Wait...why am I writing...SQUIRREL!

Memory lapse is a little joy of MS.  Short term (and I mean very short term) memory takes a hit with the lesions in my brain.  Matt asked me to get him a snack (he hurt his knee mountain biking the other day and has to walk on crutches).  10 minutes later I was sitting on the couch thinking, "Did Matt ask me to get something for him?  Hmmmmm...no I don't think so."  Then 30 minutes later he kindly asked me again if I could get him that snack.  "OH!  That's what you asked me!"  Good Grief!

I now have some sympathy for my ADD students.  You know the ones; they are telling you about their visit to the zoo and suddenly they say "I think I need a manicure."  and then go on about the last time they did their nails and the polish was supposed to be purple with glitter gloss and then it chipped when they were at their brothers soccer game...do you think Germany is going to win their next match?  My uncle went to Germany....and on and on.

Sometimes it is as if I blinked a moment too long.  I went to Target the other day and I put my wallet in the shopping bag when I was leaving the register.  I NEVER do that.  I didn't even remember doing it.  I got to the gas station and had a panic attack because my wallet was not in my purse.  I had Reilly look through the bags and there it was.  I could not recall even touching the shopping bag.  I had Fynn carry it out to the car.  Total blank spot in my brain.

I aso find my attention drifting as well.  I will be thinking trough how to accomplish a task - like organizing how and when to get each part of dinner going, and I suddenly find myself thinking about a movie scene that I really like.  Then I look around me and realize that I was making dinner.

This could be a good thing if I can use it correctly...I could tell that annoying person in my life just how extremely annoying they are and then "forget".  I could rob a bank and then "forget" but then I might also forget where I put the money so that might not work so well.  And I don't think a plea of Forgetfulness is a valid defense.  I could also forget what I was doing in the middle of the robbery and walk out without the money.

So the next time you ask me to do something and I act like I have NO IDEA what you are talking about you can remind me gently that you asked me.  Make sure I write it in the calendar on my phone or on the way cool paper calendar Emily made for me.  I do remember to look at that - because that is a habit that I have established.

When school restarts I will look with more understanding upon my weird middle schooler.  Ok, that may be going a little too far.

People Soup for breakfast

So I started swimming.  The first day I just used a kick board or did the side stroke.  I swam with my 12 year old daughter for about 30 minutes.  I discovered that you can  not giggle and swim.

There was a Fo Real swimmer in the lane next to us; swim cap, speedo, googles, and a chamois instead of a towel <---DUDE!.  He was SERIOUS about swimming.  Freestyle up and backstroke back.  Non-stop.  Cutting through the water like a hot knife through butter or a ravenous toddler through a bowl of dry Cherrios.  I was a bit intimadated.

At one point I was kicking with the board near the lane line and Mr. Louganis came unsplashingly by at 30 knots.  His wake swamped me and caused me to actually go backwards a little.  Then the giggling started and the sinking ensued.  He would swim with military precision past me, swamping me and my little kick board, and I would giggle and begin to sink.  Lap after lap.  So my first go at swimming was not as successful as I had hoped.

Every Saturday my Y offers deep water cardio at 8:30 am.  I went.  My 12 year old did not want to go because she didn't want to swim with the "old ladies".  She also didn't want to get up at 7:30 on a saturday.  You've got to have your priorities!  It was a great class and I was indeed the youngest person there (40).  I was still a bit afraid to swim laps so I came home.

This past thursday my friend Heidi met me at the Y and taught me to backstroke and breast stroke.  She gave me great encouragement and confidence.  I swam with her for about 30 minutes.  It wasn't pretty and it wasn't fast but I did it and I ENJOYED it.

I am not a swimmer.  I don't like to go to the pool and here are my main reasons; it's wet, chlorine is stinky and I hate the way it makes my skin feel, I didn't really know how to swim (I am so claustrophobic that I can not put my face in the water to swim freestyle), I am terrified of moving water (tried white water rafting - was thrown out and under two boats - no joy), and wearing a bathing suit is like sitting around in your underwear in front of other people.  So being in your undies in "people soup" - aka "the pool" has not been an appealing thing to me since I was about 10 years old.

I know that I need to exercise (high Cholesterol, diabetes, and MS demand that I do).  I have enjoyed my time in the water these past three weeks and I actually look forward to it, even plan on what days I can go.  Today I did the deep water cardio for an hour and then I swam 150 meters non stop.  (ok...I took a 5 minute pee break between the two because holy cow! water makes you have to GO!).

I am planning on swimming 3 days a week during my summer break and then at least 2 days a week during school.  I have surprised myself.  I like swimming.  I may even begin to consider myself a "swimmer".

Look out Mr. Louganis with the chamois instead of a towel, I might swamp you next time we meet!