Forget it
I don’t think there’s much doubt about it.
The old memory is definitely showing signs of rust and maybe even a little metal fatigue.
I’m not worried about this. It has distinct advantages such as the ability to reread books that I have read before and completely forgotten about. I don’t just mean that I have forgotten the titles; I have forgotten the entire contents. The same applies to films. It means I have an infinite source of reading and viewing material.
There are times however when forgetting something can be problematic. Forgetting to take pills or forgetting to put the bins out can have consequences. As a result my phone is rapidly filling up with alarms. There are daily alarms to remind me about pills and the like, weekly alarms to remind me to put bins out or to get up early to let the nurse in and a clatter of other random alarms to remind me about appointments or car tests or whatever. My phone beeps more often from alarms than it does for incoming messages or calls.
Just as a side note, I have probably said all the above before, but I just don’t remember if I did.
I discovered a strange one the other morning – I forgot how to put my trousers on. I fell over three times before giving up and sitting on the floor to finish the job. It’s the first time I’ve had to do that since I was a nipper. You may laugh but try putting on a coat differently: if you normally put your right arm in first then try starting with the left. It’s not as easy as you’d think. People rely on subconscious muscle memory and if we’re asked to actually describe how to do everyday things then chances are we will have difficulty.
In incidentally, if you are appalled [or intrigued] at the thought of me wandering around semi-naked ever since, I have to disappoint. I relied on muscle memory ever since and am back to normal. Sorry.
Last night Herself asked me to look up a film on the Interweb.
“I’ll do it right away” says I.
“No. Don’t bother. Tomorrow will do.”
“I’ll have forgotten the title by then.”
“It’s okay – I’ll remember.”
I sniggered quietly.
Ten minutes later I asked her the name of the film again.
She had forgotten.
I'd comment but I have to re-read your post first since I forgot what it was as soon as I finished it. One minute please…
…Okay, that's better.
You've pretty much stated my current situation to a tee with the exception I have my own Herself and not yours. Right down to putting on my winter coat. I keep forgetting to call in refills of medications lately as well as forgetting to take the damn things. The trouser thing also happens to me occasionally but I solved that by making sure I'm leaning up against something first. It works most of the time. I am a bit concerned about my right leg though. I can't seem to bend it high enough to get my right sock on lately never mind a boot or sneaker. This really bothers me for some reason. I'm thinking that a bungee cord strapped around my right knee and run around the back of my neck neck might help–or not.
Books and films? Pretty much the same as you I figure or at least it's getting that way. I have to admit that it's probably the medication that the VA has me on that helps my forgetery along rather than just old age.
Oh, one more thing I've noticed. The weeks seem to just fly by now with me hardly noticing. Why is that I wonder?
A couple of days ago my mind drifted onto the phrase "our queer old dean" and I could remember a tale about the man who invented, and gave a name to, the figure of speech (if that's what it is) spending a fruitless afternoon in Greenwich searching for a pub called the Dull Man but I had to search the internet to find out his name.
Old age. It gets us all in the end. Unless it doesn't, of course, but who wants that?
Dear Mr H
From memory the Rev Spooner, possibly somewhat accidental inventor of the spoonerism.
DP
Rev Spooner was actually an orthinologist.
An ornithologist is a bird-watcher, but an orthinologist is a word-botcher.
I have solved the pants, socks, and boots problem by placing a chair at the foot of the bed.
I give it a couple more years before I stop and ask my own "Herself" why there's a toe breaker at the foot of the bed.
Oh my husband and I have had SUCH a good laugh! That's us!
And then Kirk M's comment made us weep!
Thank you both, very fun.
A doctor on radio one day advised that we all, at some stage, go upstairs to fetch the car keys and when we get there we forget what we went up for. This she said, is nothing to worry about, but if you go and do fetch the car keys and then stand confused as to what they are for …………………. you might need to see a doctor.
You might want to get your new medication dosages checked out if you are suffering memory loss. No idea what you're on, but I'd bet dollars to donuts medication is at the root. The sudden onset of symptoms is always a wake up call.