My memory became VERY bad about three years ago. I was living alone and I was under great stress because of money problems and just trying to keep afloat socially, economically, and mentally. Unfortunately, I was having conflicts with my neighbors due to the fact that there were underlying racial issues between the ethnic majority and the minority. It did not get ugly or dangerous for anybody at all but it was just uncomfortable and maddening and it wasn’t just my problem, everybody on both sides of this problem, all my neighbors had these problems…
And most probably also the fact that the majority of tenants were senior citizens in their sixties and older was a problem. I won’t get into that whole mess right now but it was causing me great stress on a daily basis. And finally I just called it quits and moved out after 6 years there. I don’t want to make this too long, but at that time my mom was having serious, serious health problems. This was weighing on my mind and a little thing called paranoid schizophrenia was causing me problems also.
So I moved and in the process of finding new housing on short notice and a few other things and tying up loose ends before I moved my memory started to go. I’ve moved a lot through the years but that was my worse move ever. I had a dozen things to worry about on my mind at all times and getting boxes and packing and cleaning the apartment I was leaving just added up and finding a new home for my cat, my memory got bad and it’s never been the same since. I was completely forgetting to cancel services like internet and TV. My sisters were helping me move and they would tell me on the phone exactly what to do and I would forget about it by the next day.
I’m living pretty much living independently now and even when my memory was good I was a big believer in making lists on what needs to be done and writing down every upcoming appointments and things I have to buy. But since my memory went now I have to write down practically every little detail like directions to find places when I’m driving, picking up dry cleaning, phone calls to make etc.
I can remember stuff from twenty or thirty years ago but if my sisters tell me we’re having dinner next week like we have been doing for a few years I have to write it down or I will forget. I know there’s memory clinics in my area but I haven’t gone yet. Anyways, it’s not all gone so I’m thankful for that. I haven’t made any life-threatening mistakes or major mistakes because of this problem and so I guess I will just handle it and keep on going.