Last week a good friend of mine commented on how rarely I write about being discouraged, depressed, sad, or even angry about the fact that I have memory and cognitive loss. She added, “You have many positives going for you: a very supportive family; you’ve lived in the same small town for thirty years and…
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Adaptations, adjustments, alterations
Exercise is one of the consistent recommendations for maintaining and stabilizing one’s cognition and memory. Two of the standard suggestions are walking and yoga, and I do both. I live in Minnesota, so walking is often weather-dependent. On good walking days, my husband and I take our two dogs on a short ride into town…
I matter
This past week I experienced a major shift in my emotional reaction to my memory and cognitive losses. I have often focused on what I have lost and what I can no longer do, and projected on the future…picturing myself being of less and less value to my family, my friends, my community. During these…
Clutter, sorting & downsizing
I’ve lived in the same house for thirty two years. We built it when our children were in high school; it is a beautiful home in a beautiful setting. We have a view of the Mississippi River from our front windows and back up to acres of native and undeveloped tree-covered bluffs full of wildlife…
Body memory and making love
I’m posting this essay on both of my blogs; here at virginialaken.com which deals with MCI and at intimacyandaging.com on which I write about aging and intimacy. I’m doing so because emotions and love are integral components of both areas—at least in my experience. While I try to be generally optimistic, stoic and hopeful—(certainly, I…
My new approach for with negative thoughts
“A negative thought can be sensed before it reaches the mind…” When I read this discerning statement this morning during my mediation time, I wrote in my journal: “I would add, in addition to negative thoughts, the same is true of thoughts of loss and self-pity. So many times I focus on what I can…