My thoughts

Sometimes having a memory impairment affects other things, such as my comprehension. Because of a bad fall that happened last month, I’ve been going to physical therapy for my left shoulder. Physical therapy has been very challenging! Sometimes, I have to ask the physical therapist to show me something again, so that I can do the exercises correctly. I told her that I sometimes I have problems with my short- term memory. If I realize that it is getting more difficult to understand what they want me to do, I might have to explain a little more about my short- term memory problems. Sharing my diagnosis is something that I choose not to share with everyone, only someone who really needs to know. I know that I will somehow find a way to make this work, but I know that it has to be done in such a way that it doesn’t make me feel dumb! Even though I know that it is not my fault, it can still make me feel this way.

I think that unless someone is willing and able to be educated about memory impairments, we can't really change the stereotyping. I think that it will just take more time for that to happen, but probably not in my lifetime.