Random Acts of "Kindness"

Posts tagged ‘memory’

SHORT CIRCUIT

A new word has entered my vocabulary that I seem to be using on a very REGULAR basis. The word popped into my head the other day. It seems to accurately describe my actions. I don’t remember what I was doing at the time, but it really doesn’t matter. I was standing in our middle room, finishing some task, and walked with purpose to the bookcase in our dining room. Arriving — I had NO IDEA what I was after, why I had walked with such purpose to stand and look at the bookcase. SHORT CIRCUIT! Now I’ll admit that whatever it was, after I stood quietly for a few minutes, I remembered what I had been doing, — I remembered what I was after.

Each time I have a short circuit, I stand and try to remember what I was doing, what I came for. Sometimes it helps — sometimes I have to continue on and hope that I will remember. If it is important — I usually do. If I was on automatic pilot — it can be days or hours before whatever it was surfaces. My lack of remembrance is especially aggravating when whatever is lost is important — cell phone, glasses, keys etc.

A pair of glasses is still lost. First off — they are not prescription. Second, they where slipping off and becoming uncomfortable when I was wearing them. I kept them in my purse. They where in a very soft case. Did I lose them — outside of the house. I searched the house. If they are here, they are hiding. They are not in the car, I checked. So did I lose them — or were they taken away? Good question — no answer.

My father had Alzheimer’s, so that is always a concern. I’m not particularly worried at this time. My grandson who is almost ten, every once and a while short circuits.

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FOG

I remember when I had energy. I remember when I was able to sleep the whole night. I remember when I actually planned the things I wanted to do, or the stuff I needed to buy from the store. Sadly, my energy is hiding. Sadly although I get some rest, I still feel tired — my sleep is too broken. Sadly although I still make lists of what I need from the store, the list is often still sitting on the table when I leave the house, or it is missing some important items.

I’m hoping that this is only a temporary condition. I’m hoping that as we spend more time at home, I will be less fractured. I’m hoping that I will regain an interest in some of the activities I enjoy. Looking at our calendar, Thanksgiving is coming soon, and following after is Christmas. Today I have no interest in Christmas shopping and of course, no time to make presents. To complicate matters, many health appointments are now filling up our schedule. At least we had planned to stay in town.

I had considered checking out some activities at a near by senior center. I don’t know if I will have the time to participate. What I have learned as I try to surface from this fog is that if I ask a question, I’m often given an answer. The question seems to be jogging my memory or my “friends” are helping.

Just a couple of examples — standing in the pantry, I had come in with a purpose and the purpose had vanished. “Why am I here?” That question often provokes an answer. Recently while shopping, I knew that I had planned to go to a store to buy something. It wasn’t a store I normally went to, and I didn’t remember what I had planned to buy but I knew I thought it was important. It was on my mental list a few days ago, but I hadn’t had the time to purchase. Stopped at a traffic light, I threw questions out into the air. “Where do I need to go? What do I need to buy? Etc.” Thankfully I received an answer. I had wanted to buy a new calendar for next year. The one I’ve enjoyed this year is meant more for business people who have to keep track of their appointments. I’ve used it to track my food and other things. At the beginning of the month, it has a page for the whole month where I schedule appointments. As time gets closer to the new year, it becomes harder to buy specific calendars. Having a calendar for 2016 has already come in HANDY!

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INVITED

Thanksgiving at our house usually brings our youngest daughter and her family, and our oldest daughter and her husband into the city to join us. Sadly her husband had a fever and stayed home. The food was delicious (if I do say so myself) and the company was delightful. Our youngest daughter was able to connect my new smart camera to the internet so I could share photos. Then she brought out some of the old games from the foyer –starting with SORRY, with modified rules. Next came Animal Families Memory game — 72 cards, no reading required, ages 4 to 10. I watched as my youngest granddaughter challenged her mother and grandfather to a game. I was tired, so I begged off but promised I would play the next morning.

Six o’clock comes very early in the morning. My granddaughter was bright eyed and ready to go. My brain decided to sleep in but a promise is a promise. A cup of coffee didn’t help. I hoped I would be able to match one or two pair. My granddaughter took pity on me and helped me find THREE pair. I was NOT impressed with my ability. Meanwhile, my grandson, (8) was intrigued. So we played another game. He gave his sister a run for the money — I did just a little bit better. A second cup of coffee helped. Even when I remembered where a match was, they had their turn first and beat me every time. Thankfully I had a little “help” from the other side so I had more than three pairs.

When their mother got up, her brain stayed in bed also. I’ll have to admit that even brain challenged she did a lot better than I did. Next our champion challenged her father. He was under the false impression that we were helping her to win. As a doctor, he has a good working memory. Which is a good thing since his daughter showed him how she plays the game.

Both of those games were favorites of our daughter — which I had forgotten. In my quest to eliminate stuff, those games could have easily been eliminated. Thankfully I hadn’t reached that area of the house.

My husband had NO PROBLEM. In the first game, he helped our granddaughter make matches. Last year he studied to get both the technician and general license in HAM radio. He exercised his brain and it showed. I haven’t taken on any memory challenges and it showed.

I’m reminded often to meditate and I will admit that I try without success. Sometimes my mind is just to busy to settle and other times, it just stays blank, resting in its nothingness. After my daughter and family left for home, I caught up on some of my e-mails. I read that a Harvard MRI study proved that meditation literally rebuilds the brains gray matter in 8 weeks. Either I have to get out the cards for the memory game and practice or meditate more often or both. NUDGED!

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