I have ADHD and I have had it probably all my life but during the time that I grew up my parents didn’t have any idea why I never put things away, or why I sometimes (Most times) didn’t listen to them.

I still did good in school but as I have grown older the ADHD has caused quite a few problems. I have learned to accept it and embrace it because I have realized that it is not all bad.

Recently I was home visiting my parents and I was noticing changes in their memory and comprehension. I sat and watched the movie Mr. Deeds with my mother and had to keep explaining the plot to her. Mr. Deeds is an Adam Sandler movie and is not exactly a mind bender. There are some movies that I can not follow but this one was a piece of cake.

We had a family meeting at an office and only after we got out of the office did my sister notice that Dad did not have his keys. The reason why he did not have his keys was because they were in the ignition and the car had been running the whole time we were in the meeting.

Neither of these events would be something that would be beyond my ADHD mind to do but for my parents they are a stark contrast to the parents I had as a child. They never missed a beat on anything.

Then I got to thinking. You know when I get to thinking the outcome is always unique. I thought “Hey, I lose my keys and cell phone weekly.” My kids know this and most of my friends do. I frequently forget Dr’s appointments and other appointments. That is just the way my life flows and for some reason people are always kind to me even though I act like a blondie. (That is just one of the reasons why I color my hair)

The funny thing I thought about when I saw my parents goof up is that I am goofing up all the time anyhow so my kids will never suspect I have Alzheimer’s because I misplace stuff all of the time. If I play this act right I may be able to live independently for the rest of my life, whether I can remember to take the keys out of my ignition or not.