# Losing your mind or just getting old



## Big Dave (Feb 5, 2006)

:nanner: I have recently started to realize that the folks that are around me every day telling me what are you doing, you said that, may be on target about me being forgetful. But yesterday it really hit. I drove to W World to fill up one of the vehicles and as I was standing in the parking lot heading into the store I thought "What am I here for?" That is when it hit me. I felt kinda silly. Senior moment or does this happen as you get on in years? My DW says it has gotten worse after the heart failure. It took doctors 5 months to find out I had clogged arteies and had very resticted blood flow to my brain. Well, What was I saying? :nanner:


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## Jokarva (Jan 17, 2010)

I am right behind you. Not sure if it's age, menopause or my brain turning to mush since I retired. I wandered the WM parking lot for 20 min the other day before I remembered I'd parked along the side of the building, and I don't wait till I get somewhere before I wonder what I came for - now I stand up....and can't remember where I was headed off to.


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## emdeengee (Apr 20, 2010)

It is okay to forget to do things or where you put your keys or what is the name of the person you have known for 20 years. If you look at your key and you don't know what it is - that is a problem. 

I find that if I have a lot to do I don't forget as much. When life is not busy or stressful I forget more of the day to day stuff. 

And everything gets weaker as we age including our brains and memory. I find doing Brain Gym exercises helps and also creating new neural pathways can still be done. Just do the things you normally do with your right hand with your left hand (or vis-versa) and you will create new pathways. It took me about 2 weeks to learn to brush my teeth with my left hand. 

And of course a brisk walk will get those endorphins pumping and bring oxygen to your brain.


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## Travis in Louisiana (May 14, 2002)

If I brushed my teeth with my left hand, I would end up with the tooth brush up my NOSE!!!


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

not sure where mine would be but it wouldn't be in my mouth

i did almost the exact same thing as Jokarva only yesterday. i couldn't get into the garden center parking lot at Kents so i went around front and parked. went in grabbed a cart. went down to the garden center. loaded up on 6 bags of soil,bunch of plants and whatnot. went out through and couldn't for the life of me find my car. i even had the guys looking until i realized. had to walk all the way around the outside with that heavy cart .i'm in a sad state. ~Georgia.


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## emdeengee (Apr 20, 2010)

Travis in Louisiana said:


> If I brushed my teeth with my left hand, I would end up with the tooth brush up my NOSE!!!


That is pretty much what happened to me! But now I have some new skills LOL!


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## emdeengee (Apr 20, 2010)

A few months before I retired (so it isn't retirement that is turning my brain to mush) I spent half an hour walking around the hospital parking lot (NOT a big lot) trying to find my car. I finally rembered that my husband had dropped me off to get blood work done while he ran to his office and had told me to wait in the coffee shop for him. At least I got some exercise.


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## danielsumner (Jul 18, 2009)

Checking on the espresso coffee maker on the stove this morning. Why was it taking so long? Upon the 5th time checking I realized I had forgotten to turn on the stove.


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## WJMartin (Nov 2, 2011)

I find I have trouble finding the right word for something. I often try to sub a simular word but know it's not what I'm wanting to say. I figure part of that is I just don't see many people any more so my conversational skills are rotting. Maybe I should talk more to the cows and flowers.


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## ceresone (Oct 7, 2005)

Having cared for my Husband for the last 12 years, as He slowly lost his mind (Brain Cancer) it truly scares me when I cant think of a word--that I know I know! Hopefully, its normal


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## acabin42 (May 11, 2002)

My DH and I live in another state than our children, and only see them once or twice a year. A couple of weeks go, we went up to see a couple of them, and I told DH that we had to be very careful and back each other up because if the kids knew how much we were foretting, and the confusion we get, they would put us away fo sure! LOL>


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

If you're not on blood thinner, try gingko. Over time it'll make a difference. By that I mean at least two months before you see the difference.


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## pancho (Oct 23, 2006)

I have tried two types of medicine to help my memory.
One was a patch. Don't know if it worked as it itched so bad I couldn't keep it on.
The other was a pill. Don't know if it worked either as I didn't have all day to set on the commode.

I am used to forgetting now. It don't bother me. Some things are better forgotten.


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

Jokarva said:


> I wandered the WM parking lot for 20 min the other day before I remembered I'd parked along the side of the building.


I have lost my car in parking lots since I was a teenager. I remember having to call my Dad to come to the mall to pick me up and help me find the car when I was 16. I still loose my car in parking lots. I have the advantage of being able to push the panic button on the remote now in various directions until it starts making noise for me to find it.


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## TNHermit (Jul 14, 2005)

Use to have those problems but then I told a guy I needed a brain and he gave me this.   Everybody sees it likes it but to embarrassed to wear one. I'm not Mine is on from wake up to wake down. Just write everything down don't worry about it. Uses adding machine paper


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## pancho (Oct 23, 2006)

TNHermit said:


> Use to have those problems but then I told a guy I needed a brain and he gave me this.   Everybody sees it likes it but to embarrassed to wear one. I'm not Mine is on from wake up to wake down. Just write everything down don't worry about it. Uses adding machine paper


Wouldn't help me. I would forget where I put my pencil.


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

i've been a long time losing it. i forgot about the time about 25 years ago. i came out of the store and just could not find my car anywhere. looked for an hour. had to report it stolen. i lived in the country full time then. so had to get a taxi home. cost me 50 dollars. pulled up in the yard and there was my car. i had taken my truck to the city that day. my husband never let me forget that. ~Georgia.


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## TNHermit (Jul 14, 2005)

pancho said:


> Wouldn't help me. I would forget where I put my pencil.


Look just above the wrist on the left. There is a hole for your pencil  You can see it sticking out just a little. Best I can help you with


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## pancho (Oct 23, 2006)

TNHermit said:


> Look just above the wrist on the left. There is a hole for your pencil  You can see it sticking out just a little. Best I can help you with


But you have to remember to put it there every time you use it.
Sometimes I loose something I have in my hand.


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## Micheal (Jan 28, 2009)

During my "working" years I always told people that if'n I could remember something after 5 seconds I'd remember it forever.....
Now that I'm retired it takes 10-20, ahhh, maybe 30, gish forgot what I was going to say..... guess I'll have to type faster so the thought will still be there.
In all seriousness though as I've aged I've found that there is less and less that seem important enough to remember - and yep, I too have lost my car in those mega parking lots... guess where it was parked just didn't qualify as important enough to remember....


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

An 80 year old couple were having problems remembering things, so they decided to go to their doctor to get checked out to make sure nothing was wrong with them. When they arrived at the doctor's, they explained to the doctor about the problems they were having with their memory. 

After checking the couple out, the doctor tells them that they were physically okay but might want to start writing things down and make notes to help them remember things. The couple thanked the doctor and left. 

Later that night while watching TV, the old man got up from his chair and his wife asks, "Where are you going?" 

He replies, "To the kitchen." 

She asks, "Will you get me a bowl of ice cream?" 

He replies, "Sure." 

She then asks him, "Don't you think you should write it down so you can remember it?" 

He says, "No, I can remember that." 

She then says, "Well, I also would like some strawberries on top. You had better write that down cause I know you'll forget that." 

He says, "I can remember that, you want a bowl of ice cream with strawberries." 

She replies, "Well, I also would like whip cream on top. I know you will forget that so you better write it down." 

With irritation in his voice, he says, "I don't need to write that down, I can remember that." He then fumes into the kitchen. 

After about 20 minutes he returns from the kitchen and hands her a plate of bacon and eggs. 

She stares at the plate for a moment and says, "You forgot my toast."


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## dancingfatcat (Jan 1, 2008)

Jokarva said:


> I am right behind you. Not sure if it's age, menopause or my brain turning to mush since I retired. I wandered the WM parking lot for 20 min the other day before I remembered I'd parked along the side of the building, and I don't wait till I get somewhere before I wonder what I came for - now I stand up....and can't remember where I was headed off to.


Oh, I have done this soooo many times that I now try and park in the same spot every time I go to the store. It's really bad when you can't remember what or whose car you arrived in. I went with my daughter shopping, she checked out ahead of me and said "I'm going to the car". Well don't ya know, I pushed my cart around that parking lot and she finally pulled up behind me laughing. Yep, senior moments!!


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## dancingfatcat (Jan 1, 2008)

TNHermit said:


> Use to have those problems but then I told a guy I needed a brain and he gave me this.   Everybody sees it likes it but to embarrassed to wear one. I'm not Mine is on from wake up to wake down. Just write everything down don't worry about it. Uses adding machine paper


Where can you purchase that? I know a few people that would LOVE to have one!


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## acabin42 (May 11, 2002)

dancingfatcat said:


> Where can you purchase that? I know a few people that would LOVE to have one!


That is what I was going to ask. Where can I get one?


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## TNHermit (Jul 14, 2005)

dancingfatcat said:


> Where can you purchase that? I know a few people that would LOVE to have one!





acabin42 said:


> That is what I was going to ask. Where can I get one?



Useful Gadget, Handiman Helper, Gift for Men - WristWriter 



I make custom ones out of wood too


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## SueMc (Jan 10, 2010)

acabin42 said:


> My DH and I live in another state than our children, and only see them once or twice a year. A couple of weeks go, we went up to see a couple of them, and I told DH that we had to be very careful and back each other up because if the kids knew how much we were foretting, and the confusion we get, they would put us away fo sure! LOL>


DH and I have also made a pact to cover each others backs as we age and become (more) forgetful!
The forgetfulness associated with aging is annoying but better the alternative!


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## Micheal (Jan 28, 2009)

:nanner: :rock: :happy: News Flash: Specially to those forgetful!!!!!

Got a chance to go shopping with GrandDIL and GreatGD! We went to a "new" store - as in either of us have ever been there - after we found a parking spot and got out of the car GDIL pulls out her phone, faces the store and snaps a picture. I'm thinking, duhh, why?
Her comment "so I know about where we parked"!!!!!!!! 

:doh: Forgetfulness solved! :bouncy:

Now all I need to do is get one of them-there cell phones. :nerd: Or better yet just carry my digital camera where ever I go! :thumb:


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

I was driving in the rain the other day and had to put on my headlights. I noitced that I had them on brights. 
I went to put them on low beam but I couldn't remember where that switch was. I had to mentally sort through every car I've ever owned to remember.
I was a bit panicked about forgetting then remembered that I had not driven at night for a couple of years. So it was not unreasonable to have forgotten. 
I should say that I have to touch bases with my brain everytime I find I left a blinker on. Just in case I've become one of those old folks..................


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## arnie (Apr 26, 2012)

Whatwere we talking about?


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

I forgot our phone number. We've only had it for 20 years.

BUT, I remember the very first phone number when we moved to the city when I was five-years-old!


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## acde (Jul 25, 2011)

I use my phone to send me a text of where I parked. My DD does the same thing.


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