EARLY-ONSET ALZHEIMER’S
I thought I had it, but I don’t think so anymore. Growing up, I had the sharpest, clearest memory. Total recall. Then around the age of 22 or 23, my memory went to shit. I grew terrified as I came to believe that I inherited alzheimer’s disease from my grandpa on my mom’s side. People would laugh, but I was convinced. Then things increasingly became worse, especially for work. Missed assignments and responsibilities falling by the wayside, my boss one day pulled me aside and had a talk with me. She asked me what happened to me? It was when I was having a hard time with depression, so I let her in on that. I promised to start making lists so I could remember everything I needed to do. I did not mention the early-onset alzheimer’s belief. Slowly, I got a bit better thanks to the constant lists.
Several months later, my boss pulls me aside and says she’s noticed a huge, huge change in my work and my mood. Deadlines are actually remembered and met. I become capable once again. This is after a couple months sober. My boss is very understanding and knows almost everything I’ve gone through so I told her about me no longer drinking. I told her how I never realized there was a correlation between my memory and mood going downhill as my drinking progressed. That’s funny, but at least I don’t have early-onset alzheimer’s.
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