Oh, the irony! Just the other day, I had a few spare minutes at work and decided to jot down some thoughts on my recent memory lapses. Yes, you guessed it—I can’t find my notes now. In a moment of panic, I called my colleague, Sarah, to help me search my workspace. We found a pile of blank papers, but my brilliant ideas? Nowhere to be seen. I’m certain I wrote them down; it wasn’t just a figment of my imagination! I’m convinced it was witty too—if one can find humor in the struggles of forgetting things.
Someone once told me that with each pregnancy, brain cells take a hit, and they don’t regenerate. Well, with five kids, I think I’ve officially run out! The concept of “pregnancy brain” is undeniably real—and, dare I say, it feels somewhat permanent. On good days, I can manage to remember my children’s names.
It all started innocently enough: calling one child by another’s name. Those were the “good old days.” Now, I find myself reciting all their names out loud before landing on the correct one. Talk about a throwback to my own parents! (And there goes my husband, gasping in disbelief—breathe, honey, breathe.)
I often walk from one room to another, only to forget my purpose mid-journey. This can be a bit alarming, especially since I work as a nurse in the ER. I’ll walk to the medication room and completely blank on what I needed. On one memorable day, I caught myself putting wristbands on patients—twice! Focus is key, right?
Just yesterday, I experienced a wave of anxiety over whether I had paid my electric bill. Most of my other bills are set up for automatic payments, but for some reason, I canceled the automatic transfer for the electric bill. After a quick call to the electric company, I learned that I had, indeed, paid it—yet I had no memory of doing so. A bit concerning, don’t you think?
That’s why I keep a giant calendar on my refrigerator, where all appointments go. If it’s not there, it simply doesn’t exist. Well, that’s not entirely true; even if it’s on the calendar, I sometimes forget what I was supposed to do as soon as I walk away.
I’ve been contemplating taking ginkgo biloba, but let’s be honest—what are the chances I’ll remember to take it? Feel free to leave me a message, but just know I’ll probably remember it once it’s too late. My memory used to be sharp; I could recall birthdays, anniversaries, and even whether I’d put on deodorant. Believe it or not, there are days I apply it two or three times—maybe that’s why I smell so good! On the days people stay away from me, perhaps that’s a sign I forgot altogether.
Ultimately, I can’t take the blame for this memory mess. It’s all my kids’ fault for stealing my brain cells! I understand why pregnancy leads to memory loss; if we remembered everything, who would ever have more than one child?
In the end, perhaps memory loss isn’t all bad. It’s a comforting excuse I cling to when I remember it!
For more insights into pregnancy, check out this excellent resource from the NICHD. And if you’re curious about home insemination, you can find helpful information here about how to navigate that journey.