[Humour] Middle aged absent-mindedness

[The Clamp]

I don’t so much forget things, if anything my memory is better these days. I think that’s down to a combo of doing more “brain things” like crosswords and I am doing regular courses and learning.

However, I do find I get a bit muddled coordination wise. For example, I’ll be doing the washing up, I have a sponge in one hand, a cup in the other and I need to turn the tap off. It sometimes takes me a second to think about what I need to put down to free up a hand. To the point I can stand staring at my hands and the tap for a few seconds before I figure it out

Probably early signs of something serious.

 

[The Fits]

Yesterday I put the pan on to make some eggs. Dog was looking at me with her pitiful eyes. Went to feed her, spooned her food straight into the frying pan.
Very odd.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Oh dear. If you are middle aged and still wearing blue denim, you do indeed have a problem.

Why? Most people our age do. It's pretty subtle.

 

[The Clamp]

Why? Most people our age do. It's pretty subtle.

Yep, I get about in blue jeans. Can’t see why not.

I’m not giving up and slipping into salmon pink chinos just yet.

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

I have the same with words. And no matter how hard I try to think of them in the moment they won't make themselves known to me.

A colleague said to me a while ago that when your brain is full, if you cram something in one ear, a correspondingly sized bit of data falls out of the other. That's how I see it.
59 in September. Where has that time gone.

It's not that your brain is full, if using the hard drive analogy, it's that the FAT (file address table aka index) has become corrupt or damaged.

The data has not left your brain, only that it is temporarily inaccessible. As soon as you get a reminder trigger you realise you'd not forgotten it at all, merely that it was lost in your brain.

 

[The Clamp]

Why? Most people our age do. It's pretty subtle.

Alan Titchmarsh’s jeans blurred by North Korean TV censors

Footage of green-fingered BBC presenter obscured from waist down to hide ‘symbol of US imperialism’

www.theguardian.com

 

[Bodian]

Yesterday I put the pan on to make some eggs. Dog was looking at me with her pitiful eyes. Went to feed her, spooned her food straight into the frying pan.
Very odd.

There's absent-mindedness in action. I'm really not sure you can actually 'make' eggs. That's the hen's job!

 

[Mr H]

I'm 83 years old. I have solved the problem. I wear all my shoes with memory foam insoles.

 

[the larks]

Its when you go to the bar , get a pint and come back to the table having forgotten the large red wine for your partner

 

[PTC Gull]

Since I retired and my structured week has gone away I find my pill box with the days of the week on them help remind me what day it is

 

[Super Steve Earle]

Since I retired and my structured week has gone away I find my pill box with the days of the week on them help remind me what day it is

Doesn't half cause a problem on the days you forget to take them though.

 

[peterward]

I seem to be suffering a strong bout of this at the moment. Today I congratulated myself for being up and about in good time and arrived at work early. Found a decent parking place, strode confidently from the car and then realised I had my jeans on.

Had to drive home, change and then do the process all over again.

Anyone else suffering this, I suppose it'll only get worse from here on in?

Oh yes.

Couple of months back, Mrs asked me to go to Tesco express, 5 mins drive away..... she of course told me what she needed (Gaviscon and Tuna Sandwich filler for next day), I trundle off, get into Tesco and then it's genuinely.

"What did she want again"

I couldn't remember either, tried calling home and her Vodafone phone signal is often pants, no reply and straight to voicemail.

So I'm walking up and down the aisles looking at everything and trying to jog memory.

I saw the Gaviscon and remembered that but not sandwich filler.

Get home and told her I couldn't remember the other thing, which she reminded me and promptly sent me back!

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Oh yes.

Couple of months back, Mrs asked me to go to Tesco express, 5 mins drive away..... she of course told me what she needed (Gaviscon and Tuna Sandwich filler for next day), I trundle off, get into Tesco and then it's genuinely.

"What did she want again"

I couldn't remember either, tried calling home and her Vodafone phone signal is often pants, no reply and straight to voicemail.

So I'm walking up and down the aisles looking at everything and trying to jog memory.

I saw the Gaviscon and remembered that but not sandwich filler.

Get home and told her I couldn't remember the other thing, which she reminded me and promptly sent me back!

I'd have been okay with two things.

I have a strict FOUR item limit for verbal instructions. If she wants me to get more than FOUR things, I have to insist on a written list.

 

[Binney on acid]

A few years ago, I went to Tesco express and bought a few bits and pieces, and wandered off home. All rather unspectacular. After about an hour I thought it was a bit quiet in the house, and I realised that Porky the incontinent wonder dog was nowhere to be seen. I'd left her tied up outside Tescos ! They weren't best pleased. Apparently she'd spent the hour howling. The security guard pointed out that they don't provide a free dog sitting service. Thank god I got Porky back to the house before my wife and daughter returned. I'd have been crucified otherwise !

 

[Brok]

I often have little conversations with myself. Is that normal at 64?

 

[Brok]

I often have little conversations with myself. Is that normal at 64?

Yep, don't worry about it mate.

 

[dazzer6666]

Yep, I get about in blue jeans. Can’t see why not.

I’m not giving up and slipping into salmon pink chinos just yet.

Surely it's the convertible long/short walking-type trousers from Regatta sold at the garden centre to go with your crocs and gilet ?

 

[AlbionBro]

I think neurological and psychological deficits from Covid are more common than people realise.

I managed 3 years of social isolation and not seeing any friends and family at all throughout ( because I was clinically vulnerable but also they were all in Brighton or London and I couldn’t travel) - that was ok - I learned to use video conferencing platforms, WhatsApp and worked from home - I even bought an exercise bike) -

Everything was fine until March 23 and I got Covid - I’ve been under the NHS Long Covid Clinic since last June - referred for a long list of symptoms that are still getting worse - also under PTSD clinic from being repeatedly hospitalised for months and months from post-Covid complications and critically ill on several occasions with several of those hospital stays in complete isolation. Just getting Covid once devastated my health tbh - left me with severe mobility issues, unable to work most days and ongoing organ damage. Before Covid, I was cycling to and from work, travelling and socialising regularly with friends and family, going swimming regularly and hill walking/hiking, enjoying going to football and gardening- now I struggle to get up stairs.

The worst impact for me, has been neurological- Long Covid has worsened existing autoimmune conditions that were already effecting my mobility and exacerbated what were high functioning autistic symptoms ( now quite debilitating) and left me with constant migraines and severe brain fog on an already brain fogged mind from the fatigue of various autoimmune conditions.

I have now been referred to a neurologist because the Long Covid Clinic say it is likely Long Covid has resulted in brain deficits effecting cognitive and physiological functions including loss of motor skills/vision/language/communication/short-term memory etc I am also waiting for a re-assessment for autism because I am less ‘high functioning’ than I was and a referral to a ‘smell clinic’ because I still don’t have a sense of smell much of the time..

So while it is quite amusing to hear of all these episodes of us doing daft things ( and it really is - I have done forgetful or muddled things for years ) there is a serious side in losing cognition too even if it is momentary lapses, it can be scary.

If as GB said above, the brain is like a computer, mine most definitely downloaded a virus.

So sorry to hear of your troubles. I have no doubt COVID smashed many brains, hope fully it's temporary and time is a healer.
I think it's remarkable that you have managed to write such a long piece and applauded you on this. Does cognitive action like writing put you into an overloaded situation, where you feel totally exhausted after writing this much?

 

[Sirnormangall]

Yesterday I put the pan on to make some eggs. Dog was looking at me with her pitiful eyes. Went to feed her, spooned her food straight into the frying pan.
Very odd.

Did it taste nice?

 

[Sirnormangall]

I like this thread. I’m relieved and get much comfort from seeing that there are so many of us with the same or similar issues - which means we’re all completely normal for our age(s). Though I suppose it could also mean we’re all on the verge of going bonkers.