An Opportunity To Forget

I am really good at forgetting things.  This goes way back.  When I really need to remember something I will write myself a note or make a list.  I started this habit in college.  At work I usually have three or four lists.  What I should be doing, what I am doing, what I shouldn't forget to do later, and what I did wrong and need to fix.  Too many lists for sure.  Some are on the computer, some on post-it notes and some are on the computer.

 

A week ago today I had the root canal.  I was given a prescription for an antibiotic.  Four a day for seven days.  That is 28 chances to forget to take a pill.  And it doesn't really make much since to write a note to remind myself to take a pill.  Instead I decided to strategically place the bottle where I would see it when it was antibiotic time.

 

The first one each day is easy.  I kept the bottle in the bathroom and made it part of the morning ritual, just before the mouthwash.  The bottle then goes to work with me.  The next one is taken either just before or just after lunch.  I would take the third in the late afternoon before going home  and then the fourth just before bed.

 

As the week progressed I wondered just how many I had forgotten to take.  It seemed like I was remembering.  By my best recollection, I should only have one left when Thursday rolled back around.  Yesterday afternoon I counted what was left in the bottle and discovered I would actually have two to take on Thursday.  That meant I had only forgotten once.  Pretty amazing. 

 

And then I left the bottle at work, so I missed taking one in the evening.  I ended up with three today.  Still not so bad. 

 

Today when I threw away the empty pill bottle I felt like I had accomplished something.  I am not sure what though.