I have noticed that I do not feel as "sharp" or "smart" as I used to before I became a caregiver. I can only compare this to the mommy brain that I had when my children were both infants. When I am in a social situation lately I am at a loss for conversation. This is distressing to me because I look so forward to getting out and being around non-demented people and then when I am there I have nothing to say and feel out of place. I feel that people avoid me because of my situation. I may be sensitive but there are others out there who have a great amount of guilt about not taking care of their elderly parents and I think they feel awkward around me also. Being in the situation of having a low level stress at all times makes my mind simple. I read crappy magazines and watch dumbed down TV just like my Mom. I know there are gifts that go along with the difficult task of taking care of our elders and I appreciate those. I just do not want to become an empty shell with no personality.
Something is going on in that area. I have to look up simple words that I know I know the spelling of, but I simply don't know for sure anymore... they don't look right to me now. I have to almost talk out loud to myself to get even the simplest task completed, slowly and one step at a time. So many things that before caregiving it was just natural to do and be and think and speak and write now I just... don't know. Its very different right now with how I operate as a person and what my brain does. Its discouraging. I really get the feeling that talking to a doctor or psychiatrist about it will not do any good. They will say of course its the prolonged stressful situation taking a toll... whether that's it or not, I miss the "old me." She had answers for things and no fear of failure and hadn't given up completely... :/ I don't expect perfection, I just want to function. And I'm barely, barely doing that these days. And I'm scared.
Recent studies indicates that the brain just like our body ages. AS soon as we hit the age of 20, we begin losing brain cells in the process. You do not have to worry too much because as we begin losing brain cells, we tend to regenerate new ones as well. Age only dictates how fast we lose brain cells and how fast regenerate them. As we age, the more brain cells we lose and the harder for us to regenerate this lost cells. However, memory loss, dementia and other memory related conditions should not be our concern as of this point. We should keep in mind that memory loss, just like aging is a process, a long and a very slow one.
Some people are lucky because they never had to experience or their family members never had to endure memory loss as their age. Some people, as they age manages to remember every piece and bit of memory they have in their lives; something we all want to achieve when we are all grown up, and old and grumpy. In reality, a lot of individuals on their 60’s still have a very good memory. Some people on the other hand in their late 20’s or early 30’s are already starting to experience memory loss. Thus we can never completely blame ageing for memory loss.
There are many reasons why we lose our memories. Depression and dementia often times triggers memory loss. For those is the later part of their lives, severe memory loss is often linked or caused by the diseases which affects the brain. Injuries and stroke are also some of the common causes of memory loss. Amnesia for example is caused by a head trauma that affects the brain. This type of memory can be temporary and rarely permanent. Fortunately, most people who suffer from amnesia regain their memory after a certain period of time. Addiction to alcohol and drugs can also cause temporary memory loss. The chemicals present in the drugs or in the alcohol that one excessively takes may deteriorate or completely damage brain cells.
Thus a healthy lifestyle is something we need to have to be able to prevent memory loss. Taking I vitamins that are good for the brain is also important.
So do you really have to worry about the potential signs of memory loss that you are experiencing right now? Yes and now. You can still do something about your problem. Instead of worrying, you could focus on finding ways on how to improve your diet or improve your memory to avoid memory loss.
Thank you for your message, :)
Mom is doing great, I'm slipping off my chocolate
Chip Cookie, as long as I don't land on the
Chocolate chip I will be able to brush it off...
Lol. Little humor here, :)
The only entertainment I have is doing photo
Shoots for my niece who is in college for
Photography, for the last two years my pictures
Have been shown at the area college.
Women that are Bound Series, bound to the home, as I am pretty much here if I'm not working. My mother is in some of the pictures
With me,
If you would like to have a pen pal :)
Thank you and God Bless.
Then it dawned on me, I wore a rain coat to work this morning and it was in the office closet, and sure enough the keys where there. Yikes, that was an uneasy feeling as I am OCD about my keys :P
But there has been times lately I left the office wearing my computer glasses and thinking *boy my eyes must be really tired because I can't see clearly*... oops.
Eyes? I have had glasses since age 14 so that doesn't bother me, but I find I need MORE LIGHT to see things correctly. Can't thread a needle too well anymore. Hubby is worse, because now he needs glasses and is too proud to wear them. At least he can't see the hairs on my chin. LOL
Hey, might as well get those now so I don't lose many more brain cells getting upset or skin from my fingers from trying to use the turn switches that came with the lamps :P Glad my newer lamps have the old fashioned pull chains :)
Has anyone tried one??
I cannot find moms pills....was filling up her trays for the month and misplaced them spent most of day obsessing/searching.... everywhere closets appliances wherever, they are no where to be found! hoping they pop up today! At least I am not obsessing anymore...except for the fact of "am I losing it now too, should I make a neurologist appt myself" lol!!! Take care all, take it easy!
I am a sun person, have to have my day light, thus every window curtain is wide open, plus I had south facing sky lights [a blessing to have in the winter]... so the cats and I sit in the sun light :)
Brain cells lost !!