David, Barb and all, I have been seeing a neurophyscologist to help cope with the dx of pd. I too was having the same problem about remembering where I put things and as Barb stated she told me exactly the same thinkg about the 8 trays in the brain. If you fill them with thoughts of PD you are using all yours trays and can't remember other things. To my surprise she is correct, things are a lot better. Michelle New Orleans, LA 32/32/30 -----Original Message----- From: Parkinson's Information Exchange Network [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Barb_MSN Sent: Monday, July 31, 2000 6:16 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: NON-PD-Counseling David, and "All" A coupla-three years ago I found myself having a buncha "Senior Memory-Loss Moments." Not only was I stunned at the loss of memory ("Now WHERE did I put my reading glasses, and WHY did I want them in the first place when am going to be cooking, not reading? <Uh DUH Barbie> I started to have panic attacks then, too, because I envisioned myself like my late mother, who had had dementia due to several small strokes -(may she rest in peace, tho WHY she'd RIP where she is NOW when she never RIP'd when she was HERE is beyond me!) <grin> My memory became progressively worse until one about day 'bout 6 weeks after I moved to my new home (end of last November) when I was literally going CRAZY because of all the workmen pidling arond and moving and/or CHANGING the physical location of everything while neglecting to tell ME to expect a change somewhere or other in 610 foot condo. HECK! How COULD they tell me about any changes to be made when THEY didn't speak English and _ I _ don't speak fluent Spanish??? So we SMILED at each other a lot, but THAT never stop me from taking some tumbles that were record setters!! I went for a walk (to get away from the tumalt of the remodeling) and to think over WHY I was falling - did I move fast? YES. Did my shoes reflect the fashions of the day, or were they "Parkie-safe." Once I was HONEST with myself, I admitted they were more fashionable then safe. Was I falling for ANY other reason besides the unsettled state of my home? YES. My sense of balance was "off kilter," and I didn't HABITUALLY *THINK* about walking or moving in a safe manner. WHY didn't I THINK about my own safety? I was too busy thinking on all 8 tracks about OTHER things, tho adittedly, crashing to the gound in a fancy restaurant is ONE way to get one's own attention and FAST! That said, I've concluded I don't NEED to use all 8 tracks of my mind at the same time. It's OK to DIRECT forgotten words, and actions, and things to Track 4 or 7 or 8 for - arbitrarily deemed the" slow tracks," and let THEM plod along muddling over WHY I went into my bedroom in the middle of watching OPRAH! In fact, I've discovered that once I slowed those I''m losing it" kinda thoughts down, I tended to remember things ALMOST as rapidly as I did in more youthful TIMES Which, after all, was mere DAY or two ago, if I remember .correctly! <smile> FORCING oneself to THINK in ADVANCE of ACTING, is one way od tackling those darn "Senior moments without having to ALSO deal with panic at the same time. Let yourself feel GOOD when you recall something that you had mentally written off as "forgotten." Make as BIG a DEAL out of remembering as you did when you forgot something! And finally, HANG IN THERE' because.... because... OH RATS! I FORGOT WHAT WAS GONNA SAY! <ear-to-ear grin> Barb Mallut [log in to unmask] -----Original Message----- From: davidmeigs <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> Date: Monday, July 31, 2000 2:16 PM Subject: Re: NON-PD-Counseling >Camilla wrote: > >>"Dear David-- what you say re: memory is really strange-- I hope you can >get >>some clue about it from the neuro. It must be distressing. Usually it is >>the short term memory that goes first, giving us those "Senior Moments"-- >>does that make any sense? " >>Snip > >My short term memory became a problem several years ago, around 37. For the >last few years I have had to keep a pad of paper with me at all times. By >senior moments I think you mean things like: "Who am I? & What was I doing? >& Where am I going to?" Oh boy have I ever had some "senior moments". I am >pretty laid back so I have never got to upset by any of that. I just >figured that it made me kind of "flaky" & therefore kind of cute in a >pathetic sort of way. (My wife just rolls her eyes, and shakes her head) > >I salute you Camilla for the work you have done. I'd love to swap stories >with you sometime (if I could recall any). > >Take care, > > >David Meigs aka: Pappy >[log in to unmask]