Hey, bro, there's a term for it!

Last week, during my annual physical, I brought up the fact that over the last two or three months I have been "losing" normal words in conversation. You know, I'll be talking to someone and not be able to get a word like "doghouse" to make its way to my mouth. I can see the image of a doghouse in my head, I can describe in ornate detail what one looks like. I can tell you where the last one we had was situated in the yard. I just can't say "doghouse" at that moment.
It gets sort of frustrating, especially for one who has loved the sound of his own voice as much as I have over the years. It doesn't happen often to me. It isn't anything I have been able to pattern or predict.
But it is irritating. And apparently not that uncommon. Dr. Katie even mentioned the term.
"We call that 'expressive aphasia'," she said when I told her. "It is most likely nothing. Stress can bring it on. How has your stress level been?"
Well, Doc, other than LOSING MY MIND, things are peachy!!
I told her I have no idea, I bury stress and don't pay attention to it.
"We'll watch it for 6 months or so and see if it doesn't get better. Expressive Aphasia can be a sign of nothing. Or it can be a sign of something serious."
Great bedside manner, there, Doc. Gimme 6 months to worry....
:-)