Thanks for chiming in! I'm a self-taught programmer. I used to work for a large government department doing desktop development. If an app was needed at the desktop level (apart from mainframe data), I'd write it. Some of it was mission critical and a semi-big deal. Around 2000, I found a niche market I was familiar with and wrote an app for a need that wasn't really handled by any other software available. Shortly after that, I left government work and have successfully operated my one-man-shop software company.
As the dust is settling around my post-concussion self, I'm not confident that I'll ever be able to pick up where I left off. One of the biggest frustrations I have is trying to explain to lawyers, doctors, and therapists exactly what I do (did) for a living. Last night I realized that I can use the standard 'software development cycle' model as a way to try to get across all the roles, parts, and pieces I cover day in and day out. We'll see. Right now, I can handle about 30 minutes of mental focus at a time - then I'm done for the day. Even then, though, I process things very slowly and I'm not sure how much I'm retaining.
I'm happy to have found this forum. Really happy.
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Originally Posted by CCMommy
Hi there, I'm new here too. I joined a few weeks ago intending to introduce myself then had a round of testing that caused me to have a few very bad weeks and not wanting to be near a computer or reading. I'm sure everyone can relate.
I am/was a software developer before my accident and brain injury so I know exactly what you are going through. My accident was late last year so I'm about 9 or 10 months into recovery. I have been through all kinds of therapies and am trying to get some vision therapy right now.
I know that I still have a long road of recovery ahead of me and you probably do too, but the honest truth is I don't know if I will ever be able to return to development. I can't bounce around files like I used to. Simple logic confuses me. Algorithms? Forget it. Picking up a new language in a week or working through architecture and design...I would be incredibly slow. As you said, fix a bug here, create a bigger bug somewhere else but not realize it. I wish it were as simple as teaching yourself a new way to work, like the file thing someone mentioned, but I just don't see that really helping a great deal.
I'm not trying to be negative I just know what it takes to be a programmer from many years experience and post-injury me just can't do it. I'm hopeful maybe one day, but that will be a long time from now. My advice is to make it a long term goal but rest a lot. If you're still working, stop and go on disability. If/when you feel up to it, try a very simple side project that you can work on in 20 minute chunks once or twice a day and if it brings symtomps, put it away for at least 2 days then give it a try again.
Writing software IS difficult but I know what you mean when you say that. I can't say if you're "done" b/c only you can decide that yourself. But I am much younger than you and most days I fear that I'm "done".  |