A Long Strange Trip
A funny thing happened on the way to the ER...
It’s somewhat funny now. It wasn't then, especially to Lynn. She will have to fill in some blanks since that's what started us on this long (time-wise anyway) strange trip.
It is late in the evening, on the day after Christmas, and I recall working at my computer. Then, Lynn and I are having a conversation in the bedroom. I felt fine. No speech problems or other physical concerns. I just could not remember what I had just been doing minutes earlier or parts of the evening. A phone call later and we're on the way to the ER.
Surprisingly, to us, we get taken in right away and they run a battery of tests. I was not disappointed that an EKG and Cat Scan confirmed that I was physically fine. I was kinda disappointed that I went thru this episode and it would seem that (no pun intended) it was all in my head.
I was skeptical at the doctor’s diagnosis: Transient Global Amnesia. I’m thinking “Yeah right. This is not Gray’s Anatomy”. I thought it was just something doctors tell you to get you out of the ER so they can move on to a real patient. When we were alone, I told Lynn I thought it was just a theory as opposed to a true medical explanation for what I couldn’t explain. Then Lynn Googled it and what she read aloud was consistent with what I experienced:
Definition
By Mayo Clinic staff
Transient global amnesia is a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that can't be attributed to a more common
neurological condition, such as epilepsy or stroke.
During an episode of transient global amnesia, your recall of recent events simply vanishes, so you can't remember where you are or how you got there. You may also draw a blank when asked to remember things that happened a day, a month or even a year ago. With transient global amnesia, you do remember who you are, and recognize the people you know well, but that doesn't make your memory loss any less disturbing.
Fortunately, transient global amnesia is rare, seemingly harmless and unlikely to happen again. Episodes are usually short-lived, and afterward your memory is fine.
When the doctor returned, she told us the blood tests, EKG and Cat Scan were all normal. She also confirmed what Lynn had read, that Transient Global Amnesia is not physically damaging and there is no evidence that it will ever repeat itself. I told her I planned to be a case study to the contrary. How nice would it be if I could tactically utilize TGA? “I am sorry, Lynnie, but I just can’t remember you asking me to take out the trash.” “Sweep the pool area? I can’t remember.”
5:30am, we’re home and the long strange trip is over.
It’s somewhat funny now. It wasn't then, especially to Lynn. She will have to fill in some blanks since that's what started us on this long (time-wise anyway) strange trip.
It is late in the evening, on the day after Christmas, and I recall working at my computer. Then, Lynn and I are having a conversation in the bedroom. I felt fine. No speech problems or other physical concerns. I just could not remember what I had just been doing minutes earlier or parts of the evening. A phone call later and we're on the way to the ER.
Surprisingly, to us, we get taken in right away and they run a battery of tests. I was not disappointed that an EKG and Cat Scan confirmed that I was physically fine. I was kinda disappointed that I went thru this episode and it would seem that (no pun intended) it was all in my head.
I was skeptical at the doctor’s diagnosis: Transient Global Amnesia. I’m thinking “Yeah right. This is not Gray’s Anatomy”. I thought it was just something doctors tell you to get you out of the ER so they can move on to a real patient. When we were alone, I told Lynn I thought it was just a theory as opposed to a true medical explanation for what I couldn’t explain. Then Lynn Googled it and what she read aloud was consistent with what I experienced:
Definition
By Mayo Clinic staff
Transient global amnesia is a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that can't be attributed to a more common
neurological condition, such as epilepsy or stroke.
During an episode of transient global amnesia, your recall of recent events simply vanishes, so you can't remember where you are or how you got there. You may also draw a blank when asked to remember things that happened a day, a month or even a year ago. With transient global amnesia, you do remember who you are, and recognize the people you know well, but that doesn't make your memory loss any less disturbing.
Fortunately, transient global amnesia is rare, seemingly harmless and unlikely to happen again. Episodes are usually short-lived, and afterward your memory is fine.
When the doctor returned, she told us the blood tests, EKG and Cat Scan were all normal. She also confirmed what Lynn had read, that Transient Global Amnesia is not physically damaging and there is no evidence that it will ever repeat itself. I told her I planned to be a case study to the contrary. How nice would it be if I could tactically utilize TGA? “I am sorry, Lynnie, but I just can’t remember you asking me to take out the trash.” “Sweep the pool area? I can’t remember.”
5:30am, we’re home and the long strange trip is over.
