Language

Grace Stephens said on Thu Mar 4, 2010 at 03:06 pm

I have secondary progressive MS and suffer terribly from fatigue.  I find myself falling asleep whilst playing a game on computer or reading.  To try and prevent this I find if I do something different like maybe cook something and have a cup of coffee I’m not as bad, I do limit myself to a maximum of 2 coffees in a day.

Terry Adams said on Wed Feb 17, 2010 at 09:46 pm

I’m really struggling to get words out.  Through help at a local rehabilitation centre, I’ve found that it really helps me to simply relax. At home I get the picture of the word and spit it out, to the great amusement of my kids;

Feet clothes = Carpet slippers

Digital box = Remote control

Outside clothes = Coat

I no longer speak publicly at political meetings or at the university I attended.  Put it into context in your mind, with friends and family I’m now at ease, others I no longer care, realising the most important things in life are those that are close to me.

                Terry Adams

Stuart said on Sun Feb 14, 2010 at 11:18 am

I sometimes struggle to get a word out mid sentence. I know the word and its meaning and would, under normal circumstances, use it to describe what I am trying to say. I have come up with two methods of getting around this. By explaining the subject of the conversation at the start, simply pausing normally gets the person I am taking to to fill in the word and I just agree and move on with the subject.

Secondly, I again pause and break down the longer word into several simpler words that give the same meaning.

Providing you carry on in a confident manner, both techniques leave the person(s) you are speaking to with very little idea of what has actually happened.

Diane said on Tue Feb 2, 2010 at 08:09 pm

Since I’ve been finding it difficult to find the word I wanted, I’ve been coming up with words I’ve never used in conversation before.  I quite enjoy using a vocabulary I never thought I had - doesn’t always work though.

Janine Jones said on Tue Jan 19, 2010 at 03:10 pm

I have found that the less concerned I am about finding the right word, the more quickly & easily it comes to me.  As others have mentioned, i find admitting that I cant think of the right word and describing it the easiest and smothest way to keep a conversation going.  I often find the right word comes to me mid way through describing it.  It also helps to remember that there a lot of others out there who struggle to find the right words at the right time for no apparent reason. At least those of us with ms have the benefit of knowing why.

Philip Gilmore said on Thu Oct 15, 2009 at 07:45 pm

Regarding “aids” in remembering what you’re trying to say, roughing-out just what it is you’re trying to say is a good idea. I do this w/ my other party. BUT am sometimes amazed that they haven’t a clue what I was talking about. So not everyone is really paying attention to you anyway. Why worry?!? Just try to think it through . . . and move on. W/ MS, I find I have other things to attend to anyway. Maybe you don’t remember because you have a full plate . . . likes noormal peoplz !

Sue Ash said on Sun Oct 4, 2009 at 01:53 pm

I chair a library reading group. My own reviews are no problem as I have them typed. I forget names of members of the group so I have a list in front of me and the books they are reviewing. I have explained my problem and that it is due to MS and most are understanding.

Elaine Hollingsworth said on Sat Sep 12, 2009 at 09:31 am

I have a system for remembering names, which is the worst problem for me.  I visualise a picture of something which describes the name, and it seldom fails me.  For instance, there is a consultant called Metcalf and much to my embarrassment I always forgot her name, but then I forget a lot of names. For her I saw a very small tin cow (metal calf !) I found it worked every time.  I have to work on getting the picture well into my ? subconcious mind for a while, really concentrate, but it seldom letsme down. Have not tried it for other words there are so many of them ! but I think names are very important. If some people could know what their picture is I am not sure what they would make of it.

Tru said on Wed Sep 9, 2009 at 10:12 am

If I can’t get the word I am thinking of out I tend to try and describe what I’m on about and usually end up saying the right word - eventually!  It’s frustrating to to describe ‘butter’ as ‘the thing you spread on bread, made from milk, it’s next to the cheese…’ etc. but it helps get my point across without being struck dumb.

Phil said on Fri Jun 12, 2009 at 12:47 am

Any number of non-MS people (eg: my-20 something children) have recall issues too! Maybe not as many as we RRMS-types. BUT THEN they’re not around for ALL of ours either.  So - as noted by others, just say you’ll get back to that point etc., and move on to the next point as seamlessly as you can. One way to draw attention to our recall issues is to, well, er, draw attention to our recall issues ourselves! So as I see it, we are complicit in this “recall-issue perception” and we need to knock it off (in front of other people.) It #1) draws attention to ourselves and #2) makes us, ourselves, feel that much more uncomfortable, neither of which helps this MS matter.
Remember: “FORGETTERS UNITED !!” It’s one heck of a party. Next on my list: “Caners UnIted!”

Rebecca Thomas said on Tue May 19, 2009 at 05:16 pm

If you can’t remember a word, you can often explain what you mean.  People will often check they’ve understood by using the word that you are looking for!

Rebecca Thomas said on Tue May 19, 2009 at 05:06 pm

Another tip.  Don’t give up!  Don’t let yourself get frustrated as then the MS will win.  Think of something pleasant that makes you smile or laugh.  Then take a deep breath and try again.

And explain to your colleagues and family what is going on.  Most people are very understanding - if they know why something is going on.

debbie said on Sat May 16, 2009 at 03:22 pm

when trying to remember name/what I did 5 minutes ago/yesterday; as the tip above says ‘don’t tense up’.  I make myself consciously relax, think of making my brain ‘loose’ and it usually comes back to me.