Clive Wearing - Forget me Not

This weekend, I was going through some old Reader's Digest issues and chanced upon this particular article titled - Forget Me Not - its about Clive Wearing - a noted musicologist and conductor. It featured in August'06 issue.

The article was written by his wife - Deborah Wearing and she outlines the life of her husband once he was affected by the worst case of amnesia ever recorded in medical history - anterograde amnesia.

One day Clive had a stroke of headache and the next day morning he went missing ! - Deborah complained to the local police department and they found Clive in the afternoon and his memory was completely wiped out - when the police found him Clive could not remember who he was or where he lived - but the moment Deborah entered his face lit up ! a warm glow of love and he said "This is my wife ". The local doctor diagnosed it as some harsh case of head ache that causes temporary memory loss.

The next day morning, Deborah left for work and Clive called out asking for her office phone number (it was something Clive never forgot) and he wrote it down in a piece of paper and beside the number he wrote - "Deborah Wearing"

Deborah was stunned and next followed numerous medical visits and some senior doctor said Clive is known to have the worst case of amnesia and all the memory cells in his brain was wiped out by some virus.

Since then, all that Clive remembers is his wife - and he remembers how to play the piano, when any music notes are placed in front of him he can immediately play them on a piano. Daily he wakes up saying - "What day it is ? I do not know who I'm and what I;m doing here, it's been like am dead for a long time" - but when Deborah enters - "My wife!, sit beside me" and they both have long talks marked with repeated lines from Clive, he tends to say the same thing over and over again - - his memory lasts only for 7 seconds. Initially Clive had some violent strikes and he used to break furnitures and bang the doctor's head - however Deborah used to visit him regularly and make him play the piano - it's music that served as a therapy and went beyond the power of medicine.

In the meanwhile even Deborah had violent strokes of sadness and she slipped away to New York - but the power of her husband's love - the glow in his face when he sees her and his MUSIC drew her back to him. All that Clive now cares is about Deborah and she says - "How many wives can say that their husbands care only about their wives, I'm proud to say that all my husband cares for is me"

Till this date, Clive and Deborah enjoy long hours of musical sessions where untold, unexplainable emotions transmit between them - Clive's repeated statements, every few minutes he says - "I love you Deborah" . . . .

Deborah has taken all measures to ensure that her husband always sees her and can always play the piano and is always HAPPY - - - Forget Me Not

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There are certain emotions and feelings that go beyond words and gestures, thats where Music sets in - - The Maharishi