Having memory issues is a scary thing. I forget appointments and events; I forget to go to the grocery store, pay bills, etc. I bought my first daily planner ever, a Day Designer. I used to use weekly planners because it was the most efficient for me. Now I have to write down everything so daily is the way to go. I like the simplicity of it. It has the sections I need but isn’t fussy so I’m not distracted,

My birthday was Saturday. My husband bought me what I have been dying to have, an Amazon Echo, and I love it. I already have it set up to turn off some lights. I set timers for cooking and reminders to turn off the stove. I add items to the grocery list while I’m in the kitchen looking in the pantry. I tell it where my keys are when I get home and it remembers for me. God, what a handy fucking tool for me,

I also have an Apple watch. My Dr. suggested it for reminders about medication and appointments. It has helped tremendously. It just gives me reminders until I complete the task. It also has a breathing app so I can remember to slow down and focus.

I use Grammarly and Lingofy for spelling and grammar while I write to maintain my previous level of ability. They don’t catch every mistake but proofreading helps too, as I recognize the error even if it takes a bit to figure it out. I also use the Lingofy AP guidebook for professional questions while I work, rather than second guess it.

My vocabulary and IQ are still high, my memory processing speed is the biggest hit right now which means it takes me longer to do the same tasks. Sometimes following a sewing pattern pisses me off-putting sleeves on incorrectly or the like. Of course, I did those things before and laughed them off. I’m so much harder on myself now. Long, productive days are exhausting. I come home wiped out just from concentrating so hard.

There’s hope, I haven’t been diagnosed yet, so perhaps I have a reversible or manageable problem. Then again, maybe I have dementia. At 48 fucking years old. No matter what, I want an answer to my problems, whether the outcome is desirable or not. I’ll tell you this, I never had a honeymoon or even a vacation with my husband and if the clock is ticking on my brain, that will be priority one. I want to make as many great memories for me and my family while I can.