SERIOUSLY, DO I Have Alzheimer's Disease OR Am I Just Busy?!

Do I have Alzheimer’s disease or am I just busy?

I filled out documents the other day which required my social security number.  I have had my social security number memorized since I was 15. I entered the incorrect numbers.

I had to enter my pin number at the store to use my debit card.  I forgot the number. The same pin that I have used for 20 years!

I got lost on the interstate a mile from my own house.

What the???

I shared my concerns with my family that I was worried about my slipping memory.  More than worried, I am scared. My grandmother had dementia and it was awful.  In its later stages, it was insidious and relentless with fleeting moments of recognition and awareness.  I do not want this for my family.  I am too young.  I was so mortified that I had inherited my grandmother’s genes and perhaps experiencing early onset.   Then I realized I have 8 kids and work 6+ days a week and there is no way one person can do what I do and keep it all straight all of the time.  So what; I forgot my social security number.  I got MOST of the numbers right.  Just yesterday I had to give my credit card, delta sky miles and IHG membership numbers to the customer service representatives when I was traveling.  Guess what?  I knew them all.  I am fine.   Maybe I DID inherit my grandmother’s genes, but there is no way that is a bad thing.  She was one of the best people I have ever known.

The other good news is that now that I have researched, I know one of the things that contribute to bad memory includes bad diet!  I can change my lifestyle to reduce the risk of poor physical and mental health.  It’s a start. 

Check out the following website for foods that induce memory lose: http://www.alzheimers.net/2014-01-02/foods-that-induce-memory-loss/

Now, the best part of coming to the realization that my brain is full is I realized I cannot do everything I am doing by myself. Not at work and not at home.  I need help. Yes. I need help!  A lot of it!  I can’t keep up with laundry, dishes, vacuuming and all of the other stuff.  I am not saying I will get the help all the time, but will be more likely to ask.    In the future, I will not freak out when I can’t remember where I put my keys or why I walked into the kitchen. I will remember that I have a lot of things on my mind which makes me a normal mom and business person.

Sincerely,

Nikki Lamb