Benjamin,

I feel you brotha. I've the same way, I'm around your age too. I'm 3 months in and it is tough. I was very active prior to this injury, running 5 miles a day, swimming lots. I've never been as debilitated as I am now. It is a hard time. I am an engineer which is stressing me out further. I haven't slept in a whole month more than 5 hours a night if I'm lucky. I've seen the sunrise more times than I can remember. I finally have given into seeing a neurologist in hopes I can find some regimen to help with healing. I'm well aware of what is going on and what are the causes. The truth is I know I will never be the same. My goal is to get as close to as I was prior to my head injury inducing pcs. If I can get to 95% as good as I was, I'll be fine. The good thing is where young.

As far as what has happened, I think through all my research, and speaking with my father who is a surgeon, the situation is fairly simplistic in its explanation. Rest, patience, will to learn new things, stress relief and time are the ingredients to achieve healing. It is as if we have torn a tendon in the knee and want to play basketball again. First and foremost comes rest, then acceptance of the situation as it is. Then patience, to implement a new rehabilitation schedule. Don't overdo it and give it time. While that knee will never be 100% that doesn't mean you can't go back to being good at basketball. The brain has what some refer to as plasticity. I read (prior to the injury) an article in scientific american that referenced a study on aging. How some people are capable of retaining their memory's sharpness over long periods of time. The study had shown that people that are constantly learning new things that are unrelated tend to retain their cognitive abilities over a longer period of time. Even after concussions these people where capable of regaining most of their intellect back. The reason being is that with NEW thing we learn, that is theory suggests, new pathways in the brain are constructed between neurons and thus the brain has more pathways that can be used to construct new connections when other connections have withered. Because in essence brain damage from impacts is usually caused by shearing and stress forces that tear and crush your brain cells and the connections between them. The more pathways you have the better chance you have at finding new connections to overtake those deadened ones. That is why I know I will never be the same, but who ever I am now can still become sharp and concentrated. Hopefully this is the way for my recovery. I'm sorry for the length, I guess I've been holding this in. Take Care

E