The scariest memory failing for me was, when I gave blood for the first time. I have to note here that I wasn't worried at all, rather excited [don't want to go into all this business of how I looove needles etc
] Anyway, I blame the way it all happened. First of all it was a spur of the moment thing, someone came into work and said if there are any more people who'd like to donate to come down now.
So I did, not knowing what to expect.
As I sat there I was called to a lady who would take my details. She started by asking: "What is your house number?" Rather than my name or my address.
I was totally confused by that. You have to also know that we had moved no less than 14 times in 15 years at that time but that shouldn't be an excuse.
So I sat there and my brain went blank.
If she'd asked: "What is your address?" Then I would have probably been ok because it is like a cue. Being asked for my house number wasn't.
Anyway I told her that I couldn't remember and to give me a moment. She waited patiently whilst I tried to rememeber but came what will, I couldn't. The longer it took, the further away was the number of my house. She then started to get a little annoyed and said that I should sit down and think about it. So I had to get up and sit down on my waiting seat again. By now I was frantic and thought that I had a serious problem. I tried to remember the look of our house in order to get cue in my head that would link me to the house number, but I couldn't even remember what the house looked like!!!!!!! :shock:
I honestly didn't even know what town I was living in and what the house looked like. I got really worried and took a deep breath and then [it must have taken at least 5min]all of a sudden, I remembered the house and subsequently the number and everything else... Needless to say she had probably already marked the paper as "not to use this morons blood" as I was obviously a complete headcase.
That was so scary, having a virtual "blackout" like that. But it also shows how reliant we are on "cues" and how our brains work when caught unawares.