Question: Last Saturday @ about 01:30 a.m., while doing research on the Civil War, I noted a certain confusion, not unusual for me as a writer, working late into the morning. Soon, I perceived that this was more than weariness and odd vision occurred, i.e., fading, waving, and finally the right portion of many words, especially longer words, simply disappeared.
My first conclusion was, "Whoa, I am going blind, losing my sight." I am in my eighties and that was when my mother lost her sight (mac degen). This continued as I finished another page and found a new element. Confusion. Serious confusion.
Words appeared to me, familiar words; their meaning was vague. Next came a connection problem, meaning that I could not remember the terms and connect them. I especially remember the date of 1864, the time that XXXXXXX and XXXXXXX rifles were being introduced to the Union troop. A great deal of information resides in my memory regarding battles and weapons. Nothing connected. I fought to attach details, terms,
both new and old. They floated into a pool of incoherent and meaningless poop. I was lost.
At near 02:00 a.m., I waked my wife and said, "Patti, I am in trouble. My world is awash and I cannot append one thought to another.
Her first questions were regarding politics. I could only answer haltingly. Though I cannot remember most details, she asked me about the children. Blanks.
"Tell me the names of our pets, past and present."
Clearly I remembered everyone, but could not utter a name. I could describe them and their personalities, but no names. I knew I knew, but could not utter a word of sense, nothing except mumbling.
About 03:00, it all cleared up. Perfectly clear. I went back to reading (a test) and assembly of thought was clear and normal.
There have been no after affects that I have determined. The experience has left me shaken. I take care of people who have Alzheimer disease. No, I do not think it is the big "A," howbeit, I was gone for 90 minutes and in that terror-ridden period, something went wrong.
My brother-in-law, who makes fun of my studies at my age, says it was TMI. Too much information, and that my head was exploding. Perhaps.
Help . . . respectfully,
XXXXXX
YYYY@YYYY