Coping with CRAFT Disease

As a chronic sufferer of CRAFT disease I can honestly say that it has not been easy to live with. At age forty-five I began developing mild symptoms however by fifty the symptoms worsened. My family tried to help but the disease had become uncontrollable. Craft disease can cause memory loss so severe you may not know what day it is, your children's ages or names even more upsetting how your husband takes his coffee. CRAFT can be contracted by other sufferers who may have had close contact with you at work or in social settings. This embarrassing disease disables your thought process to the point where all your friends become nameless faces. They may walk up to you at a party and say, "Hello Mary how are you doing!" Not wanting her to know you do not remember her name you try to brush it off by saying, "Oh hello DEAR I'm doing well, and how is your, eh, um . . . that handsome husband of yours doing!" The conversation continues without them realizing you can not remember her, her husband or even if she is married. You feel a sense of relief but the cold reality is CRAFT disease becomes more and more debilitating every day.

My most recent bout with CRAFT was a humiliating visit to the ATM. I could not remember my pin number. I punched in five different combinations none of which worked, until the machine locked out my card. I started beating the machine swearing I'd dismantle it and use it for target practice if it didn't return my card. My entire CRAFT outburst was caught on the ATM camera. A sweet young bank teller came out to comfort me. She said, "I notice you are having some trouble with the ATM." I said, "Why, yes I am - can you assist me in getting my %$#@ card out of this @#%$* machine?" She tried to calm me but her condescending attitude just exacerbated my CRAFT symptoms. I was becoming more irritated but could not remember why. As she guided me into the bank's Customer Service area I make a quick mental note of her name badge, Jillee Johnson, Bank Manager. Okay ma'am let me see how we can help you - just a few security questions, what is your mother's maiden name you've listed on your account and what was the name of your first pet? I told her if I could remember all of that I wouldn't have gotten my card stuck in your %$#@ ATM! So stick your security questions where the sun doesn't shine Miss Jello Jackson! I left the bank angry and in tears totally frustrated that my disease was getting worse. And there was nothing I could do. However, I did remember to steal all of her M&M's from her desk while she was retrieving my card. I haven't forgotten my love of chocolate!

CRAFT disease or Can't Remember A Freaking Thing has no annual telethons, no philanthropic donors, or celebrity faces. It's just a pain in the butt disease we all will contract at one point in our lives. Lately, I have noticed the more I write the worse my symptoms get, in fact by the end of this article I will have forgotten what I was writ . . .

Source(s):
The Society for Something or Another
The Physicians Counsel on Severe Things and Other Stuff
http://www.CRAFT.?????????