By Louisa, July 30, 2014 — I’d like to tell everyone how my forgetfulness has had a serious impact on my whole life. Being a housewife, I have an opportunity to use big pots, medium pots and small pots, and how many other types of pots that I burnt because I forgot to shut off the stove. My husband had to buy new replacements and he always hid them away and told me not to touch. Sometimes I [did] laundry but I forgot to pick it up, sometimes for a couple days and sometimes could be as long as eight to ten days. And as far as my checkbook and ID or small things, I … misplace them when I do shopping. I have a tendency of dropping things on the bus or at the mall – raincoats, umbrellas, and at times my grocery.
[Facilitator’s Note: We really appreciated Louisa’s openness in sharing her life struggle that she has had with forgetfulness. Especially as we age, memory-loss bring daily difficulties to our lives. After she shared her story, the group discussed various ways that they keep track of things. Using post-its on fridges and doors, hanging a notepad onto their necks, and calendars or daily planners.]