Yesterday I went to the movies. When I got up to the ticket window, to tell them what movie I wanted to see and pay, my mind went completely blank. I couldn't remember what I had come to see. I panicked that I was looking foolish, and then suddenly remembered the movie and told the cashier. I have noticed that I have trouble coming up with my thoughts, and what I want to say. I worry that I'm getting AD. However, I'm under a lot of stress trying to deal with my un-dx dh, with his FTD type moods and his abuse. I know I'm still sharp, but this does scare me. It's just so much stress, all of the time. He is so difficult and snotty, and I think it's just my trying to deal with him that gets my mind doing funny things.
We all have those blank moments. I will start to worry when I find myself a few miles from home with keys in my hand and my parked car and have no idea what to do. That is how the journey began with a SIL, my husband's brother's wife. As far as I know my DH is the first one in his family to have AD
So true. you must try to remember everything for 2, and sometimes we miss. listen, the problem is not losing your keys is knowing what to do with them when you find them.
I went into a room 3 times yesterday, completely forgetting what I went in for. By the time I reached the room, it was nowhere to be found in my mind. I have also in the past couple of days gone to put things on a list, but by the time I picked up the paper, the thought was lost. I think I have a lot on my mind right now. I attribute mine to the stress of moving. Of course, no one witnessed it, which probably caused your panic in your case. Try to keep a record of the times you are forgetting, and see if it increases or doesn't happen when you are relaxed. Good to keep a journal. I don't think it is cause for concern, it happens to all of us (well, I guess I shouldn't speak for others.) Same thing about trying to remember someone's name, not in their presence, just because. Then later it will come to me. I think that's been the case since I was young, but we are so tuned in to & aware of the dementia thing now, & it creates a new worry.
I read where you can only keep 5 items in your short term memory at a time - anymore and you are apt to forget. Also remember that forgetting is a sign of depression and/or stress. So take a deep breath and try to relax some.
Good advice, everyone. Thanks much. Charlotte, I keep remembering that I am carrying a lot here in this marriage. Even though he hasn't been dx-ed, I have to deal with his constantly fluctuating moods, and it keeps me so on edge and tired. I don't know why I can't, or won't, accept that he indeed does have FTD, even w/o a dx. It might be because he can fluctuate from being so normal, to being off the wall in a statement or executive decision, and I am left wondering if it's just his mean basic personality, or in fact FTD.
Hanging on, don't second guess yourself. I did that for a long time...adds stress & makes you crazy. Eventually you come to terms with, there IS something wrong, he's not just turned into an ass. Like someone said to me, you wouldn't be here if he were normal and hadn't changed from the man you once knew.
Oh, that is so true, Kitty. He doesn't behave like a normal person. It's been evident for years. I hang out here on the website, for validation, support, and ideas. I see him in so many of the posts. I would bet that if I took him for dx, this time the doctor would find he'd gone from the MCI dx which he dx at the initial visit, over into FTD. I always say he hasn't been dx, because I didn't come away with faith in the doctor's dx during that initial visit. He bounced around from FTD, to Picks, to finally MCI. Then dh had a royal fit on the way home from that doctor's appointment, blaming me all over the place. It was awful. I came away saying I would not do anything to help him again, hence one of the reasons I'm not taking him for another dx. He's just so darned ornery, that I don't want to deal with him. I'm just hunkered down, trying to get through this.
I now know why they brush their teeth with shaving cream. I'm not at my best very early in the morning when my cats wake me. While getting washed I reached into the vanity drawer for my toothpaste and it felt a bit odd. It was then that I realized my deodorant, stand up toothpaste and eye cream are in very similarly shaped containers. Much like my TV remote and portable phone.
My friend had cared for her AD mother for 15 years before she passed. I asked her if she thought DH's AD was rubbing off on me. She thought that was pretty funny. But, no, it's just if you hang out with someone or someplace, etc. for a long time, you'll start picking up their traits an mannerisims. Believe you me, I am very careful now. But somedays I feel myself slipping. I asked my PCP and he said he thought I needed a vacation. Ya' think?
One other thing it might be is, if any of you are in the pre or full menopause stage it has been proven that you lose nouns. So it might not just be stress it also might be hormones.
Twice in the last few weeks I have started to pay for something with my debit card and have drawn a complete blank for my pin number. I have had the same pin for at least 10 years and use it often. I, too, am starting to be afraid that I have AD, but maybe it is just stress. Or I am the age for menopause so maybe thats it. All I know is I have never forgotton something so completely and I understand better what a hopeless, panickey feeling my husband is experiencing!!
janeb, that has happened to me with my debit card lately also. Did you then remember it while waiting to pay? I did. I just had to stop and clear my mind and it came to me. Scary though!
That has happened to me a couple of times too. Once it happened at the pizza restaurant we always go to, I could not remember the pin (put it in wrong at least 3 times). Since they knew me they just said it was okay and they put it through as a credit. I use this card all the time as I never write checks anymore when I shop. Scary
I have a bright Yellow Notebook, on the front I wrote in BIG letters - BRAIN - I keep note, lists, phone numbers, journal, all in this book because my brain is mush. Then I misplace the notebook, aghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh