Mild Cognitive Impairment

In October of 2018, a year ago, I was diagnosed with “Mild Cognitive Impairment.” They figured that out after I was interviewed and tested by half a dozen people over about two and a half hours. The way I realize it is as if the link between my awareness and my very short-term memory is sporadic. What I recognize about it most often is this: as I am a part of a conversation and have a thought I want to share, by the time there is a break in conversation the thought is gone. It will often come back to me later, but by then the conversation has moved on.

And it is hard for me to multi-task. I can’t really pay attention to more than two things at a time and often only one. Charlene and I play a game while we eat. I can do that pretty well by alternating tasks, but only because when I leave one of the tasks and then come back to it, my next step is obvious (e.g. the next bite of food or my next turn of the game). I don’t have to remember where I was. 

Charlene can do that and play another game on her phone at the same time. That would get me in such trouble. I really cannot pay attention to a TV show and have a conversation or try to write or read something on my laptop at the same time.

Slightly longer-term memory is also affected. Charlene will mention a place where we ate, and I will have no recollection of it. If we go back there, the setting might be familiar or not, but just from her description there will be no memory.

They are going to retest me in about March 2020 to see if it is getting worse or staying the same. For it to get better is fairly unlikely. 

I was tested because I asked to be tested. I was noticing the symptoms. I do notice a lot of older folks who seem to have the same difficulties I do but who have not been tested. I suspect the impairment is a lot more common than the diagnosis. If you want to follow my progress, stay with me on this blog and I will try to keep you up to date.