loved ones put little cards in the room that you are going into to
give you a little clue as to why you were going in there to begin with. I on the
other hand go to the garage or the shop to find that I forgot to put the tools back
after the last time I used them, and then you have to think back a few weeks as
to what was the last job that was done from the “honey do list”, to give you a clue
as to where we may have left the tool. I guess my problem is staying organized
at putting things away. I will make some tool sticky notes and leave them in the
room that I am going into , so I will know why I am going into the room.
Liked this post very much Doug. Not to fear. Losing the car keys, or misplacing things is common, but looking at the car keys and not understanding what they are for… then it could be trouble.
Larry, my friend. I thought of you when writing the blog and tried not to be too glib about this awful disease that you and your girls deal with every day through Susan’s affliction. Please know that I don’t find Alzheimers itself remotely funny.
The other day I ordered my sausage McMuffin at McDonalds at the drive up–paid for it and drove off. A block away I discovered that I didn’t pick up my order–just drove thru. I hurried back to discover some not too friendly people in line behind me with their orders messed up. Is this a sign I should see my doctor????
I blame Facebook.
Don’t worry Doug, You just know so much, in order to learn something new, you have to forget something old. At least you knew YOUR first name.
Lund kids – take note of photo – now there’s a Christmas gift idea for your parents!
Well-written, Doug, as always. The same “lack of thoughts” run through my mind. A Volga man named Anderson (or Peterson) told me that you had bragged to him that I “never forgot a face or name.” Not true, and getting not-truer by the moment.