Oh...and here's another one.

I'm afraid I'm going boil some water to make tea, forget about it and leave the house with the water on the stove.

So, yesterday, I wrapped the cord of my purse through my tea mug to remind myself to check the water on the stove.

there must betricks to use like achick list atthe doorto reenforcea routine ie check stove lights kettleetc before leeaving.
Or always putting things in same place I loose things and forget whereI put things for safe keeping and pass words and namesare my worst. due to BI years agoMy glasses- I have a special glass tray in bathroom to place them on at night as Icantseetofind them.

I've been taking fish oil pills for like $10 for 100. Take 1 at breakfast and 1 at lunch. It really helps and it tastes fine. It works awesome! It's helped my memory sooo much! GOOD LUCK!

Even though I don't have a BI, I do understand what you're going through. My husband thinks I'm being ridiculous, but I really worry because of how often I forget or misplace things...

I know the tea thing is just one example of what you're trying to deal with but can you use a microwave instead? At least that way if you forget about it, you won't burn the house down.

Something I do sometimes is set the kitchen timer. If I think I won't be in the kitchen when the timer goes off I will stick it in my pocket.

Post-it notes work for me too. I would put one on my purse or on the front door.

Hey Elanie- A huge problem following my TBI and even now, 6 years later, I still have trouble with my memory. I think now sometimes it is more the fact that I have too many things going on to be able to remember those small things.

Fish oil also helped me. I am so glad that Meagan mentioned it. It is something I still use to this day. I started using Fish oil in my daily regimen, when I heard of the coal miner that had such improvement after the Aquired Brain injury from oxygen deprivation.

Although my injury was very traumatic, the Fish oil did begin to make a difference with in the week that I started taking it. I did not see a doctor, or ask if it was ok. So, I'm not telling anyone to take Fish oil, that's just what helped me and what I did.

I use to wash clothes and forget that I had washed them, and figure it out when I opened the washer to find some really foul smelling clothes, usually a couple days later. I don't do that anymore.

Now the issue I have the most trouble with is the short term memory. I have learned to write stuff down, complete whatever it is that I need to remember immediately, and place things in sight. I use my calendar and alarm clock on my phone like crazy, and I try to not venture far from a routine. That will throw me off too.

I hope you are able to find more ways to compensate. It's tough to be constantly trying to remember what to do next. A very tiring job!!

Good luck!

We can carry a bike on the bus lines here. I'm afraid that I'll forget my bike until the bus is driving off, so i just ride my bike no matter how far.

If I have to remember things, sometimes its like holding a hot potato.. have to just keep tossing it up, make sure i remember cuz if i let it go for a second it's gone.

all that being said, it's much better today than it was a few years ago, but I still have to work it more than i ever did in life before :)

My husband has the TBI but as I am nearing 70, I too have memory problems. One thing that helps me is that when I put something down or up, I look at it and say out loud "the keys are on the dresser" Then when I am looking for something I have a visual and auditory memory both to help me.

Husband is always saying, Did you write it down? Usually not, and have lost some things for a couple of years. But its always nice to get a surprise you have forgotten about one day isnt it? But no joke when you lock 4 car keys in car and have to call road asist, we call it racq over here. He camly said, forget to get keys out of ignition did you, ought to get a spare set for your purse. Had been going to see a client for work and bag with spare key in locked boot, so do have that. Another is on the folder that is on the front seat, and last is also in bag in case I loose the one that is in purse. Oh, well, this is a first for me, all 4, he said with a grin and unlocked car for me. In the days when I still drove. No fun when its something important. I had all our important documents in an attache case we could just grab if we needed to leave house fast. Hubby decided to file them one day when I wasnt home. Now house insurance doesnt mean it is under H or I, could be B for building insurance, or under the intial of insurance firm. No idea where our marriage certificate is filed. If it cant be found, does that mean I can claim never was whenever I want to? He says must sort it all out, but has been saying it for months. Still has the empty case. Thats promising.

I really appreciate all the replies.

Meagan & SweetSeaEyes - Thanks for the reminder about fish oil. My Docs wanted me to take them, but I've had a hard time because they are so acidic. I'm going to try again though.

WTD - I think you are right about the tea. I do prefer my water heated on the stove. But, better for me to do it in the microwave and be safer. Good thought!

HMeyers - VERY good description of a hot potato. I will sometimes talk to myself when I'm going somewhere i.e. "I have to do X."

Maybe it looks weird if anyone sees/hears me, but it does work!

Which relates to what Wildflower wrote. Yup - that is a good reminder of what I learned when I went through therapy. I'll have to work on that.

It's such a pain because in regular life, to try to remember every single thing is hard. Used to come naturally.

You guys are so resourceful. I have been giving Larry fish oil since he came home from the hospital. He is slowly recovering his day by day memory and that is a blessing. I mean he can remember what happened yesterday and so he is beginning to build on new memories.

Usually what I do to keep from forgetting is completing that task ASAP. I mean, I can't wait to do it later, because I will forget. So I stop whatever I am doing as soon as I think of whatever, or if someone tells me to complete something. I just go ahead and do it right them.

Now with the remembering to do things that I can't do right that second. I use my phone. It has a calandar and an alarm clock in it. I use those tools all the time. Or, like say the I need to remember to get something out of the oven. Instead of using the single beep from the oven alarm. I always set the alarm on the microwave. That one goes off until I go turn it off. So, there is no room for me to forget that a single beep told me a few seconds ago to be. My memory will forget within seconds. I have to go to the microwave and turn it off, and that reminds me that there is a reason it was set. :) I have to get something out of the oven.

I hope that helps Elanie. And good luck to everyone!!

Hi, I have a daytimer where I write the important things I want to remember in. I learned it in rehab and it's been 17 years.

It takes me a good 15 tries to leave in the morning before i get almost everything i need. post its are my best friend ever that and double sided tape. i havea strip on my nightstand, beside my keys, adn in my car. i stick every note or necessity to it so i know where it is to grab it or to remind me that i need it.

I am a believer in fish oil. It helps people with TBI. As far as forgetting things I got an IPad to assist me. It tells me when to take certain medications, what appointments I have this day. I also take pictures of people that I file away with their name, if I can't remember a name it takes a couple of taps to find their picture and find their name. When I know I am going to come across with people stored on my IPad, I refresh my memory with pictures of the people and names that i will see. After doing this I find myself remembering the names of the people that I have filed on the IPad. IPad or similar tablets should be given to people who have suffered a TBI before they go out of the
hospital or rehab center into the real world. I also have several brain games and training sessions for the brain on the IPad.

We love Post-it Notes at our house! Writing things down helps so much and then sticking the note in a very conspicuous place makes it much easier as well!

Have any of you ever read the book 'I'll Carry the Fork'??? It is about a gal who sustained a TBI and she develops all kinds of ways to aid her memory. For instance, she kept forgetting to take things out of the oven. Hence, when she had something cooking, she'd carry a fork around with her to remind her something was in the oven. It's a great book ... inspirational more than useful, I suppose, but worth the read.