Alzheimer, my new obsession

How many times per day do you repeat to everyone around you: “I’m sure I’ve got Alzheimer”. You’re amazed by how many things you forget. Did you just put some perfume? For the life of you, you can’t remember! Did you close the door before leaving the house? Turn off the oven? How often did you run to the kitchen or to your room, stopped, lifeless for a second with the dumbest look on your face wondering about the thing you needed to get so urgently? You retrace your steps, willing yourself to remember but to no avail. 10 minutes or more later you remember but it’s too late or…you run to fetch it and either you’re lucky and you remember this time or a new “to do” diverts you and you FORGET again! You ‘re thinking: ”Am I getting senile? Am I losing it?” Is it your fate now to turn around in circles with a forlorn, haggard expression on your face?

I read a funny cartoon somewhere, which says that when you can’t remember the name of the most common thing you use every day and you start using ”thingy” you can be absolutely sure that you’ve reached middle age.

Don’t over worry! You are middle aged but not yet senile or an Alzheimer victim. Simply you’ve got too much on your head. You’re dealing with too many things and absorbing lots of new info at the same time.

Let’s go through a workingwoman’s typical morning: kids and hubby are in a rush. You’re in even greater hurry because you’ve got to prepare food, tidy up and lastly… Yourself! You’re in the kitchen making sandwiches or the evening meal. You remember that you forgot to give your kid a sweater. You run to the room. Clothes are scattered on the bed; you tidy up…. Take the empty cup of water left behind, some laundry… remember that you came to fetch something but completely forgot what it was…. You run to the kitchen because every one is yelling. What’s the matter with you people? Can’t you manage on your own? You remember the “sweater” but before you run back again, your husband asks you in his most syrupy voice if there was any orange juice left for him. You don’t have time to give him a piece of your mind so you check the juice and shove it his way with your darkest look. He’s bewildered and shakes his head as if you were some sort of lunatic. “Later I’ll deal with you”, you think and answer your teenage daughter who wants to know if she is adopted or what? She’s always the last to be heard.

You plaster your best false smile on your face (you don’t want to get her upset. Why? Not because you’re the ideal mom! YOU SIMPLY HAVE TO RUSH! You’re late to work). Yes honey! This cracker is almost zero calorie (you don’t have a clue about the calories number but it will have to do!). The SWEATER!!!! You run to the room and give it to your kid who is already at the door. Finally, everyone is out. The house is a mess! You didn’t prepare half of the dinner meal and…. you’re late for work! You’re already extenuated but you can’t afford any self- pity, your race with time is on.