Oh, honey, you're singing my song.

I have all sorts of cognitive issues. My short-term memory is crap---I can tell you the lyrics to a song that came out in 1976 as well as the band and the lead singer, but I can't remember why I went into the kitchen or what I had for lunch two hours ago. I have trouble with word-finding and can't multitask. I can't read for more than a few minutes. I also can't memorize anything, like phone numbers and grocery lists, and I have severe difficulties with learning and retaining new information. The latter is why I can't work anymore and am on disability.

I have been told that I'm not developing dementia (which I feared) and that my memory problems are due to both repeated severe bipolar episodes and the medications used to treat them. Not much I can do about that; I can't go back and not have the episodes or stop taking meds. It's very frustrating.