Memory loss is one of the most frustrating things that can happen to one person. Not remembering what you have been doing recently is very annoying. It’s a real struggle.
Caitlin Little, a teenager from North Carolina, knows this very well. Her condition, well-depicted in the famous film ‘My First 50 Dates’, is no joke at all.
One accident left Little with this frustrating condition. It happened on October 12, 2017. She was running cross country for Southeast Guilford High School in Greensboro and then the life-changing accident occurred.
You wouldn’t normally expect such an injury during a running activity, but for Little it was very unpleasant.
It was time for practice for Little. As she was running, someone ran into her and both of them hit each other. However, for Little this incident was more serious, she suffered a concussion.
Immediately she felt a sharp headache. Upon getting to the hospital, the neurologists checked Little’s head and they said they would do everything just to prevent the concussion from getting worse.
Her father, Chris Little spoke for WGHP. He talks about the doctor’s suggestions and his daughter’s condition. He says:
“…he recommended, ‘cocooning.’ Cocoon her, protect her from anything very stimulating that might induce more headaches.
‘Well, OK, this looks pretty bad,’” Chris goes on. “‘But, in my experience,’ he said, ’90 percent of these resolve themselves in three weeks.’”
Days and weeks passed since the terrible incident and it was now evident that Little’s life is dramatically changed. The most frustrating thing for this young lady is that, as a result of the concussion, her short-term memory is lost. In other words, after she wakes up in the morning, she is not able to remember what happened the previous day.
Chris adds:
“I’m always afraid that she’s going to jump out of bed and tell me, ‘It’s wrong’ and, ‘It can’t be.’ And, why am I lying to her?”
Jeniffer Little, Caitlin’s mother says:
“I wake every morning thinking this was just a nightmare.”
Caitlin herself shares her experience with friends and other people. For WGHP she explains:
“I get plagued by confusion most often, wanting to know, ‘Well, how did that happen?’”
Furthermore, she adds:
“[I have to be] very organized. So I have lots of Post-It notes that say, ‘Hey, let’s do this,’ or, ‘This is new,’ or things to help me out. So it’s not as hard as I’d imagine it’d be without them.’”
This situation affects Caitlin’s school as well. The teachers explain that she has to keep photos of the teachers in her binder as a reminder who they are and what they are teaching.
Tracy Helms, a special education teacher, spoke with WGHP, explaining:
“I come in and meet her and she doesn’t know who I am. Every day, she doesn’t know where her seat is in this class, she doesn’t know who her teacher is. Every day is fresh and new to her, just like it’s never been seen before.”
We do understand Caitlin’s struggle on daily basis. This is a very frustrating and painful struggle. Not being able to remember the previous day is a very difficult condition. It affects every sphere of her social existence.
We do pray that Caitlin’s memory will improve so she can continue living her life as she wants.