Short-term memory leaves mother unable to remember baby

October 31, 2009 by Shawn Douglas  
Filed under: News

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Karen Wilkinson-Wigham with Baby George

Short-term memory loss caused by a bout of meningitis has a mother resorting to write a daily diary of her interactions with her baby.

On Christmas day of 2005, Karen Wilkinson-Wigham felt poorly, suffering from severe migraines. A few days later, she was in a coma, having contracted tubercular meningitis, an infection that attacks the central nervous system.

When she came out of the coma, she soon realized that her ability to remember things from even one day before was gone. Sadly, it even affected her ability to remember her fiancé Brian.

“It was such a relief when she eventually woke,” said Karen’s mother, Muriel. “It was such a relief when she eventually woke. She knew who I was, but when Brian came in she said, ‘Who’s he?’”

“Brian was devastated. But we all felt a bit better when she added ‘Whoever he is, he’s a bit of all right.’”

However, Karen and Brian were able to rekindle their love and eventually were married. The couple was making  plans for having a baby when doctors gave the couple sad news that Karen wouldn’t be able to have a baby. Set to have a hysterectomy, doctors gave the couple surprising news that Karen was pregnant.

Sadly, the pregnancy resulted in the baby dying en utero. A second failed attempt followed, but finally Karen gave birth to a healthy baby, George, last month.

Now, Karen has resorted to keeping a diary to remember the life of George.

“I can’t remember George being born—I can’t even remember when I last fed him. So I’m making the memories of him by writing everything down in a notebook which never leaves my side.”

“Every time he pulls a face I take a photo on my phone so I have a memory of it. I write down when he had his last feed and set my mobile with an alarm to tell me when his next one is due.”

“And while I can’t recall milestones like other mums, I re-live them with him by re-reading my diary.”

“My diary is so important to me because when he is older and asks me questions he will have everything written down for him. After so many nightmares, I still can’t believe Brian and I have a healthy baby. The diary will help me remember.”

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