deb727,
remembering things 20 years ago is me too. that's what scares me because my dad's dementia worked like that and in the end he was totally living in the past!

Cognitive problems are the most disabling for me. Fatigue creates even more complications. I have a friend that likes to tease me by saying, "If Hope can't remember what happened, she will make something up." The strange thing is that until someone corrects me, I really think inside this silly head of mine, that this is what happened. The sad part is that those who don't understand often have the impression that I am a liar. And this makes me sad. It also makes me take a second look at people who are considered "habitual liars" as possible co-sufferers. One thing about this silly illness, it sure pulls compassion from places never thought possible.

its a hard thing to explain to people isnt it, I get a lot of "oh everyone has those problems" I have to tell them sure but not all damn day long and the number times they will screw up is the number of times we get it right. thats a hard thing to get across.

I see, I'm not alone. how many times, have I heard. (everybody has those problems). my answer is. NOT EVERYBODY HAS M/S. people don't seem to understand, it's alot worse for us, I am so glad I found this group. I'm finnally talking to people who understand. Hugs to of you. Pat

Cognitive issues... Hmmmm, I know I have them for sure! Memory... long term is fine, short term is BAD. I noticed that medications make it worse, just weaned myself off of the Fentanyl Patch for pain relief and take MS Contin instead and it lifted a BIG fog. I tried other jobs (without medications) and still cannot perform them. I took a job to just make copies for a place and I messed that up too, it was horrible. If I get side tracked by a tiny thing, all is lost.

I applied for disability and no surprise, the first try was denied, so now I appeal.

I cannot imagine being a mailman though... a lot of thinking involved.

What does your doctor say? Any restrictions? Maybe you can do something through the American Disability Act and they can give you a job within the system that is easier on you.

I prided myself on my vocabulary now I sound like an idiot with words. I forget everything now. It even took a loooong time to write this!

I think If I didnt write everything down It would be a diaster.... When i am on the phone I write everything down. Questions for the Dr i write it down... If I need to remember something My hsband has bought me a PDa... well and Now i cant live with out it I havea calendar and Smart Phone with all of that on it. It is a life line... not to memtion my computer. If i didnt have them it would leave me so lost. I am a very orgaized person which makes it good to have those things to stay that way. When i first started noticing i was having those problems I would literaly cry cause i would forget stuff he would be angry cause I would askl the same questions over and over.... I was like the one of my boys He has ADHD... only difference no Hyperactivinty...but If I had more than one instruction at a time almost nothing would get done cause I would forget befopre I could even get started......
My biggest help is writing it down... if i write I can remember it....

My father is elderly and we have the strangest conversations but at least it ends with a huge chuckle instead of strange looks. I have difficulty remembering words and seem to change topics without warning. Sometimes Dad and I are talking about three or four different things at the same time. Dad will look at me funny and say, "You just aren't making any sense." The look on that sweet man's face -- he is trying his best to understand (unlike others who have no cognitive problems of their own) but is so befuddled. One thing is that his inhibitions are gone and he just says what he thinks instead of making me feel like I don't know I'm having problems. For some reason his acceptance of me and my acceptance of him has created a bond I treasure so much. Especially now.

Goodness I can definitely relate to your problems. It used to help writing things down and I was thankful for that time. But then it got so something happened in my head where I couldn't process spoken words into spelling them out into anything that was meaningful later. This experience is sometimes like a bad nightmare.

But there are moments, like with my father, when this experience has made bonds I don't think I would have ever had without the disease.

For the first time in my life I have had to start using a diary-I look at it every day and have remembered an appointment up until an hour before I have had to leave and then forgotten the appointment-Hello MS!
I have turned up at appointments that were scheduled for the next week- Hello MS! I put it down to the MS as I am only 39. Oops I forgot I have to go out in 15 mins.

hey mailman, this one's for you!
yesterday...couldn't find the hopital, didn't recognize it when i found it, didn't know where to go once i did and couldn't remember what i was there for when someone asked if i needed help....oh it all finally worked out but it was a long day...crying's been done, now it's time to laugh :)

ive got a better one. lmao. the doctor put me on restrictions. NO DRIVING, my boss said, I could drive, the very day I turned the paper in, because it hadn't been approved from higher up. lol.......THIS IS THE POST OFFICE WORKING FOR YOU.

Yep "brain fog". Boy I say the most stupid things and DO the most stupid things due to the brain/cognitive issues.

One that I did just the other day, well it sort of takes the cake and the locals who caught it WILL NEVER let me live it down.

Work for a TB racing stable. Was asked to take the wheely bin to the front gate on my way out. Sure thing, hook it on the tow bar of my 4WD. Ummmmmm, drove out the front gate, turned right to town to get milk and bread, doing 90kms down the highway, park, go into shop, come out.................wheelie bin is STILL on the back of my car!!!!!!! The wheels were smoking a bit, but still there and the rubbish was still in it. With the help of a gentleman friend we put bin in back of my 4WD and I put it at the front gate on my way home!

Likewise the comments about liars. I also recognise that and really wonder how things come out my mouth at times.

I keep a diary of my MS, all appointments written down etc. Have to take a list to my GP otherwise would not remember what to tell him.

Work, my other part time job, working on a computer can be challenging these days.

This is from someone who WAS so bloody articulate, straight A student, from extremely highly academic family..............:-((

It is one of the hardest symptons to deal with. I tend not to talk to a lot of people due to embarrassing myself too often.

cognitive problems for me was walking into the bosses office and him telling me what to do and walking out of the office and half way down the hall walking back to clarify what he just said.....gotta love the MonSter.

My concentration has always been bad and it's a real hard thing for me to deal with. I am in college so I have to really work with myself to get reading assignments done. I am still able to work though at this time.

My cognitive problems are pretty bad. I had to leave my job four years ago because of my memory. I had my job for ten years and came to work one day and couldn't remember how to do my job at all. Talk about scary. I faked it for a short time until I realized that faking it wouldn't work any longer and finally left. That's when I finally got on SS disability.