Brain Games

My husband is getting increasingly concerned about his memory, as he ages. He wants to be proactive in slowing down the brain aging prospect. Remembering names and faces is not working for him and it finally bit him in the behind. Twice, in one week, he didn't remember customers who had just been in either days before, or earlier in the same day. Both were very offended. In his defense, he does see and talk to a lot of people in a day, let alone a week. However, he is trying to figure out how he can circumvent or lessen this whole memory loss thing. He doesn't think anything is medically wrong with him. He just feels that he has too much information in his brain so he doesn't retain certain things. He also thinks I won't be a nice caregiver if his brain goes to mush. "A lot of barking" is how he thinks it's going to go down. On my part.

He made an appointment with my Dr. Tom (the neurologist who does my Botox for migraine). For now, he's been taking some Ginko and trying to remember and regurgitate random facts. Good, right? Sure, until it's weird.

I feel like I had to write this entry, because we're on the cusp of going to a party where there are going to be a lot of people we see in passing all the time. I just want folks to be prepared when he starts spitting facts at people about themselves like he's the Amazing Kreskin. I've been looking forward to this party since I left it last year. It's an annual event and the unofficial kick-off of summer. I get to see people I don't see over my winter hibernation. So, when we see everyone, after around a year, I don't want them thinking we're sitting around discussing and dissecting their lives. Or stalking them on Facebook.

B came home yesterday and told me he saw one of my friends from town. He said he congratulated her on her new job and that even mentioned where she was going to work. So proud of himself for knowing all this and being able to lob all that info at her in line at Dunkin'. She probably thought we were talking about her or he's a creeper. Meanwhile, all he was doing was spitting out info to exercise his brain function. And then patting himself on the back for remembering said random facts. (Congrats KM! He did mean it, even if he was more congratulatory to himself for memory retention)

I don't know if Dr. Tom can do anything for him or if there is anything that needs to be done. Except for maybe slowing down? Tricks for reading comprehension and listening? I know he reads fast and just makes things up in place of what's really there. Forever he called one of my friends "Ashdunk" (to me) because that's how he read/saw her (old) last name (not even close) on Facebook. I don't know what he can do for the facial recognition - like with customers. I just tell people he has that facial recognition thing Brad Pitt claims to have (Prosopagnosia). Bring the conversation around to Brad Pitt and most annoyed people are turned around.

Just now, a customer was in here talking about homes on her street. I was saying how we made pendants for someone's kitchen who lives on the same street. He did remember the name of that customer, but as I was talking about homes on that street and a house he really liked in particular, he just looked at me like he had no clue. I don't think he remembered what street we were even talking about.

I forget things, of course. But, luckily, I do remember customers. And most streets. Although, admittedly, I am very thankful for GPS too.

If B just starts talking to you like he's the host of "This Is Your Life", anywhere, please know that you aren't being filmed for a reality show and he isn't oddly obsessed with you. He's just doing self-induced brain exercises for the almost-middle-aged.

B, E and I recently stopped at that store Marbles: The Brain Store in Garden State Plaza. They have all these "brain games". Maybe that's where I should stop for a Father's Day gift.