Are you frustrated by short-term memory loss? Do you start to speak only to realize you have forgotten what you were going to say? Do you make your way up a couple of flights of stairs only to forget what you went up there for? Where did you leave those keys? You know, the ones hanging off your belt loop. Or perhaps the glasses you've been searching for are on top of your head.
I do find it frustrating when my elderly mother cannot remember who she spoke to earlier in the day, or that she neglected to share some family information with me because she forgot who she told. She always forgets things I tell her about my life. But hey, she's 83. These things happen when you get old.
But what's my excuse? I'm only 45. I have fibromyalgia. Short-term memory loss, decreased cognitive skills, and the inability to concentrate are just a few of the many symptoms of this illness. If I were to venture a guess as to why, I would say fatigue caused by the lack of restorative Stage IV sleep is to blame. Not only do our bodies not heal, our brains are tired and not functioning at full capacity.
There are ways to lessen the severity of these symptoms. Just like your muscles need to be exercised in order to keep them from stiffening up, so too must your brain (also a muscle) be exercised. Working on puzzles such as crosswords, word search, Sudoku or Jumble are a few ways to do this for yourself. When you get together with family and friends card games and certain board games like Scrabble, Boggle, Balderdash or even a simple game of Checkers will help you exercise your brain while having fun at the same time.
For those more techno-adventurous, Brain Age by Nintendo DS is an excellent tool for working your brain. All of these activities are said to help prevent the onset of Alzheimer's Disease.
I love word puzzles. I do the weekend crossword and Sudoku games. I play games on my computer and am particularly hooked on Bookworm, Text Twist and Word Drop - games that make you think and think quickly.
But these brain exercises do not completely free me from short-term memory loss. I still forget why I entered a room, my own home phone number, and where I am actually going when I drive around town because here, all roads lead to everywhere.
I know some people who become quite embarrassed by their forgetfulness. I am not embarrassed - frustrated maybe, but not embarrassed. The way I see it, I still have my long-term memory. I remember the day I met my husband, our first kiss, our wedding day, the births of our children and every birthday, Christmas and Halloween. Those are the memories that matter the most. And that also includes playing Scrabble with my kids.
