Comments on: Forget Yourself For Just a Bit

By: Nymalous

Nymalous — Thu, 26 May 2016 22:52:19 +0000

My father had this, though they referred to it as Global Transient Amnesia, not Transient Global Amnesia, but it sounds exactly the same. He had been under some elevated stress, but what we all think ‘kicked him over the edge,’ so to speak, was when he was cleaning in the shower. He had inadvertently mixed bleach and ammonia, something you should never do (he did not read the contents of the cleansers he was using). The resulting cloud of chlorine gas affected him negatively, and he said he felt sick to his stomach and was feeling a headache. Then he kept asking the same questions over and over. “Is today garbage day? Did we put the garbage out yet? Where’s the car? Did we get the car back from the shop?” And so on. Every 7 or 8 minutes it was the same series of questions.
However, I do believe that some of what was happening was sinking in, because he started to get worried… or maybe he could just read the fear in our expressions. Anyway, we got him to the hospital, not knowing what was wrong, or even what caused it (we figured it out later in the day). While we were waiting for him to be admitted, he kept telling my mom that everything was going to be okay, and not to worry, but again, the same words, repeated every 7 or 8 minutes.
They ran tests, questioned him, did their thing, and gave us the diagnosis. We had never heard of it before. Then they kept him for observation. They couldn’t tell us what had caused it, even after questioning us as to what happened. We didn’t piece the puzzle together until the next day as he was improving. The doctor mentioned something that made both my father and I ask if chlorine could cause the condition. The doctor was surprised, but said yes it could. After that, every 7 or 8 minutes my dad would look like a lightbulb was turned on inside and say “Wait! I was cleaning with bleach and ammonia!” But by that time we were in a pattern of just telling him, yes, you’ve already said this, yes we know, just relax, and so on.
It was really weird to witness, especially since I am also a victim of memory loss. All of this with my dad happened about 2 years ago. But my own experience occurred just over 15 years ago. I had a brain tumor that couldn’t be removed surgically. It’s a long story, but after a bunch of emergency brain surgeries to deal with the massive swelling in the brain and various complications, I found myself in the midst of a nearly fatal bout of meningitis. I woke up in the hospital and was told that I had been “conscious” but unresponsive (I guess that would be catatonic) for 5 weeks. I had no memory of it. Later, bits and pieces of it would ‘flash’ in and I could recall short segments of it. But it was not pleasant…
…except for a memory of my dad, sitting in a chair in the dark hospital room, a blanket hunched over his shoulders. He knew I couldn’t see him, hear him, or talk to him. He had just worked a ten-hour day, doing a hard job that he hated, all he wanted was to go home, but his son was dying in a hospital, so there he sat, just being with me.
It is a memory that I thank God for, and will cling to, for as long as I can.

By: allduerespect88

allduerespect88 — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 05:03:19 +0000

[quote]The Article said: “it appears to be caused by stress or emotional trauma – but then again, what isn’t?”[/quote]

Herpes

By: a1c

a1c — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 22:45:05 +0000

There’s also “depersonalization,” where a person loses themselves. Not so much amnesia, as experiencing life from afar, like a movie.

By: CosmicFS

CosmicFS — Sat, 29 Jul 2006 19:37:51 +0000

I never, never believed that normal (non-brain damaged people, for example) could get amnesia-- I had always scoffed at Senator "U-boat Commander" Ted Kennedy's story that he had amnesia after he killed Mary Jo Kopekne.

I digress. Anyways, in the early 90's, my wife of over six years, had awoken me from a nap by jumping lightly on my back (I was face down, obviously) and I did not have a clue as to who she was. I knew my surroundings (crap apartment) and even knew the Spanish that she was speaking, but to me she was a total stranger.

After about a minute, the recollection began to flood back in. I still think Teddie is a liar though.

By: nathan

nathan — Mon, 24 Apr 2006 08:24:43 +0000

My girlfriend is currently taking medication to shrink a tumor in her ovaries. One of the more unpleasant side effects is a TGA type effect. Before the meds kick in she's her normal, terrific self. Once the meds kick in she'll often give you this look that you can tell means that she just woke up in a strange place and is looking at a strange person. When she first started taking the meds she would often loose any memory of what happened even a few minutes before, meaning that every minute or so she'd be in a strange place and around strange people again.

I can't count the number of times that she's cried because she doesn't know me and doesn't know where she is, cried because she wants me to take her to her mom, or been terrified because a strange man just crawled into bed with her, even though she's lived with me for two years. Most people will never know the heartache that comes from watching a loved one fade in and out of their own lives ... be thankful for that. Someday I hope to have her back ... wholly, completely herself.

By: Spirrah

Spirrah — Thu, 20 Apr 2006 19:16:22 +0000

A cousin of mine suffered some brain damage in a car accident several years ago. He has short term memory. He can never remember what he did the day before. Each night before he goes to bed he has to write down every thing of importance to read when he wakes up the next day. Every morning his sister calls to make sure he reads it or tell him anything that he forgot.

By: mudpuppy555

mudpuppy555 — Sat, 15 Apr 2006 23:50:08 +0000

Another great site is Tonguetied.com

By: Stuart

Stuart — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 22:24:52 +0000

I know I'm not alone in having a total loss of memory when I get very drunk. In some disturbed way I know its kind of fun to have someone tell you what you did and have no memory of it or to see the a friends expression when you tell them they did something they have no memory of. Luckily this has never included anything too dangerous/disgusting.

Furnace said: "I actually have a short list of movies that I've asked my wife to show me if I should ever get amnesia. I've grown up knowing that Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker's father… and I want to experience that way it was meant to be!!"

If I ever have kids I'm gonna be torn on how to show them the Star Wars films: in the way I grew up loving (4,5,6,1,2,3) or in Lucas' originally intended way. I reckon I'll prob go with the former. If you showed anyone Phantom Menace first I doubt they would want to see any of the other films. Damn you Jar Jar!

By: white_matter

white_matter — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 06:10:32 +0000

Quarter witted, damn you, I was going to use that joke!

You'll rue the day you crossed me!

By: Knives

Knives — Mon, 10 Apr 2006 21:41:10 +0000

My aunt had a TGA episode. It's pretty amazing how random it is. At first we were very worried, but when it went away all of the sudden, we didn't know what to think.