What Is Happening To My Brain?

First, let me say that I am sorry for being gone for so long.  As I am going to explain something big happened and it changed everything for me.

A while ago I started having issues remembering things especially short term but even some long term.  This was more than just walking into a room and forgetting why I came into the room.  This was forgetting that just a few minutes ago I had taken my meds and then tried to take them again.  Not being able to complete a sentence because I just lost my train of thought and then when I do remember not remembering what words to use. That was a big issue when I was at work because there is nothing like being in the middle of the conversation with your boss and team and then suddenly losing your place and not being able to continue at all.  It is mortifying and scary.

So after a bunch of scans, tests and other great things it turns out I have been having invisible strokes.  That means that at the age of 45 I have been officially diagnosed with vascular dementia.  Seriously…at 45!  Now at first I was happy to finally know what was wrong and having a name for it.  Then it hit me that this is life changing and I broke down.  Now I have decided to try and see the bright side of this.  So I made a list:

1. I have a good excuse when I yell my daughter’s names and keep calling the wrong one.
2. When I start to go upstairs and my husband asks me to move the laundry from the washer to the dryer but by the time I get up there I end up walking into my bedroom and reading instead. Sometime later he will come in and ask about the laundry and I guess my face shows that I have no idea what he is talking about.  He is nice about it but I can see the frustration.
3. When I have to tell someone about another person but I can’t remember who it is we play Guess Who until we figure it out. Example:  You know..that tall lady….brown hair…works on the 9^th floor…etc.
4. My husband can now track me on my GPS when I get lost. Yes, I do get lost but usually, it is in the car and thank goodness I have the Waze app.
5. When we watch a movie for the 2^nd or 3^rd times I still get surprised by things and even the ending (sometimes). I can remember the plot and the characters but not much of the actual movie. Thinking about it I might make a good movie critic for the studios to use because I would think it was great even if I couldn’t remember it.  (Yes I am available for the job if Disney, Universal, etc want to hire me)
6. You see people you cannot remember ever meeting but they know you so it is like starting new relationships. I had this happen with someone I work with but I only see every few months in-person so when they come in I am so excited to meet them again.

As you can imagine every day is something new and an adjustment to my life.  I’m determined to get back on here and blog about all the funny things that happen which hopefully are even funnier with the dementia aspect added in.  So..keep up with me please, share my pages and my posts.  Looks like my messy life is about to get even messier and before you even ask that does not mean I will mop!