I have many personas. There is the public me, the professional me, the personal me. There are probably other mes. Some of them are known by others, some are understood. Most of them are not. Even I struggle to understand me.
I heard about a case of a woman who has part of her brain missing. She doesn't recognise herself. When she looks in a mirror she knows it must be her because she is standing there looking but she can't remember that is what she looks like. In photographs she sees a woman and can be told that it is her but she doesn't know without being told. She lives her life not really knowing who she is.
I heard about this woman not long after my diagnosis with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis. I noted down: "I know this is me but I don't recognise myself in this new format. My points of reference don't quite compute. I still need to process who I am now."
Perhaps this is not so unusual. Do you know who you are right now?
I suspect that feeling is quite usual when trying to come to terms with any life-changing illness or event - - and I speak from personal experience as you know! Great to see you blogging - please continue.
ReplyDeleteI don't know who I am since I have had every single life-changing event listed on those life stress charts all in a row...virtually all my family died, (including my 34 year old daughter) my EX left me the year before she died and on it goes.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea who I am except I am a single mom of two, one is gone and I have MS, am deaf and well that about sums it up. LOL.
Still clawing my way back without a chip on my shoulder. Hopefully that counts for something! Glad I found your blog. =)
Hope you're getting over your flu/cold thing too!
Lots of people in this park don't know who they are but then they're as old as dirt and it doesn't matter !! Amazing story of that woman though...thanks for sharing, Toots.
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