Short term and working memory loss is driving me crazy

[notinvisible]

To make a long story short- I am 24. I was diagnosed with short term memory loss and a working memory problem. I scored in the 8th percentile or less for both of these which bascially means its terrible.

At any rate, now I have graduated college and I have my first real job, teaching Special Ed. I keep getting myself in trouble because I cannot remember anything! I write things on notes but they don't help, my calendar isn't big enough, and I would lose a Palm Pilot (I lost my keys 4 times in one day a few weeks ago).

Also I get distracted very easily and as a special educator, I have to take behavior notes on kids. When I go to take a behavior note, when I try to go back to teaching, I can't remember what I was teaching and vice versa.

Does anyone have a good idea that I can use to organize myself before I go crazy? Any good websites, tools, assistive technology, etc?

Thank you so much!

[Nana4&cntn]

Hi,

Welcome to BT, I am so sorry no one has answered your post.

As an special ed teacher, you really do need to keep on top of things, one thing to think is to make a game with the kids to remind you what you were teaching, some of them might get a kick out of the game. Otherwise, I don't have any ideas.

I wish you well and if I think of anything I will let you know.

Keep me posted

kathy

[houghchrst]

what about getting a lanyard and attaching a small pouch or something to it that you can store notes, keys, whatever you need in it. When you are ready to start your notes write what you were teaching on last and put it in the pouch and when you are done with the notes you can look in your pouch and see your note. Or even maybe a fanny pack. Something you can attach to your person that way you won't have to worry about setting things down and forgetting them.

Here is a link to a site that has some nice lanyards instead of the run of the mill kind. http://teachergifts.com/lanyard.htm

As you can see fanny packs have come a long way. http://shopping.msn.com/results/fanny-waist-packs/bcatid7956/forsale?text=category:fanny-waist-packs

[davidmic61]

I have been shunt dependent since 1978 and after my most recent shunt revision (12/98) my memory has gone to pot. My Daytimer is my saving grace. I have lost a couple of them. The only trouble I have with the daytimer, is I forget to write things down in it.

One idea that might help, would be to designate a special corner on your blackboard as a "where to continue" area. "Where to continue" may cue you to your next thought process instead of telling you where you were, but not giving a path to your destination.

Good luck my friend and keep using those kids as allies. They may also have some helpful tips for you.

[alyms79]

I have them both too. My neurophys testing showed that I was close to demintia..
I can not have a conversation,without loosing my train of tought atleast a dozen times.
now that the copaxone has taken away all the lesions on my brain,my memory has improved some,but not all the way,so I am not considered close to demintia anymore.
Have u ever tried to excersise your brain.. I found an awsome site called brangle.. it has helped me some with my short term memory..
that sux that u have to deal with this at only 24 though...

hugz,
aly

[lewisl]

Hi,

Although I am not a teacher, I have similar issues in that I have many extended interruptions in my work day. To deal with short term memory problems I always have a notepad handy at my desk and I quickly write down what I am currently doing and what I will do next. It is only just a few three or four word phrases to jog my memory. You can also complete this at the end of the day with a few to-do list items of what you intend to do the next day.

These small things are quick, easy and very effective and when you make it a habit it becomes very smooth and seamless.

As for losing your keys you can stop that by only having specific places to put them (and no other). For me my keys must be in my right pocket. If they need to be out of my pocket in the house, then they must be put in the top dresser drawer. The key here, sorry for the pun :-), is there can be no exceptions. The benefit is that it frees up your short term memory space for other things.

Hope this helps.

[Vince F]

To make a long story short- I am 24. I was diagnosed with short term memory loss and a working memory problem. I scored in the 8th percentile or less for both of these which bascially means its terrible.

At any rate, now I have graduated college and I have my first real job, teaching Special Ed. I keep getting myself in trouble because I cannot remember anything! I write things on notes but they don't help, my calendar isn't big enough, and I would lose a Palm Pilot (I lost my keys 4 times in one day a few weeks ago).

Also I get distracted very easily and as a special educator, I have to take behavior notes on kids. When I go to take a behavior note, when I try to go back to teaching, I can't remember what I was teaching and vice versa.

Does anyone have a good idea that I can use to organize myself before I go crazy? Any good websites, tools, assistive technology, etc?

Thank you so much!

What was the cause of your problem?

I had a chemical injury that damaged my brain and everything else. I couldn't remember much, but my long term memory was still pretty good. I had to relearn a lot. I was recommended for cognitive therapy, but physically I couldn't handle the schedule. To do things I had to write down the steps, and even then I had to wait till I could do the task, which usually took an emergency to get me moving. I watched Sesame St a lot, and that helped some things, and for math that I couldn't do in my head, I made exercises, like writing the multiplication tables, and adding and subtracting groups of numbers I was involved with, like estimating what foods I was going to buy would cost, and adding the numbers. I was buying a PC, and I had to add parts to a bare bones unit, so I listed the price of the bare machine, and added different parts, adding each one to the list of prices of the parts with a different one added, like a bigger hard drive. I did it over and over, because I would forget what the totals included, even though I listed each item, it didn't make sense, so I would redo them. If I was reading something I would forget what I read, and would keep going back and rereading. I used to design and build a lot of things, and would draw the design, and when drawing it with changes, I would redraw what I drew before, or make a mistake, and have to Redraw it. I had lost my ability to visualize in 3D, so it was hard to design complicated things, and I used to design and build complicated speaker cabinets with expanding and turning passageways, and when trying to draw them I would want to turn my head to try to visualize and draw them, which doesn't work.

VF

I think these exercises helped me remember, or figure how to, maybe putting the abilities into longer term memory or something, that helped me figure how to remember new and different things.

[WLiaJ]

I am proud that you are a Special Ed teacher, because I have similar problems as you and I decided against going into Special Ed. I wish I hadn't given up. You will have more empathy for your students. Coping mechanisms that I use: voice record on my cell phone - I can whisper into it and if I lose my cell phone, I can call it. Also, my MP3 player has voice record. ( I bought it on overstock.com for just under 30.00, doesn't hold much music, but great way to record notes.) My cell phone has note pad which helps. I have a ring on my jeans that I hold keys and such. Yes, it jingles, but I know it is there. I substitute teach and the students know of my problems. I assign one student as my "secretary" and they jot notes down for me and then hand them to me later. Also, for the distraction, it is hard to focus. I know. I have ADHD, was diagnosed at age of 34 and am now in my 50's. Ritalin or equivalent helps with the distraction. Also, playing focusing games at home. Like when you are cooking. Leave TV on and focus on cooking only. No washing dishes, or any other activity. Don't leave your cooking and don't let the TV distract you. Stay focused. Same thing with your other chores. You have to retrain your brain. It is not easy, but you can do it. There is no quick fix. I also have a short term memory loss. Give me five minutes and I may remember what you said, but I definitely won't remember seconds after you tell me. I write down two words immediately on a scrap piece of paper that I put in my pocket. I keep a pencil or pen on a string tied to my belt loop or on a stretchable string. That, like another writer mentioned before, will help jog your memory. If I can remember other coping devices, I will share them.

[notinvisible]

I am so sorry its taken me so long to answer. I couldn't remember my password and I couldn't remember the email I signed up using. (haha, thats why I am here, I guess)

Anyways, I really like your ideas. The fanny packs do look a lot better these days. I am going to get a lanyard for next year, probably one of the pretty ones on the link hough shared...I know they make pens that go on lanyards...now I am just thinking about the notes...maybe I can get a small fannypack like hough suggested and keep a notepad in there. I am going to teach at a very small school next year for students with disabilities and I think I am going to disclose my disability. I didn't at my last school because they were very ableist, but it caused me a lot of problems not being able to ask for help.

I also like the idea of "where to continue" or "secretary". I have a lot of kids who are really willing to please so I may implement this until the end of the school year and see how it goes. Lately, I've been yelling at the kids for getting water without asking but it turns out they did ask me :( (I have to yell as the water fountain is outside and far away from my class)

Vince, they aren't sure about the cause of my STM problem, but I've had it since childhood. It very well may have been a lack of oxygen I suffered from because my umbilical cord was around my neck. I have always adapted quite well, made it through school without being in special ed which is amazing for someone with a memory impairment like mine (I did have accomodations through a 504 plan though).

ALyms, where is the line between dementia and short term memory loss? I really feel like my memory is getting worse, and I feel a lot more severely disabled by it than I was as a child. I am going to look for that brangle site when I get off here.

I am very pleased by the quality of answers I got here. Lots of support, ideas, and no whining like some other sites. I will definitely be around some more.

Last question, do you know where I can go for help with these memory issues? I got some help when I was a child but the program is only for children. I'd like to see if the memory issues are due to something they can fix. I've never even had an MRI.

[Vince F]

I keep my passwords pretty simple, and even ones I want to make harder for hackers, I make it similar to the easy ones, so it is easier to remember, or about something I am Very familiar with, like the names of the dogs I have had, in the order I had them.

When in the service we had an civilian instructor who taught a memory course, and he said to relate things on a list to bizarre images to remember them, like a purple chicken, and other odd things. It wasn't easy before my injury, but then I never tried that hard. Maybe it will help someone, and I have heard others teach a course like it.

One thing that happens, when I am trying to remember something and can't, if I stop trying, it usually comes back shortly after I stop trying. It can be frustrating, if I am with someone and I or we are trying, and then I remember after we part.))

I seem to have a harder time remembering when on line when typing. I think because there is more than just my mind involved, since if I am typing, I have typed the idea or item again, and if I remember, going back to try to edit, I have to look for it, so my vision and typing are involved, so have to keep changing focus, and my vision was damaged, along with my muscles.

[FoolsGold]

I am 24. I was diagnosed with short term memory loss and a working memory problem. You are lucky that you atleast fit a diagnostic pattern. My doctors denied I had memory problems. And at UWPhysicians they seemed to feel it was normal to keep having my car towed and ticketed, to show up places I had not intended to travel to, to get lost in my own neighborhood, to forget who I was talking to or where I was.

One advantage of your being a special ed teacher is that you can use the items sold in children's stores without arousing any comments: so buy noteboards and markers.

Also get a beeper for your keys, if you get more than 20 yards away from your keys, the device in your pocket beeps at you.

[Daisy]

I am so sorry its taken me so long to answer. I couldn't remember my password and I couldn't remember the email I signed up using. (haha, thats why I am here, I guess)

Anyways, I really like your ideas. The fanny packs do look a lot better these days. I am going to get a lanyard for next year, probably one of the pretty ones on the link hough shared...I know they make pens that go on lanyards...now I am just thinking about the notes...maybe I can get a small fannypack like hough suggested and keep a notepad in there. I am going to teach at a very small school next year for students with disabilities and I think I am going to disclose my disability. I didn't at my last school because they were very ableist, but it caused me a lot of problems not being able to ask for help.

I also like the idea of "where to continue" or "secretary". I have a lot of kids who are really willing to please so I may implement this until the end of the school year and see how it goes. Lately, I've been yelling at the kids for getting water without asking but it turns out they did ask me :( (I have to yell as the water fountain is outside and far away from my class)

Vince, they aren't sure about the cause of my STM problem, but I've had it since childhood. It very well may have been a lack of oxygen I suffered from because my umbilical cord was around my neck. I have always adapted quite well, made it through school without being in special ed which is amazing for someone with a memory impairment like mine (I did have accomodations through a 504 plan though).

ALyms, where is the line between dementia and short term memory loss? I really feel like my memory is getting worse, and I feel a lot more severely disabled by it than I was as a child. I am going to look for that brangle site when I get off here.

I am very pleased by the quality of answers I got here. Lots of support, ideas, and no whining like some other sites. I will definitely be around some more.

Last question, do you know where I can go for help with these memory issues? I got some help when I was a child but the program is only for children. I'd like to see if the memory issues are due to something they can fix. I've never even had an MRI.

It's interesting I just went and had testing and finally realized that while I had my nuero issues diagnosed years ago with epilepsy they never caught the short term issues until I was talking to a different epi nurse and she suggested getting the same testing I'd referred my general ed students to for years. It was strange taking the same tests I'd read results on for several years but it was finally so amazing to have the answers to questions I've struggled with for years since high school and college. I have trouble retaining certain types of information. It was brought to my attention the first time I was brought in with a tonic clonic seizure and they gave me a list of words and I though I had entered the twilight zone. I couldn't hold the list of words in my head. Finally after being hammered at for several minutes I asked them to give me some questions from history and sure enough with some context I could answer the questions fully.

When I took the tests I realized that has been a coping mechanism for years, chunking information, finding some relative means to keep the information together, and thus find relevance for remembering it.

As for the classroom, many of the routines we develop for kids work great as memory aids for the teacher as well. Several years ago we were asked to have better immediate retention of location of students for emergency purposes as we were improving our lock down situations. So many who had more casual check out procedures for students started using magnets, laundry clips and other methods to create a visual demonstration of where our students where so we could have immediate recall in case of emergency. Students would put the magnet, clip, etc. on the designated area once approval had been received to leave the room and return it upon returning to the classroom. It teaches a routine and gives responsiblity to the kids and it provides a quick visual recall to all teachers because in the midst of a busy day any teacher can use a quick reminder to be certain in an emergency that all students are where they should be and it also serves those who need a memory boost as well.

Making reminders on the board, writing schedules, etc. is a great way to help the kids and yourself remember what needs to be done when and it also serves to help you and the kids stay focused and on task. I used to put the schedule on the board at the end of the day for the next day and it was a great way to help me get orginized for the next day as it was there and waiting when I came in. I'd set up what I could before I left and also worked towards making the class self orginizing as well. Kids do well learning routines and structure and helping them to become more independent not only helps you but it helps them as well to learn skills of orginization, planning, and self-checking.

[lfaitel]

:) I don't read all of the posts every time I come to this page and just got to your post.

My name is Lori I survived a TBI in 1986 and had difficulty with short term memory, I too went to college and received my COTA-2 year OT degree. I have been practicing since 1992. I began keeping a small spiral not book in my lab coat and wrote notes all day and at the end of the day when I had to summarize the treatments I provided I had my note book to help me recall each treatment.

I did that for at least 5 years, I no longer need the notebook but I do write my end of the day notes at lunch time and again before I leave work. I noticed after I quit using the spiral note pads that many other therapists began carrying notepads, just to make their work day easier.

As a therapist and in college as a form of therapy in short term memory treatment I have studied and used both personally and with clients a technique called "backward chaining."

For example when I misplace my purse I stop looking and take deep breath. Sometimes I close my eyes and some times I just think back and imagine the moves I made since I realized I misplaced my purse: If right now I couldnt find my purse I would think- I am sitting on the couch watching Tv as I work on my macbook, before that I cleaned up the kitchen from dinner, before that I was in the garage bringing in the coney take-out. Did I leave my purse in my car? NO Since I purchased the take out I must have had my purse in the restaurant-do I remember what I did with my purse after I paid?-NO...but when I come home I normally hang up my blazer on the coat rack and hang my purse under it so before I head to the restaurant I will check to see if my purse is under my blazer. HONESTLY... I just checked and YES my purse was hanging under my blazer.

THis technique takes practice but it is 95% perfect for me to find anything!

Hope some of this helps.

Keep trying;)

[2holly]

A speech/language pathologist can help you with memory.