My life has changed in steps. I was highly accomplished as a student before my injury at 10. I had lots of friends. After that injury, my grades became erratic even though I still maintained high grades. I lost most of my friends due to the changes in my personality. I became confused by others. Neither I nor my family understood this except that my mother lost her 'sweet little boy.'

I was assaulted and pummeled in the head the summer after 5th grade. My grades roller coastered again.

I did OK during 7 and 8th despite a concussion from wrestling. I entered 9th grade taking all honors classes and even challenging honor Algebra 1 and succeeding. I ended up taking sophomore geometry and jr-senior level Spainish 11. I was very successful grade wise.

My sophomore (10th) year fell apart. I played soccer and we suspect I was concussed heading the ball. My grades tumbled. I started having absence / petit-mal seizures. My memory failed me under any level of stress. Despite pleadings from my doctor, my teachers gave me no assistance nor accommodations. This was 1970-71. I struggled through 10th and mostly regained my academic skills for 11th. I took SATs and scored 650 math and 510 verbal. My verbal skills have been a struggle as verbal skills require a quick and functional memory. I did not take any math because the advance teacher was my neighbor and not a pleasant man.

I breezed through most classes that did not require lots of memorization. I had to work hard at memorizing. I took the SAT again my senior 12th year. I scored 700 math and the same 510 verbal. My math skills had improved without any math course.

I graduated with honors intending to study to be a dentist. I struggled under the stress of living on my own. Second semester I suffered a concussion and very high fever and my pre-dentistry goals were over. I almost flunked out. My memory was useless. I started taking Junior college small business courses and got started with my own business. I had 7 employees at one point but the stress was not good for me.

I sold the business and tried to simplify my life. I also got married and soon was expecting our first. We got ripped off by a real estate developer and the stress put me into a cognitive stupor. This is when I found a doctor who got me started with vitamin and supplements. He had me back in shape in 8 weeks.

I learned I needed to have a low stress career so I worked to keep employees at a minimum. I started a remodeling business that did not require employees and did quite well until my injury in 2001. My wife needed to drive me to customers. That lasted 5 or 6 years before it took to much of a toll on her. I had to apply for Social Security Disability.

I had a high stress event in 1998 that caused me to need paroxetine to control looping thoughts, things like a stanza to a song, the spelling of a word or other mundane things. To this day, I need to avoid any auditory stimuli that includes repetitive sounds / words. We moved away from high stress California to Idaho because of this struggle.

I have lived a low stress life ever since until recently. This past year, my stress has skyrocketed due to a problematic neighbor who has filed false criminal charges against me. This stress has required that I go back on meds. I am living moment by moment while I seek medical help.

Anything others have posted, I have likely lived through. I have had chronic head aches that lasted 6 months. I have poor memory skills so I can not read fiction because I can not keep track of the characters.

Lately, I have bouts of spaghetti brain were all of my thoughts get jumbled up. The mental anguish that goes with that is horrible. Meds (Klonopin, a hated benzo) are helping.



But, life goes on.

Your life can to. You just need to discover your strengths and limitations and build a life within those parameters.

My best to you.