Memory

[Louise]

My short term memory is slightly better although when stressed or tired its just as bad...

my long term memory isnt there at all I have no memories of my past people, places or times that I have shared, like my wedding things like that, I cant recall any of these its the one thing that I would love to have returned to me in some way.....

it makes me dread totally the future....

[Winb143]

Never give up Louise...keep doing what you have done.......One Day you will have memories back.....get someone to

talk to you about your wedding...hymns, who was there etc etc...or things that you want to remember so much

Think ... Keep talking about what you forget something might just click ...keep smiling though xx

Love

WinB143 xxxx

[Louise]

Win after 12years I dont hold out much hope of remembering on the whole Im ok with it hun so dont worry about me, its not that easy as talking and I'll remember proved that after my Dad died it didnt work....

Thanks for your reply tho I just get used to the way of how thing are now....

[Guest]

Off topic a tiny bit, and sorry for hijacking my own post, but I would like to recommend a couple of books that are fiction and both are excellent reads... Both are related to memory, written by a neurosurgeon by the name of Lisa Genova. One is called "Still Alice" and the other is called "Left Neglected". Left neglect is a syndrome that people can have after an injury to the same part of the brain as I had my bleed in - right parietal lobe. Scary. I'm sure these are available on Amazon if your bookstore doesn't have them.

[Winb143]

Hi Louise,

12 years is a long time....but if you are happy that is the most important thing...you look well and seem well ....Never say

Never....keep going girl xxxx .....

Keep Happy Louise xx

Love

WinB143 xxxx

[Louise]

Sorry Oceansidegal, maybe I hijacked it a bit oops, but I've just checkout local bookstore for those two and I'll get them sounds interesting thank-you for that....

[kpaggett]

There are several types of memory and I seem to have trouble sometimes with executive functions or just time awareness. Like some of you have said, needing that reminder, not the day before, but 5 minutes before you have to do something. I find myself wandering from thing to thing and just doing/thinking about what is in front of me right then. This makes for an interesting time because I am rarely board. However, being 1/2 done with one thing only to start another...it's a wonder that anything gets done.

It used to take me a long time to just fix lunch because I would be cleaning the kitchen or looking out the window at the birds or even dredging out the fridge. At any rate, my husband would have fixed his, sat down, and have eaten all before I'd be at the table. We'd have a good laugh about it and he'd try and verbally prompt me to focus on fixing my lunch. I'm so much better now! Progress.

~Kris

[Guest]

I chuckled when I read your post... I've always had the time awareness issue and it's not any different than pre-SAH. I can recall my young adult days, my ride share picking me up for work and me running out of the house with a towel on my head and a hair dryer hanging out of my bag.

I'm functioning pretty much the same as before but it will be interesting to see how I manage when I return to work in June full time. I think added stress will take its toll.

Sue

[Guest]

No problem Louise, we're not really off topic as these books are about memory and related problems with disease and injury recovery affecting the brain. I hope you find them, as they are excellent reads.

Sue

[Teechur]

A friend brought me Left Neglected in the hospital, and I want to get Still Alice (I bet it's on Audible!). I can tell after 8 weeks my memory is getting better, although I don't think I'll be able to recall the things truly lost before (like most of the time in the hospital). If I get really tired, it's worse...but then not sure that's any worse than before (just that I get tired more often than before).

[kpaggett]

I just found out the other day, that when they took me for yet another CT scan because I had more cognitive changes on the standard neurocheck, I was unconscious, but my husband told me that the doctor was trying to rouse me, and I looked right at my husband and yelled, "He's hurting me!"

I've cried thinking of what he must have been going through in that moment...and I don't even recall it.

Being the one that used to have a superb memory for time isn't me anymore, but it has made me appreciate people who are always late, now...I used to curse them and think they were so full of themselves. I don't volunteer to be the one that picks everyone up because I'm never sure I'm going to remember to leave on time.

~Kris

[DawnS]

I have resurrected this thread rather than starting a new one on a similar topic. Has anyone noticed a bit of a regression in their memory capabilities?

I am having some holes appearing and although it's very minor, it troubles me. On the whole, my memory has recovered fantastically. I only need to use my diary for appointments or plans. For the day to day stuff, I get along just fine.

Recently I've noticed little things are slipping. For example, I'll be in the shower and when I shampoo my hair, I can tell by the large amount of instant foam that I have actually already washed my hair but have absolutley no recollection of doing it at all. The other day, I was going to a shop to use a voucher I'd received that I'd left on the bedside cabinet. I went to put the voucher in my purse but it had vanished. I searched everywhere and eventually it occurred to me to check my purse and there it was. Now, I could only have put it in there that morning but again - no recollection of that at all.

Is this something to worry about do you think? Or is it simply a case that I'm using so much brain space up working full time that smaller things are suffering?

[MaryB]

I think working more has taken up your brain space. I have a horrible memory, never have had a great one. I remember so little of who clients at work are. For instance - I took a call back on Tuesday while I was there for a staff meeting. It was something I felt I had to personally handle and set up. It was a owner wanting a house call to put their dog to sleep. So I set it up for the next day with Kelly etc....... today (Saturday) in my bin were charts for me and I pick up that chart today and say "they put Tanner to sleep?".

I would like to say this is rare but I say it and sometimes a few seconds pass and I "get it" but other times not at all. Mind you I was on vacation and just returned today. I stayed home and did nothing all week.

BUT the other day I was out of town on my big day and my GPS was not turning on and I just picked up my cell phone and asked SURI to get me to the expressway. I normally cannot do that at all or erase my messages etc...

[Skippy]

Hey there

Yes this has been happening to me too. Soooo glad that you've brought this up. I've had conversations with my daughter and her friend - when I've been totally sober I might add - and then apparently I've said the same thing to them the next day!! I could have sworn that I'd put the heating on and then when it doesn't get warmer in the house, I go check and no I haven't put it on!!!

I've also had the scenario where I have done something, but have no recollection of doing it!! I don't think mine is caused by work as I've been back at work for over 6 years now and this is something that has only just started happening. My Dad reckons its just an age thing - cheers Dadio I'm only 42 on Monday!!! I do worry that this is something to do with dementia brought on by brain injury but after researching and googling a lot, apparently after this length of time (for me nearly 7 years) its highly unlikely. Perhaps my Dad's right - perhaps its just age

[kempse]

Dawn, I too can relate to having these incidents whereby I have no recollection. I suppose it's absent mindedness, but it is worrying all the same.

Last week, whilst in the house, I couldn't find my handbag, yet I knew I had had it in the kitchen just half an hour before. I had not been out of the house and eventually convinced myself someone must have opened the back door and grabbed it. I did however find it a bit later, in the utility room in a basket of ironing:roll:, yet I had no recollection of even going in that room. Similarly when hubs told me the other day that someone he used to work for had died, I said, I knew of the bloke, but had never met him. He said that I had met him, twice in fact and on one occasion he had given me a load of eggs - I know we can't remember everything we do in life, but I have no recollection of that whatsoever - I don't even like eggs, so I would have expected to remember being given some:confused:

What I have found more disconcerting and worrying is that on occasions I have tried to recall/remember an event and there has been a total, absolute blank - I've just not been able to 'search' my memory at all:shock:

Thankfully that has only happened a few times, but quite alarming at the time.

At one point I thought my memory had improved over the almost 4.5 years since my sah - at times now, I am not so sure, particularly as my family (hubs and kids) have obviously noticed and it's now a bit of a standing joke - they have come out with comments over recent days like "Don't ask her because if it happened more than 10 seconds ago, she won't remember" and "why is it when you go to the shop, you take a list with only 3 things on it and you come back with only two of them" I think a lot of it is with doing too much although I have wondered if the area of infarct that I have, could, over time, become larger - this thought only came into my head when I dropped an apple the other week and saw the area that became bad spread/grow over the next couple of days- can't imagine my brain being quite like an apple though!! On second thoughts...........

Sarah

[SarahLou]

Hi Dawn,

I too am glad that you've bought this up.

This also happens to me, I'll do something, or say something that I'll have a complete blank memory about.

It's not my 'normal' memory problems, this is different.

Last week I really told the dog off for pinching food off the kitchen side. She looked up at me with those big brown eyes. Frog hadn't taken the food, I'd thrown it in the bin but I had no memory what so ever of doing that.

These complete blank moments happen to me now and again, yes they do scare me a bit. After I'd told the dog off and realised I had thrown the food away I just sat on the floor asking myself over and over why had I lost that memory. Why couldn't I remember. I've done other things that hub or Miss C have seen or heard and yet I've a complete blank on that memory too.

I think it may be because I'm really busy at work and I've got a lot of other medical issues going on at the moment, but, hey, I'm not really sure.

Sami, I understand with worrying about dementia , this is also something I've looked into and asked questions about at support groups. I asked are people with brain injury at a higher risk of something like dementia , they replied there was no proven link yet, but I believe more studies need to be done in this area.

I'm very glad I'm not the only one this happens to , so thank you Dawn for bringing up this thread.

Take care,

SarahLou Xx

[MaryB]

My mother and grandmother both had dementia / alzhemizers so I feel I have always had valid concern over this subject. My neurologist has told me I do not have dementia..... But when I look back at my mother I can now see years prior to her dx that she had signs of major depression, alcoholism & major withdrawl and I think some of it came from her not recalling things etc. She hated company and going places, being out of her routine. I looked up Seven Signs Of Alzhemizers and it was interesting to read.

Not that I think we all have dementia. Just me. Well sort of laughing......I feel doomed by that thought somedays. But once again I could be hit by lightening or a truck way before that time comes. AS long as I am not wandering down the street confused I am ok with this all for now. I think.

MaryB

[Super Mario]

I also have concerns about memory issues which, to me, appear to be getting worse rapidly.

For example, I can't remember names of people I have known and come into close contact regularly for years, they just fly out of the window.

I seem to spend half my life looking for things I have put down and have no recollection of even putting them down.

I do wonder if a SAH does bring on memory problems at an earlier age than would normally occur if the SAH hadn't happened.

[Gill C]

I still have memory issues, still write things on the calender on the wrong date although my time keeping is better.

Now I find my spelling is worse & I was thinking of a word the other day & couldn't remember the correct conjugation of the verb! I've also made very basic spelling mistakes which suprises me the most.I think my brain is just galloping ahead with what I'm thinking of writing & the spelling suffers.

I've also had occasions where Ian tells me something & I have recollection of it at all. I am totally convinced he never told me at all!

[Super Mario]

Gill, talking about spelling, I used to be pretty good at it, so much so, that the science teachers in our department always used to ask me how to spell words. Now I often struggle to spell even the easiest words.

Until it is brought to mind one just accepts it and carries on.

Another thing I have just thought of is I can go into a shop, get what I want and put it on top of my walking frame then totally forget I have got it. The number of times I have almost walked out of a shop without paying is scarey. I have now got into the habit of looking at my frame before exiting the shop.

I often wonder what would happen if I did walk out without paying, would they take brain injury as a reason or would they call the police and I be warned or prosecuted?

Quite frightening really.

[AnnieT]

Hello all,

Really interesting to read people's responses about their memory. I find this is the single most frustrating thing about having an SAH since all the other symptoms have work off now. People tell me my memory is no worse than everyone elses, when I know it is. And they tell me "oh I do that" when I tell them what I am particularly bad at now. Which is just them trying to make me feel better - but I know it's not quite the same for me as it is for them. It's not their fault, they're just trying to be nice.

I search for common words much more often than I used to, and people tell me I ask them them the same thing several times having forgotten their responses. I also write everything down now and email myself at work to remind myself to do things. I guess you just adapt don't you? And figure out new ways and strategies to help you.

A new colleague (a psychologist) told me the other day that she has prosopagnosia which is where you cannot remember or recall faces and how she has had to develop new ways of helping herself so that she doesn't get embarrassed in social situations. Hers isn't the result of an SAH - just one of those things she was born with. I had no idea that she had this condition and I have been working with her for a few months now. I suppose what I'm trying to say, however obvious we think our problems are to others, they probably aren't in reality!

I remember talking to the lovely Lesley at Wessex neuro at my 3 month check up and my first question being 'am I more at risk of degenerative neuralogical conditions?' e.g. dementia etc. The answer was a resounding 'no' which was reassuring. Although sometimes it feels like that's not the case!

Anyway, hope everyone is ok

Annie

[Winb143]

I am so glad I have a big family, when my Sisters and I go for a break we end up raising our arms as in "oh it's my

turn to talk".

This is nothing out of the norm for me and talking quick in case I lose the thread ie butt in on others conversations in case I forget. It's called being the youngest of 10.

We are Special so cheer up All xx and so if we forget names etc. we are here and things will get better if we try.

I have just learnt my Sisters new phone number she thinks I am so clever lol.

My husband says I repeat myself a lot did I tell you My husband says I repeat myself a lot Joke xx but I do.

Be Well All

Love

WinB143

[Sandi K]

Memory is so complicated. I had neuropsychology testing done about a year after SAH and I have something called 'selective attention'. The name makes it sound like I'm choosing to pay attention only to what I want. That's not it though. It means that I don't retain everything I'm paying attention to. If we are having a conversation I may only be picking up parts of it and I'm completely unaware of that. I think I'm getting it all. As a result, later, I don't 'remember' things but really I never got it to begin with. I didn't retain it from the start.

It's worse depending how tired I am, just like all other neuro symptoms after SAH.

As for shampooing twice or going to start the laundry when it's already started.... I'm practising 'mindfulness'. Sounds all new age but all it means is I try to really pay attention to what I'm doing in that moment. Again, it depends how tired my brain is.

Anytime I mono task I have more success remembering what I've done and actually getting something done. Multitasking stretches my brain and as a result my memory gets scrambled.

Sandi K.

[Karen]

As for shampooing twice or going to start the laundry when it's already started.... I'm practising 'mindfulness'. Sounds all new age but all it means is I try to really pay attention to what I'm doing in that moment. Again, it depends how tired my brain is.

Anytime I mono task I have more success remembering what I've done and actually getting something done. Multitasking stretches my brain and as a result my memory gets scrambled.

I do the same ... xx

[Louise]

Ditto from me, its something that for me will never improve I just have to live with it.