Saturday, October 18, 2008

Multiple Sclerosis time bouncing

With Multiple Sclerosis progression follows the short circuiting of cognitive and memory related functions. As a spouse caregiver, I label it time bouncing.

Driving and chatting with Patti Friday evening she could recall nothing of her day or even her dinner only minutes before.

At my suggestion of popcorn, pumpkin ice cream, TV and of course ‘ciggies’ she added how much she was looking forward to watching “Dark Shadows”.

When her memory starts to time bounce like this I often become the mentally confused end of the conversation. She continued on about the vampire Barnabas Collins being her favorite character and some snippets of stories.

Dark Shadows was a gothic soap opera broadcast on late afternoon TV from 1966 to 1971. … Was Patti supplementing the absence of now with a memory from her 11th to 16th years of age?

Reruns may have been available in some areas in syndication on and off until 1990. I certainly have never seen her watch it. Then again I have only been part of the picture since early 80’s.

Whatever! She may as well have been in the time-travel stairwell of the show’s Collinwood Mansion.

I personally never watched, read, or was in the same room with a vampire, fictional or undead since being freaked out as a kid after watching Dracula starring Bela Lugosi. … After years of teasing by our daughter I finally addressed my phobia just a couple years ago by making myself read the original novel Dracula by Bram Stoker (yes, with a crucifix within reach, just in case).

On thing for sure when time bouncing with Patti, long term memory can walk in the NOW not unlike the undead.



Caregivingly Yours, Patrick Leer
website: http://www.caregivinglyyours.com/
videos: http://www.youtube.com/daddyleer
musings: http://www.lairofcachalot.blogspot.com/

5 comments:

  1. Every once in a while on the SciFi channel or the channels that constantly play older series, Dark Shadows will pop up. Could she have seen one at the center recently? How surreal that a memory from long ago would be bigger than life, compared to what she did a few hours ago. (Hugs)Indigo

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  2. I think it is wonderful she can remember something that has happened with so many details. Of course YOU are the confused one! lol

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  3. oh my gosh I loved Dark Shadows; hadn't thought of it in years though; so glad Patti did so that you would write about it; that particular show didn't bother me, but reading Salem's Lot by Stephen King certainly did

    take care of yourself Patrick

    betty

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  4. ((((((((((((((HUGSTOYOU))))))))))))))))))I think that is great Patti can remember something like a long time ago,maybe She did see a rerun at the center.I think I heard os that show before.Hope you all have a nice Sundayy.

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  5. I'm with Patti!! Take me to Dark Shadows! When Charlie was just a baby, DS came on around 8:30 or 9:00 every weekday morning. Somehow, he always timed his morning bottle around that time.
    He always liked the things I did!

    Jackie

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