I'm losing ground cognitively. I don't know if it worsening depression and anxiety, ADD, menopause, or my worst fear, dementia. Last night, I could not recall what I did yesterday, whether I drove my car someplace. It took 15 minutes of trying to recall my day before I remembered that I went to a doctor's app't and to the bank. That was so disturbing.

The shame of feeling stupid in childhood and other moments when my brain wouldn't cooperate has left deep chasms in my self-esteem. I've always had strong language skills and felt that for that reason, others perceived me as more intelligent than I was.