Memory

I heard a joke last night and thought I’d share it with you.

An elderly couple were sitting in a pew at church waiting for the service to begin. A younger man sitting behind the elderly couple tapped the older gentleman on the shoulder. When the elderly man turned around, the younger gentleman said, “Hey, I heard you and your wife just got back from a trip to London. Where did you stay at in London?”

The elderly man thought, and thought, and thought, then finally said, “It’s a flower. It has thorns on it’s stem.”

To which the younger man replied, “The Rose?”

“Yes, that’s it,” the elderly man replied and then turned to his wife and said, “Rose, what hotel did we stay at in London?”

While memory loss is no laughing matter, sometimes it makes me laugh when I forget things. Sometimes I look all over for my glasses only to find them sitting on top of my head. My wife thinks I have selective memory; I remember things I want to like picking up snacks at the grocery store, but forget things I don’t want to like putting my dishes in the dishwasher after a meal.

Myasthenia Gravis affects the voluntary muscles of the body, so memory loss is not usually associated with MG. Brain fog, however, is often experienced. It’s that momentary fogginess where thoughts are a little less clear and memory can be a little harder to draw on. I experience brain fog periodically. It isn’t severe, just a little fogginess here and there. Nothing too serious and it doesn’t last long. It’s just one of those things to get through.

If, however, you’re experiencing frequent or severe memory loss, then you need to inform your neurologist. Although dementia and Alzheimer’s are not directly linked to Myasthenia Gravis, a person can have more than one condition at the same time.

I think our memory fades a little as we get older, but where do you draw the line and decide to get medical attention for memory loss?

According to the Mayo Clinic, you should seek medical attention any time memory loss disrupts your life. They provide some examples of changes in behavior that could be early symptoms of dementia:

• Asking the same questions often
• Forgetting common words when speaking
• Mixing up words – saying the word “bed” instead of the word “table”, for example
• Taking longer to complete familiar tasks, such as following a recipe
• Misplacing items in odd places, such as putting a wallet in a kitchen drawer
• Getting lost while walking or driving in a known area
• Having changes in mood or behavior for no clear reason

If your memory loss is temporary and usually associated with brain fog, there’s probably nothing to worry about, although it’s probably a good idea to mention it to your neurologist. On the other hand, if you find yourself experiencing any of the situations mentioned above, then you’ll definitely want to let your neurologist know so they can look into it more thoroughly.

I’ve never forgotten my wife’s name, maybe her birthday or our anniversary once in a while, but never her name. I’ll just keep an eye out in case it gets any worse. If it does, my neurologist will be the first to know. Early detection of dementia and Alzheimer’s is critical and greatly enhances treatment options.