Forgetting things so quickly

Sometimes I get so frustrated because I feel like there are only a handful of people in my life who truly understand what it is like for me living with a memory impairment. I feel that my three children, twenty-three, twenty-eight and thirty-one are in denial and I wish that I could change that for them and me. There is so much time being wasted and we can never get that back. I wish that I could spend more time with my children, but that doesn’t seem to happen.

Yesterday, my boyfriend said something to me and moments later I had forgotten it. I can’t even begin to tell you how frustrating that is. He asked if I heard him say it and I said that I had heard him. Then I told him, that I had forgotten what he said. He said that it was okay and that nothing will change things between us because he loves me. I cried a little because sometimes it is just so overwhelming! He told me to just tell him when I forget and he will help me. I tried to explain to him that sometimes what I forget is moment to moment. The words are suddenly just gone!! I think that it had only been a few minutes. It is difficult for me to think about how much I forget in just one day.

I told him that thankfully, I’m still able to work both of my jobs. He said that is probably because it is in my long- term memory and I agreed with him. I don’t know how much longer I will be able to work both of my jobs, but I’m taking the steps to get out of debt, so I can eventually cut down to one job, then eventually retire. That is the plan, but things don’t always go as planned. I will just continue to do my best!

I think that in some ways, we usually build upon old memories, but I can't seem to get too much from my short- term memory into my long- term memory. It is just gone.