Cog Fog Stories From Others

[doni54]

Some others personal experiences.  I can really relate!!!
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The Author's Experience

The first cognitive problem that I became aware of was a gradual fear of driving. At first, I would feel anxious that I would forget directions and be so preoccupied with getting lost that I would be stressed out when I went anywhere. Then I noticed that driving along even very familiar routes was becoming increasingly scary – I would be afraid to change lanes, nervous that I was going to run red lights, distracted by too many cars, frightened of big trucks and uneasy if the lighting was too bright, too dark, too dappled. As I had not yet been diagnosed with MS, I just told myself that I was being silly and kept pushing it, until the anxiety started really limiting my activities.

Since my diagnosis, I have noticed many more cognitive symptoms. Conversations are sometimes hard to keep up with and I often find myself making a point out of context. I know that I repeat myself a lot and have a habit of not finishing sentences. When I am writing, I fight the urge to steer away from certain words that I seem to have forgotten how to spell.

I've made several adaptations when it comes to driving: I haven't driven on the highway in many years, and I prefer to drive alone, so that I can focus 100% of my attention on the road and what I am doing. But on good days, I still try to make small neighborhood trips during quiet traffic times. Aside from driving, I have noticed that I sometimes want to avoid conversation so people don't pick up on any of my cognition problems. But because I want to stay engaged and social, I make a serious effort to chat with people -- I figure no one will be seriously injured (unlike driving) if it takes me a couple of minutes to find the word that I am looking for or I tell a story for the second time in five minutes.


MSers Respond: What are the scariest, funniest or most annoying cognitive dysfunction moment?

From the article: Cognitive Dysfunction as a Symptom of Multiple Sclerosis

Most of us with multiple sclerosis (MS) have had frustrating experiences caused by MS-related cognitive dysfunction –we forget to take the dog to the vet, we leave out the best details of a story that we are telling or we can’t remember how to spell certain words. However, sometimes things happen because of cognitive slips that are embarrassing or downright dangerous. This is a place for you to share those “my-face-is-still-red” or “that-was-a-close-one” moments with people who truly understand. It is also a chance to hear from others and remember that you are not alone. And that it is not your fault.  

Forgot I drove myself to work...
Last year, before diagnosis, I drove myself to work instead of my husband driving me (which he did fairly often). After work, I sat there for an HOUR waiting for him to pick me up, getting madder by the minute as he wasn't answering the phone. I then decided to walk home, and as I went out the door, I put my hand into my purse out of habit and lo and behold, there were my keys! That's when I knew something was definately wrong, I was only 43 years old! It seriously scared me, but the Dr. blew it off when I mentioned it at my next appt. Now it's just kind of funny, and I know why it happened.
—ShootingStarMagic

What's my name?
More than once I've been unable to recall my name. For instance, at the grocery checkout I get out my checkbook and then just stand there. Extremely embarrassing. And I'm too far gone to remember to look at the name and address info printed at the top of the check. Probably the walking and thinking while shopping is just too much for my poor brain.
—tomtenward

Did Someone Break Into My Car?
One day I was at the store and came out and got in my car and thought someone had broken in. I called my hubby. I told him someone broke in the car. He said, "Did they take anything?". I said, "I don't know, but they broke the stick shift off." He said "What?". I said "I searched under the seat and in the back and it's gone...They broke it off". He said..."What are you do you mean?" I said "You know ,the think you shift 1st, 2nd, 3rd"...He again said "What are you talking about?..."You have an automatic"!...DUH!
—mcmsgroup

Just can't pay attention
I was sitting on the couch one night watching TV and working on a Cross Stitch project. No problem. My daughter came in and starting telling me a story, I saw her lips moving but I didn't hear her, I couldn't remember where I was in my count on the cross stitch and I lost track of the TV show I was half watching. I just froze sitting on the couch. My daughter, bless her heart, said, "Mommy, are you feeling okay?" I heard that and then had her repeat what she had said. My husband asked later if I was okay and I told him that I just froze up. I didn't understand anything that was happening at that point in time. He still thinks that I was just tired. I don't think so because it happens in the middle of the morning when I am wide awake. One to many things at once and I overheat, shutdown, and have to reboot.
—stardubois

[saveone]

The most embarrassing one for me was when I forgot how to pump gas.  I was on my way to the neuro's office.  I was late getting out the door.  I couldn't find my car keys.  Fifteen minutes later I find them exactly were I was looking...on the kitchen table right in front of me.  I just didn't see/comprehend they were there?  So out the door I go.  I stop at the gas station where I have pumped gas hundred's of times before.  I go in and pay....it is pre-pay.  I come out and I can't remember how much I had paid for.  I started to panic because I didn't want to go back and ask.  Then I remembered, the pump shuts off automatically.  So to the pump I go.  I pick up the nozzle and that was it.  I couldn't remember how to turn the pump on.  Reading the directions didn't help because I couldn't understand what the nozzle was.  I am really beggining to panic.  I look around to see if ppl were watching.  I finally decided to push the yellow button....heck the worst it could do is blow up...LOL.  Thank God pushing the button was the thing I needed to do.  I would have been humiliated to have had to go back inside and ask how to pump gas.

terry

[jensequitur]

I have so many of these!  Forgetting my boss's name at work - I kept trying to call him 'Tim,' when his name is 'Steve.'  Or when I called a sales rep to ask a question, but dialed my home phone instead - and when my husband picked up the phone, I didn't recognize his voice.  I made spinach dip for a party, and noticed it looked a little weird, but didn't think anything of it.  When I got home, I realized I'd missed the crucial ingredient - the spinach!  It was still in the freezer.

I've noticed all of this gets worse when I'm in a flare.  During a flare, I really don't want to talk to people, because I have a hard time finding words.  I avoid making decisions while I'm in a flare.  Doing math - right out.  I tried doing my taxes mid-flare one time... whoo-boy!  I kept putting bills down and forgetting what I'd done with them.  I finally filed an extension and waited until I felt better.

[TeriK1972]

This is probably the most frustrating thing I have ever experienced.  Under normal circumstances, I can talk a person's ear off but, lately, I avoid talking simply because I forget common words and sit there trying to find it.  Or I go off on tangents because I can't track a conversation for anything.  I got lost in a town with 5 stoplights.  I lost my car in a parking lot simply because another white truck parked on the other side of me.  I became really upset thinking that someone had towed me.  The bad thing is the parking lot only held 7 slots.  My daughter will ask a question and I find that I am unable to spit the answer out and struggle to just get started.  My spelling has gotten atrocious.  I can't organize more complicated tasks and feel immobilized when I have to do so.  Like some others, I am afraid I will be off in lala land a miss a stoplight.  Downtown Denver traffic scares me to death with the frequent stops; I might miss one.  Oh, and forget about multi-tasking...walking and chewing gum is deadly.