Dude, where's my keys?
I lose things. I get lost. I do not keep a regular schedule. These are all well-documented facts.
Losing my keys, purse, shoes, documents, bills, checkbook....happens all the time.
Luckily, I have a small house....so items really can't go that far. (or so you would think) After a brief game of hide and go seek, and focused attention, I can find the lost item and go on. This is part of my life.
My biggest fear though, is losing my memory. My grandma lost a lot of what made her "her" toward the end of her life and that scares the bejeebers out of me.
While I have always...ALWAYS...been flighty and forgetful....partly due to "living in my head" ...the streaming news feed from my private weirdness central creativity channel definitely plays a part, but so does the fact that I have hypothyroidism - along with the lovely side effects such as fatigue, weight gain, dry skin, low blood pressure and cold intolerance; memory problems are a distinct issue. I take a big ol'dose of medication everyday...but also research natural ways to boost my brain power....and find my dang keys.
Grandma also had a major case of hypothyroidism and personality-wise, we were a lot alike, she was a songwriter, a talented poet, slightly wild in her own way and a big health nut. This also scares me- she jumped rope daily, built her own solar powered home in the middle of nowhere, pursued her writing career and yet...got seriously lost somewhere inside herself.
I will not give in to the "aging theory" those who continually say, "oh, you're just getting old" I really believe a lot of what is delegated to aging can be a simple lack of nutrition, exercise and use.....(even with my grandma as an exception..) I plan on living to organize my 75th high school reunion....
So, I read all the anti-aging, brain-boosting articles I can find...and have a running list of things to try. Here are my recent favorites that, even if they don't "work" are enjoyable for the present.
Rosetta Stone - learning a new language - even though a part of me thinks I won't be able to....
Colorful food - no, not jelly beans - homegrown stuff - berries, spinach....
Sleep - after conducting a research assignment for an online company, I am completely convinced sleep is a HUGE deal. HUGE.
Ban Toxins - I try to be all green and hippie-chick...but the truth is, toxic products, cleaning and beauty, are usually cheap....so I am consciously working on this one. Figuring out how to use natural stuff on a daily basis, not just when I am on a "kick." Baking soda, vinegar, lemon....they do work - just have to remember ....
Friends - this is where my grandma and I differ, to a point. Like her I could be perfectly fine without a lot of interaction...I am never bored....but, a lot of anti-aging research points to building relationships...so, I have to take the leap and try to make, and keep, friends. (hence dancing buddies and sports....plus it's a whole lot of fun, once I drag myself out :)
So, that's part of the plan to keep the electricity firing in my brain properly....
In the meantime people are just going to have to be patient while my keys, shoes, library books, bills and I are playing hide and seek.
Family history is always filled with things that make us smile and things that scare the bejesus out of us. It really can be hard not to focus on the 'what if's' even though there is only so much we can do to head them off.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I'm thinking of trying Rosetta Stone and hesitating for the same reason. I'm not sure I'd be fluent, no matter how god the program is.
My mum often loses things too - but mostly they aren't really lost, she just hasn't looked properly!
ReplyDeleteLearning new languages is a great way to keep your mind active. I have never tried Rosetta Stone because it is SO expensive, but I have used the "Teach Yourself" series. They would be fabulous if I could focus for long enough to learn anything lol!
I never knew that learning a new language could help your memory. I lose everything, including my head if it weren't attached. And although there is a history of dementia in our family, I've been making the conscious effort to eat more colorful food and use more "natural" products.
ReplyDeleteAva
My husband constantly insists that he's told me things that I have no memory of. I guess that means I'm already losing my mind. I do, however, complete the Sedokus in the paper each day.
ReplyDeleteJoyce
http://joycelansky.blogspot.com
I have been losing things since I was young. Forever misplacing things, particularly keys. My parents once had to drive to NE Philly to rescue me because I couldn't find my keys to come home from work. They had my spares. But, they had to do the same thing 38 years ago when I either lost the keys or locked the keys in the car and when I left the keys home as they were taking me to the bus terminal to move out West. Good they always left extra early "just in case." I've since learned that stress and/or ADD can contribute heavily to forgetfulness. I had asked my doctor about it since my grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimers while I was in my 30s. I was also extricating myself from an abusive marriage at the time, so he reassured me. Then a recent ADD diagnosis explains this decades long problem.
ReplyDeleteI vow to NEVER have a "senior moment".
ReplyDelete