A woman from Louisiana woke up in a hospital, thinking it was the 1980s, and she had no recollection of the previous 30 years. It was a perplexing medical case. During a bible study in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in October 2018, Kim Denicola, who was 56 years old at the time, suffered from a terrible headache and blurred eyesight. When she finally came to in the emergency hospital, she had no memory of major life milestones like being married or having a family of her own.
Denicola, who is now 60 years old, shared her story with WAFB, expressing shock and astonishment at the sudden shift in her life. “I never imagined that going to bible study would result in waking up in the hospital and finding out I’m 60 years old,” said the woman. Both the technical developments and the shifts in political leadership since the 1980s have taken Denicola by surprise.
Her inaccurate responses to questions concerning the current date and president, “1980” and “Ronald Reagan,” were indicative of her emotional state at the time. She made a comment about how technology has changed over the years, mentioning how amazed she was by today’s “smart” televisions in comparison to the boxy screens from her earliest memories.
She has been diagnosed with transient global amnesia (TGA), which means significant amnesia. Despite doing a battery of tests and scans, physicians still don’t know what’s causing her illness. Temporary lateral amnesia (TGA) is characterized by an abrupt onset and is most common in middle-aged and older adults. It is most common in those over the age of 50 and can be brought on by intense physical exertion, stressful situations, or migraines, according to the National Library of Medicine.
A whole five years have passed since Denicola’s devastating migraine, and her physicians are worried she may never recover the memories they destroyed. “If by now I haven’t gotten it, then I probably won’t,” said the woman.
Even though it feels like reading about someone else’s life, Denicola has been reading her previous journal entries in an effort to reconnect with her past despite this tough scenario. Through their shared experiences, she has rediscoverd her love for her spouse and gained insight into her children’s development.
Denicola keeps a positive outlook and focuses on making new memories even though she has lost 30 years of her memory. My recollection may be hazy, but you know what? She spoke with an unwavering determination, expressing the possibility of creating new ones despite the unfathomable circumstances.