ANOMIA

ANOMIA: the inability to recall names of people.

My husband suffers from anomia! Yesterday, we were sitting and talking with my brother and Gerald could not remember the name of a classmate. My brother asked if he'd taken his Aricept but I doubt that this is the onset of dementia because Gerald's always been this way. He tells people that he married me because I could keep all of his nieces and nephews straight for him. Gerald's brother Foster had nine children and when Gerald and I met, three of the boys were similar in age, height and looks. I called them the "Stairsteps". After I met them once, the next time I saw them, I called them by name. Gerald asked, "How do you do that; I can't tell them apart!" I learned NOT to call them "tow-heads" because Gerald finds that term offensive.

Once we were shopping in Columbus and Gerald saw a person that he'd served with in the Navy. As is his wont, Gerald began snapping his fingers, which is how he tries to remember. Fortunately, the ex-Navy guy was having the same problem as Gerald--face recognition--but with no clue to the name. I walked over, extended my hand and said, "Hi, I'm Sue Raypole, Gerald's wife." The guy told his name and he and Gerald reminisced--funny how they remembered ports-of-call, drinking, names of ships but NOT their own names.