I was trying to text a friend about how my opthalmologist appointment went yesterday, but for the life of me, I couldn't remember the word “dialate.” You know, the drops the put in your eyes.
Clearly, I remember it now. But that happens to me a lot these days. A word will be just outside my grasp. If I relax and wait awhile, maybe five minutes, maybe hours, it pops back.
And I have short term memory lapses as well. I often can't remember whether my dogs are outside or in. I don't have a dog door. They only transition if I open the portal.
I've talked about this with my doctor a lot. It terrifies me. My father had Alzheimer's. He didn't die of it, he died with it. Dying of Alzheimer‘s takes a long time. He died of an infection he got at the nursing home he was at because we couldn't take care of him at home any more.
Is President Biden too old? I'm ashamed to say I've been in the “Oh, my God, he's too old!” camp all along. Four years ago, I thought surely he'd vanquish Trump and retire after one term.
But that's not how it played out. And you have to play the cards you're dealt. He's running and like it or not, he's all we’ve got. I mean really. Who could step in?
Kamala Harris? I truly believe she would be a capable president, but I have serious doubts she would be a successful candidate. Frankly, feminist that I am, I don't think our country is ready to vote for a woman.
So, is Joe Biden still sharp enough to be president?
Damn right he is. Yeah, he names the wrong country or person occasionally. That happens when you get to our age. It's scary. Particularly when you've based your self image on your faculty with words, as I have.
Biden is surrounded by people who can correct him, and he's willing to be corrected. We're never going to bomb Canada rather than Syria because he got the words mixed up. Gaffes in speeches are cringeworthy, but they aren't really dangerous.
As for me, I've done that test Trump keeps telling us he aced — and a whole neurological battery. My difficulties are entirely age-appropriate — if I could just remember where I left my glasses.