The WHO, the WHAT and the WHEN?

My memory was never great, I have always been a brunette caught in a blonde's body... (not nice, I know), but since the strokes, it is so terrible... I can't remember my daily tasks... I am going crazy! I have researched and tried new ideas that have been working for me and I want to share them with others. Some are great and others, not so good... but may work for you. First off, I need to express that I can't stand when others older than me say, "I forget everything now!" or "Just wait till you reach my age". Well I have the brain damage now at 39 and I really don't want it to get worse.

* Associate Information with Something You Already Know... this is what I do when I am at the market and I see someone that I should know, but don't. It is a pride thing, I guess, but I just can't ask them who they are, but they know me... I listen to them talk and by what they say I realize who they are... are they kids friends with Eloise or T.K., are they from church, did I go to high school with them... it usually works!

* Visualize: Imagine it! ... I like to call this the "Mrs. Potato Head moments" ... if you saw Toy Story 3, you saw how Mrs. Potato Head lost her eye and through the movie she sees things in Andy's room through the missing eye... this is what I feel like when I am really thinking hard about something I need to find or remember (and most likely did not write down!).

* Rehearse and Repeat ... I do this daily... I really need to keep to my schedule and routine.  If I have training, I have to go over it before the trainees get to the training room.  I need to get directions for everything and go over them to myself.  I also have to think about what I need to say to people before I blurt out nonsense, like I usually do now!

* Remembering Numbers ... I still can't do this; I really need help with numbers! I do play a few games with numbers, dice games are fun, but I do not see an improvement.

* Mnemonics ... these do not help either... "30 days hath... “I just can't remember things this way anymore; I have to write to correct information down now.


* Improve your Organization ... I am getting better at this... I am tired now when I get home from work, it is really tough working a whole day, and so I really, really, really do not feel like cleaning when I get home. I need to know where my keys are, I lose my phone daily... but I am getting better with laundry, I am doing smaller loads a few times a week. I am lacking on mopping, but sweep everyday... I am not a neat freak anymore, but I am alive... tomato/tomatoe!

* Letter Games ... I really like these elementary type games! Not only do they help me, but Eloise is a great speller! Eloise and I say a letter in the car and then try to come up with as many items that we see out the window that starts with that letter! Fun stuff!
* Board Games ... I was never a huge board game player, but I really like them now... they are good as memory games, but you have to follow the rules of the game.

* Create Tools ... I know that Romey and Michelle did not really invite Post Its (bad reference, I know), but Dr. Spencer Silver, a chemist at 3M did invite this wonderful product... I use Post Its EVERYWHERE! I have reverted back to writing on my hand and emailing myself! I am learning to do whatever it takes to remember what I have to do on a daily basis! I am now below tying a string on my finger, if it works! I other tool is spell check… this is why this blog entry is readable, thank you spell check, you and Post Its are my heroes!


These are the little aides that help me along everyday... it is a lot of hard work... I appreciate my brain and know what a hard worker it is!