Here comes the tests!

It started inconspicuously by drawing some blood, and then some more blood and even more blood, it seems everyone and their dog wanted some.  I was becoming anemic with every request.  A  psychologist even had her chance to prick and prod me in the mental arena.  First another  electroencephalogram (EEG) was performed.
The psychologist performed a simple test of showing me everyday items and asking me to identify them by name and explain what they were used for.
I looked at the basket of innate objects and said this will be easy.  First she pulled out a black object used even by me and I said, "I know that!" "It's a, a, um.......It's a, I dunno."
She asks me, "What is it used for?"
I reply, "It's  used for, um, a, I'm not sure"
The item in question was a comb.
I also got stuck on paperclip. I could use the item but had no way of either finding the word comb nor what words to begin explaining it's confounded use.
It was as obvious to me as the psychologist that my recall ability was not working and later I would realize that my short term memory had also taken a direct hit.
A week or so before I checked into the hospital I remember going for lunch with my grandmother to a local restaurant and I ordered a cheeseburger.  I hate tomatoes and asked the waitress to remove the, and I couldn't remember the name tomato, so I said its round and it grows in the garden.  She asked, "Lettuce?"
I said, "No."
She asked, "Pickle?"
I replied, "No."
"Onion?" she prodded.
"No." I said again.
She then asked, "Tomato" 
I said. "That's it!
I never knew there were so many round things on a friggin burger!
It would have been easier to have it served and I pull the round red thing out before I ate it.
The short term memory also explained the misconception that I was lazy and only performing half the tasks.
I don't know how many times my mom asked me to take the garbage out and I would agree and before I took it out I would get distracted by something as mundane as a call of nature.  After exiting the bathroom, the thought of taking the garbage out had vanished.  I don't know how many times that happened but it would frustrate me as much as it did my mom for totally different reasons.
She thought I was lazy and I thought my memory issue lay in the fact that I had recently discovered marijuana.  I was not about to raise the concern with my parents so both of us had it wrong and it almost cost me my life.