Yeah my memory is shot! (Burritos!)

ronk

ronk

Member
I am hungry. I went into the kitchen, and noticed all the dirty dishes. I had to setup for washing them. I put a few things into the dish pan to soak, and went back to the computer. I remembered I'm hungry. I went back to the kitchen, washed a dish so I could cook a burrito in the microwave. Then I needed to get the kitchen scissors out of the dishpan.

I put the burrito on the dish, and into the microwave. Then I madly hunted for the clean dish. Oh wait, it's in the microwave with the burrito! Oh, now the burrito is done!:)
 

Funny! That reminded me of this old joke.

Recently, I was diagnosed with A.A.A.D.D.
Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder.
This is how it manifests:

I decided to wash my car. As I start toward the garage, I notice that there is mail on the hall table. I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car. I lay my car keys down on the table, put the junk mail in the trashcan under the table, and notice that the trashcan is full.

So, I decide to put the bills back on the table and take out the trash first. But then I think, since I'm going to be near the mailbox when I take out the trash anyway, I may as well pay the bills first.

I take my checkbook off the table, and see that there is only one check left. My extra checks are in my desk in the study, so I go to my desk where I find the bottle of coke that I had been drinking.

I'm going to look for my checks, but first I need to push the coke aside so that I don't accidentally knock it over. I see that the coke is getting warm, and I decide I should put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold.

As I head toward the kitchen with the coke, a vase of flowers on the counter catches my eye--they need to be watered. I set the coke down on the counter, and I discover my reading glasses that I've been searching for all morning.

I decide I better put them back on my desk, but first I'm going to water the flowers. I set the glasses back down on the counter, fill a container with water and suddenly I spot the TV remote. Someone left it on the kitchen table. I realize that tonight when we go to watch TV, we will be looking for the remote, but nobody will remember that it's on the kitchen table, so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs, but first I'll water the flowers.

I splash some water on the flowers, but most of it spills on the floor.
So, I set the remote back down on the table, get some towels and wipe up the spill.

Then I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do.

At the end of the day: the car isn't washed, the bills aren't paid, there is a warm bottle of coke sitting on the counter, the flowers aren't watered, there is still only one check in my checkbook, I can't find the remote, I can't find my glasses, and I don't remember what I did with the car keys.

Then when I try to figure out why nothing got done today, I'm really baffled because I know I was busy all day long, and I'm really tired. I realize this is a serious problem, and I'll try to get some help for it, but first I'll check my e-mail.
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[FONT=&quot]An elderly husband and wife visit their doctor when they begin forgetting little things. Their doctor tells them that many people find it useful to write themselves little notes. When they get home, the wife says, "Dear, will you please go to the kitchen and get me a dish of ice cream? And maybe write that down so you won't forget?" "Nonsense," says the husband, "I can remember a dish of ice cream." "Well," says the wife, "I'd also like some strawberries and whipped cream on it." "My memory's not all that bad," says the husband. "No problem - a dish of ice cream with strawberries and whipped cream. I don't need to write it down." He goes into the kitchen; his wife hears pots and pans banging around. The husband finally emerges from the kitchen and presents his wife with a plate of bacon and eggs. She looks at the plate and asks, "Hey, where's the toast I asked for?"

[/FONT]5B4876F0-4BDE-4225-A89E-30E3B5C9388A.jpeg
 
I have never liked the "humorous" spin some people put on memory and aging. I have never found anything funny about those who struggle to remember things in their daily lives. One thing I have found to be true: The troubles some folks have with their memory is more due to the accumulation of chores that have built up over the years, as opposed to anything mentally slipping. Some of us have overloaded our brains, I believe. If a younger person had to do all of the things some of us older folks do, I'm certain there would be memory lapses, too. I work in my profession, I manage my three rent houses, I work on my music, I work on my own house, doing most tasks from plumbing to electrical to roofing. I maintain a close relationship with my gf, daughter, sil and two granddaughters. I manage my own investments. Yeah, let's give my life to a 30 year old and see how that goes. FWIW, I have no memory issues, now, but I do feel overloaded, at times. I'm positive that I'm not alone.
 
seabreeze, I go through a similar process often. Sometimes it's just "getting a glass of water." I have a thermal mug that I keep filled with water and ice cubes. I am totally overwhelmed if I need to refill the ice cube tray, or one of the one-gallon jugs of water. All too often, I want to do one thing, and see a cascading list of other things that need to be done..all of them are related. I guess it's like a perverted bunch of dominos.

I am thankful for humor when it comes to the challenges of "aging." Eighteen years ago, I experienced the end of my marriage, and decided to stop trying to hold a job. I applied for Social Security Disability and moved into a Senior Citizen high rise. It is so liberating to live near other "old people." I'm not alone. Other people have aches and pains, they forget things. We share our experiences, sympathize with each other, and laugh a bit.

Some people might be judgmental. I look at everyone the same. I don't care if they're struggling with a walker, grunting and groaning, whatever. I look at everyone I meet, smile, and give them a big hello. I'm terribly shy, but have learned to push past the shyness enough to at least engage in a moment's banter or meaningful dialogue. And, yes, really, many of us find value in mutually-shared humor.
 
Treeguy...maybe when you reach our age, 81 and 79, your outlook may change, we both have memory loss, in fact, my wife is seeing a doctor about this. If I couldn’t put a spin on memory loss, it would be a lot harder to put up with. Believe me, we both get so damn flustered at times we feel like screaming. Have to laugh lt off, or it’s all over even before the fat lady sings.
 
I very much agree that a sense of humor is important for coping with life's many challenges. I just don't like seeing memory loss as a topic for joking around.
 
treeguy64, I understand what you're saying. I have similar problems, but for different reasons. I have so many interests including history, genealogy, art, computers, etc. There is so much data that I can't cram it all in. Don't ask me my phone number or address unless I have my computer or iPhone around. I've been having some extreme difficulties just thinking these days. I also have trouble staying awake, and trouble sleeping.

My type of humor is shared humor. I don't mock people who have memory problems. I sympathize with them. There's a huge difference.
 
ronk said:
seabreeze, I go through a similar process often. Sometimes it's just "getting a glass of water." I have a thermal mug that I keep filled with water and ice cubes. I am totally overwhelmed if I need to refill the ice cube tray, or one of the one-gallon jugs of water. All too often, I want to do one thing, and see a cascading list of other things that need to be done..all of them are related. I guess it's like a perverted bunch of dominos.

I am thankful for humor when it comes to the challenges of "aging." Eighteen years ago, I experienced the end of my marriage, and decided to stop trying to hold a job. I applied for Social Security Disability and moved into a Senior Citizen high rise. It is so liberating to live near other "old people." I'm not alone. Other people have aches and pains, they forget things. We share our experiences, sympathize with each other, and laugh a bit.

Some people might be judgmental. I look at everyone the same. I don't care if they're struggling with a walker, grunting and groaning, whatever. I look at everyone I meet, smile, and give them a big hello. I'm terribly shy, but have learned to push past the shyness enough to at least engage in a moment's banter or meaningful dialogue. And, yes, really, many of us find value in mutually-shared humor.
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So do I ronk. Sometimes I'll go into the garage to put out the kitchen trash bag and get a fresh one. Then I'll see something I need to do like bring in a bag of cat litter. Come back in with the litter and no bag. :D I lost my aunt to Alzheimer's, so I don't share funny jokes about aging in a mocking way at all. It's about life, some things we all may share in common to a greater or lesser degree. We all should have a sense of humor about many things in life, and I'm like you, not judgemental and try to be kind and considerate to everyone I come in contact with.

Tommy said:
Young people also get sidetracked and forget things . . . but they haven't yet learned to fret about it.
:grin:
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Exactly, many times over the years when I was really busy working full time and overtime and also doing other chores and errands, I'd start to multi task and sure enough would forget to do something or get something I needed. It happens to folks of all ages to some degree.
 
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