Where Did I Leave My Glasses?

Where Did I Leave My Glasses? by Martha Weinman Lear
The What, When, and Why of Normal Memory Loss
My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This book had a personal message for me as my Dad suffered from dementia the last ten years of his life as did one of his sisters and one of his brothers. Only my Mom's younger sister has a problem with dementia.  I think about the big "A" a lot when I can't find my glasses.  I can find my car keys...they are in a basket on the stairs leading into the garage. I put them there before I go upstairs.  If I find them in my hand at the top of the stairs, I walk back down and put them in their basket...my husband has bought into this scheme...it is working.  I am and have always been a list maker...nothing new for me.  I gave my husband and one daughter the disease early on in our marriage. The other daughter was also born with the "list-making disease"...my lists work, too! That is, if I "remember" to look at the list.


This book gave me some good and encouraging information.


Bottom line: I don't have Alzheimer's; it's all about getting old!  When I can't run my life like I always have because of faulty memory, it's time to get help.


My "aha" moment while reading this book came at the halfway point.  
Quote: (see p. 129):


"'You know, a lot of us have complaints about our memories.  I have complaints about mine. The key thing is, To what degree is it affecting your ability to do what you always do? Yes, a lot of us are forgetful because we have so much going on in our lives, and yes, our memories do get worse as we get older, and no, I don't feel my memory is as good as it was when I was twenty.  But if someone were to ask me, Well, does it get in the way of your work?  Can you still do what you want to do? Can you pay your bills? Can you do your job? Can you still run your life the way you're accustomed to running it?'


Author's reply: 'Yes, of course I can. So that's the demarcation.'"-!Aha!


Other tidbits of information that I may or may not remember:)
1.  Exercise in the morning will help jump start my brain for the day's activities.  Walking is the best exercise to improve multitasking, planning, scheduling, focusing on the matter at hand and aborting that perilous left-hand turn. (an aside from me...I am already saying: "I take a route where I don't have to make any left-hand turns.  So am I going in circles?")


2. We all tease about our memories from an early age. Around 20 I couldn't remember why I went to the kitchen...I had to return to the point of origin to remember...aha!  However, when I stop teasing or even hiding the fact I don't remember, it a sign..I need to get help.


3. Again a quote: "But the enormous discovery scientists have made in recent years is that the aging process can be regulated.  It is controlled by certain genes, and caloric restriction activates these genes."(p.168)  Guess who's been watching her calories and will continue to do so?


Disclaimer: "This review will not spoil your reading of this book. There will be a message in it for you.  It may be the same message as mine.  Then again, it may be your own personal message."


I recommend this book to you!



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