LexieCat

Back in my drinking days, I would do some pretty absent-minded things. A few times I threw my cell phone, or a pair of earrings, into the trash (on the rare occasions I bothered to clean up and I had trash along with other things in my hands). A couple times I put things in weird places--just setting them down because my hands were full, but finding something odd in the refrigerator, for instance, was the sort of thing that convinced me to quit drinking.

So these days, when I can't FIND something that I KNOW I had a few days ago--especially things that I normally keep in the same place--I have this reaction that has me frantically looking for it and wondering whether this is the first sign of early-onset dementia.

Today I was making a pot of iced tea in my iced tea maker. When it came time to put the lid on (open lid that controls the drip, like a drip coffee pot), it wasn't where I keep it. I make tea every few days at least, so I knew I had it a couple of days ago. So I start looking other obvious places--like the dishwasher, other cabinets nearby, on the floor (in case the cats knocked it down and batted it around). I start pawing through my trash and recycle container, thinking maybe I had it in my hand when I was cleaning up the kitchen or throwing away the tea bags. No dice. I even brought in a trash bag I'd put out in the trash can this weekend, and dug through THAT. I couldn't make tea without the lid, and this was driving me INSANE.

FINALLY, I looked in my Tupperware drawer (I thought I'd checked all the drawers/cabinets but somehow overlooked that one), and there it was. No, I never keep it there. It was the old "I've got a tupperware lid and another plastic thingy in my hands at the same time so I'm gonna put them both here in this drawer even though the other plastic thingy doesn't belong there." So this one pot of iced tea took me about 45 minutes to make.

Aaaarrrgh!!!

amy55

I totally understand. I just lost something last week. I even forget what it was that I lost, but I found it, in the last place that I would look for it. Have to try to remember what that was, and where I found it.

I do remember going through cancer treatment. I actually asked that Dr. if the chemo was killing off my brain cells. I would do the weirdest things. I would put an electric tea pot on my stove to heat water and burn the pot. I would always put water on the stove for tea, then go outside and forget that I was waiting for the water to boil.

Still going to think about what I lost last week and found, but first going to have some tea in my CRS (can't remember sh!t) cup.

amy

Liveitwell

Lex-you're not 29 anymore.....it's ok!! (I lost my short term memory after having two children-I'm still trying to find it!!).

suki44883

The other day, I was looking for the parchment paper and couldn't find it anywhere, so I used aluminum foil. Yesterday, I found the parchment paper...in the refrigerator!

Ariesagain

Yesterday I went in the bathroom to put my contacts in...and stood there staring at the empty case for a very long time before I realized I had already put them in earlier that morning. I had zero memory of this. Zero.

Add that to the mornings when I can't remember if I've brushed my teeth or not...it's not pretty.

SeriousKarma

Here's what I do:

I'll put something important away in a "really smart place", then a few weeks later when I need that thing, all I can remember is that it's in "a really smart place". Of course, I can never remember where the "really smart place" is. It's infuriating.

I'd like to think it's dementia, but it's been going on way too long. A more logical explanation is that there are elves living in my brain that get a kick out of making me look stupid.

amy55

How many times do you run up the steps to get something, then you get there, and forgot what you were going to get? (lol)

amy

suki44883

I think that when we do certain things as a matter of routine...like putting in contact lenses or setting the alarm, it's easy to forget if we actually did it or if we remember doing it before because we do it on an every-day basis.

I've gotten to where, when I set my alarm before getting into bed, I say out loud..."I set my alarm." Not sure if it helps, but I haven't forgotten to set my alarm in quite some time.

amy55

Hey, you had me spitting water all over my keyboard from laughter. I did this. I would hide my ex's keys so he wouldn't drive drunk. I would put them in the last place that he would ever look for them. It was the pan drawer on the bottom of the oven, but I also forgot where I put them, and no one really ever uses that drawer.

amy

LexieCat

I once put a newspaper in the fridge. It was in my HAND.

I think the problem is I need more hands. If I put something down, it's even money whether I will put it down where I can find it again. I remember, back when I worked in an office, wandering around for at least half an hour trying to find where I put my coffee cup. I had a habit of putting it on top of filing cabinets in other people's offices, but I could never remember WHOSE.

Yeah, those "really smart places" are a killer, too. And the thing is, you never know when to throw in the towel and give up. I can't tell you how long I searched for a diamond ring and pair of earrings my last ex gave me. We had split up when I noticed they were gone, and I actually asked him whether he took them. He got all indignant about being accused of theft. I wasn't positive, so I said, "I'm not ACCUSING, I'm ASKING. Some people feel it's OK to take back gifts when they break up." He continued to deny it, so I really still have no idea what happened to them. I was drinking a lot back in those days, so I can't be certain I didn't do something stupid with them, myself.

dandylion

LOL......Lexie.....
Not to worry. I think that stuff is a lot more common than you probably think....
I l ove hearing other peoples stories, though...it makes ME feel better......

I can't remember names for crap. Especially, celebrity names.
One time, I forgot my own name....really.
My boss was the department head of Neurology at a teaching hospital. He decided to have an open house for all the other department heads and their residents.
Now, he had a problem with remembering names, also---so, he asked me to be in charge of introductions during the party....and to watch his back. I carefully wrote down the names of the guest list and memorized names in preparation for the party.
Well, I was doing fine....and, then, I was introducing two people who didn't know each other---I got their names right, and went totally blank....blank....when I tried to think of my own name. I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me. Awkward.
The awful part of this story is that Neurology is where people are sent for memory loss!!

Lexie---it is said that it is normal to lose your car keys. But, if you can't remember what the car keys are FOR, when you find them....that is of more concern....

dandylion

Seren

I feel your pain, Lexie!

My passport was last found in the drawer with my un-used Christmas cards Because, of course, that's where it should go, right? That was a fun-filled 2hour hunt that day *sigh*

AnvilheadII

i probably have ten "super safe spots" in this house. i say probably cuz, well, WHO REALLY KNOWS? my passport is still in one of those SSS. i'm sure there are other things, but alas, i can't REMEMBER what they are.

sigh.

our garage is one of those places where you will rarely if ever find what you are CURRENTLY looking for, but you are bound to find whatever you LAST went in search of. that's always fun.

i don't think it is that we are losing it, only that we are TOO organized!!!! lol

hopeful4

I've been doing this a lot too. Attributing to stress and not my age or mental health LOL.

firebolt

I'm glad I'm not the only one...I always chalk it up to "too much pot smokin back in the day....."

Maybe not - maybe we're just getting older and have too much in our heads. Now, when one thing goes in, something else has to bail, so our subconscious picks the smallest, yet most annoying things.

redatlanta

Unfortunately I find myself doing this too, and was very bothered by it. What the deal?

I have 40 things spinning inside my head at all times. I am doing this and thinking about that. Multi tasking, answering the phone, dealing with business, at the same time reading news for the day on the internet. Hello???? Now I am trying to stop all that my brain is revolting.

atalose

Wouldn't it be great if we could use Google to find the things we misplaced in our house!!!

AnvilheadII

i'm a believer in "a place for everything, and everything in it's place" - but you'd be surprised how that can get away from you. there are certain things that i HAVE to put in the exact same spot every day - or else. I have a carabiner clip for my keys and always clip them to the loop on my purse and my purse always goes on the desk in the entry way when not in use. i also keep my work badge IN my car in the center console thingie.

LexieCat

I DO use it--sorta. Well, not Google itself, but I bought some Tile trackers, which I keep on my keys, and it also will locate my cell phone. I also have one in my wallet. If I misplace them, it will play a little tune, and also will show where it was last picked up by the app. If I lose it away from home, as long as there is someone else with the app nearby, it will report its location.

It's come in handy at least a couple of times. After all, wallet, cell phone and keys are generally what you GOTTA have before you leave the house, and the things that drive you the most crazy looking for if you're in a rush and can't leave without them.

theuncertainty

Ah, man. I'm glad I'm not the only one.

I have a carabiner clip on my keys, too, that I use to hook my keys to the shopping cart or basket so I don't put them down on the shelves when I pick up stuff. (Check out staff reminds me - "Hey, your keys!" if I walk away from the basket without them and since I have to have them to load the groceries into the back of the car from a cart, it's harder to forget them on the cart.) They still have a tendency to get buried under paper on my desk, so clipping them to my purse would make it easier to leave after a long day. That or the Tile tracker to sing each day at quitting time.