Thursday, November 12, 2009

Does Motherhood = Loss of Brain Cells

I'm seriously posing this question to all of you moms out there. How long does this condition last? Maybe it subsides once they go away to college. I'll be an old lady by then & dementia may begin to set in. Or is it permanent? If so, I'm screwed!

Let me start by saying that I did have, what my husband liked to refer to as, "Jessica Simpson moments" before Leo was born. They were not a daily occurrence. Many times it was just me not really paying attention or being observant. I'd also like to add that I was never a big pot smoker, so that can't be the reason for my current condition. Yes, that's what I refer to it as because sometimes it's downright frightening.

In the past year I have done things like stand in a very long line at the post office with Leo, only to get up to the counter and realize I did not take the stuff I needed to mail with me. And it's not like it was a couple of letters that I thought I placed in my purse, we're talking packages. I have called friends and family to tell them something but can't remember what. And it does not come to me after we stay on the phone for a while. In fact, IT NEVER comes to me. I have gone into the kitchen to do something and cannot for the life of me remember what. Then Tom will call on his way home from work to see if I need anything & it hits me. Oh that's why I went into the kitchen - to make dinner!

I have misplaced things like keys and sunglasses only to find them in my pocket or on my head. I have misplaced gifts that I bought in advance. Which is strange, since I have a bin in my closet for this purpose. Well, this one is not too strange. I think this might be a family condition. My mom would say things on Christmas morning like, "Did you like the gold bracelet Santa got you?" I would look at her perplexed because one, I was 15 & no longer believed in Santa & two, there was not any gold bracelet under the tree. I'm still waiting for that gift.

The strangest thing about this condition is that when it comes to Leo and my job, my mind is super sharp. I'll pack for a family trip and remember every single tiny minute thing for the baby. Heck I remember everything I need even just to take him on a walk. I was also the designer/project manager on a huge gut renovation this year. I could remember everything down to the smallest detail like the color of the grout in the master bath, but some days I'm not sure if I took a shower.

So all you moms out there please let me know what I can do to help with this. Are there some brain exercises I should be doing? What about herbal remedies? Is this just something I must now learn to live with like my C-section scar? I may be grateful for my condition once Leo is a teenager.

Posted by Dawn Falcone @ 8:04 PM 3 comments

3 Comments:

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At 12:01 AM, Anonymous Stephanie said...

I was just thinking about this the other day! I think it took me about two years to feel like my brain was finally my own again, though I don't think I'll ever recover from my now-constant state of being easily distracted.

One thing that helped me? That cranberry energy drink (Cranergy). It doesn't give me more energy, but it does help me focus. I think the B vitamins must have something to do with it.

Of course, I might only be imagining that I'm feeling more mentally capable. Maybe that's just my brain trying to make me feel better!

 
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At 8:43 AM, Blogger Dawn Falcone said...

Stephanie thanks for the tip. I'm going to start taking vitamin B & drinking Cranergy. It can't hurt!

 
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