Is technology enhancing your world for the better? Or are you being seized by it?
Aug 24, 2026
The Day I Lost My Memory (and discovered my mission since)
Imagine you were in the emergency room one day and sitting across from you was a married couple having the following conversation:
“What day is it?” the man asked.
“Friday,” his wife replied.
“Did I go to work today?”
“Yes, but Alejandro brought you home.”
“So, where are we?” he asked, confused.
“We’re in the emergency room. You lost your memory and we’re going to have the doctor take a look at you.”
“Do you know where the bathroom is?”
“It’s right over there,” she replied.
“Okay, I’ll be right back.”
A few minutes later, the man returned to the waiting room, and the same conversation started over…and over again. He once again asked his wife: “What day is it?”
The repetition of this conversation caused people to chuckle in the waiting room, observing this somewhat comical interaction between a young married couple in their twenties. I happened to be in the emergency room that day. But I don’t remember it.
I don't remember because I was the young man, and the woman responding was my wife, Jenn. My short-term memory was missing, and we didn’t know why. I couldn’t even recall that we had a baby boy.
My memory didn’t return until late that evening. But fortunately, it did return.
Since then, I have been diagnosed with epilepsy. This means I have recurring seizures—like a short circuit in the brain. When they happen, I don’t fall to the ground like one would when having a tonic-clonic seizure. My seizures are more subtle. And they occur in my left temporal lobe, impacting my awareness and memory.
Over 15 years ago, when I ended up in the emergency room, I was having seizures multiple times a day. This frequency caused my brain to short-circuit to the point where I lost my short-term memory altogether.
Fortunately, medication has helped reduce the frequency, though it hasn’t eliminated them entirely. As a result, I no longer have a driver’s license and rely on others for transportation.
Despite these limitations, I am blessed beyond anything I deserve. I have a beautiful wife and six kids whom I adore. I am well employed, healthy, and most importantly, I still have my memory!
Why “Digital Seizures” Are Stealing Your Life
My life could have turned out so differently had my memory not returned. I got a second chance, and I don’t take that for granted. That’s now a story of my past, allowing me to focus on creating a life filled with memories not to be forgotten.
Because each of our memories makes up our life story. I realize now, that the way my brain felt in that emergency room—foggy, disconnected, and unable to hold onto the present—is exactly how we live our lives when we allow technology to run its course in our lives without controls in place. Your story may not include seizures like mine does, but it may be impacted by what I call a "digital seizure." And none of us are immune to this type of seizure. They affect us all day every day if we let them. I’m referring to things like constant distractions from notifications going off on our smartphones. Or dopamine loops keeping us addicted to our screens and oblivious to the world around us. Or it’s the feelings of anxiety from constant comparison on social media. And this just scratches the surface. Because the list goes on and on. And you might be asking yourself, “I know I’m spending too much time looking at a screen, so why can’t I seem to put it down and why do I feel so alone?” Or questions like, “Do I let my children have social media accounts? If so, at what age? When do I get them their first smartphone? How do I teach them real-life social skills in a world where so much interaction takes place digitally?
The focus of Digital Freedom University is to help others create a digital roadmap to navigate technology in a way that enhances their ability to live fulfilling lives, and to make and keep meaningful memories despite living in a digital world that has the power to distract us to the point where there’s just not much done worth remembering. Whether it’s for ourselves or our loved ones, we deserve to live in a world that is enhanced by technology rather than seized by it!
Taking the First Step: Reclaiming Your Presence
Decide today to join me in this journey of making changes that will ensure technology is working for you and not against you. Do a self-analysis to determine some areas in your digital life that might be holding you back from becoming your best self.
The Roadmap Ahead
In the coming weeks, I will be diving into the Foundation and Vision required to come out on top in today’s digital world to ensure technology is working for us and not against us. Think of my Digital Wisdom Daily newsletter as your daily compass. I’d love to have you join.
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- Tips for thriving in today’s digital world
- Identifying and reducing the impact of digital seizures in your life
- Top 10 parental concerns
- The Rise of AI and what that means for us
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