I've been reading this forum for the last few weeks. It has been a wonderful support system! It took a while to be able to get registered, and log in, but here I am.

In early Feb (2 months ago) I was in a MVA with a friend. She flew through the windshield and I was belted. The car flipped over end once and then rolled 3-4 times, landing on it's hood). We were alone for a long time (until I located a my cell and called for help -- it was a very rural country road). We do not know if I lost consciousness or not. I do remember the moments leading up to the accident, the accident itself, crawling out of the car and helping my friend. I remember almost everything until Amish buggies and the ambulances arrived. After that, I recall pieces. I remember being asked my age and the month. I know that my answer in my head was wrong, but I managed to correct myself and answer correctly. A nurse telling me that nodes were seen in my lungs (I kept asking her what a seamless node was.) Follow-up, lungs are clear. After that, I recall very little for weeks. But I do know that we picked shards of glass out of my head for days.

My family doc dx me with a moderate concussion and weeks later with post concussive syndrome. CAT scan was clear. MRI showed bulging discs (from impact?) but not done on head.

I could not walk on my own for almost a month -- I was very unsteady and would lean to the right. Constant ringing in my ears, headache from one temple to the other. Nausea. Noise sensitivity. I lose entire conversations. I search for words -- for example, we have a farm and a pet rooster, named Roo. I coudln't remember what he was called (a rooster), and called him a "cockle doodle doo." I also sometimes hear things wrong... my wife was going to go get feed and I heard "feed the get go." The other day my she told me about something that Roo did and I couldn't place who Roo was.

I have found that I have lost skills. One day I was knitting and suddenly couldn't remember how. Spinning wool pushes me over the edge. I was a baker in a restaurant (breads, pastries, desserts, etc). and now I can hardly make a loaf of bread without getting confused and tired.

Writing is easier than speaking. I do have simliar issues (word seeking), but I can edit. Yay! I had to take disability from work -- I am a professor, and can't teach at the moment (heck -- constructing a sentence takes too much brain power). I find in writing I forget "the, is, be", etc and turn sentences around.

I have had some eye issues -- I'll be looking at something and then it seems that my brain decides to look out of my other eye (instead of my dominant) and the entire room shifts to the right. or when I try to read, words melt off the page. One day I blinked and lost sight in one eye. Then I blinked and it returned.

What short term memory?

spots on my head still hurt!

We are trying to learn coping strategies. (go with the flow, to do lists, chalkboard, etc). Removing myself if I get tired/overwhelmed -- with kids at home, who wouldn't?

I remind myself every day that I am lucky to be alive. (my friend is alive -- after breaking nearly every bone on her right side and remaining unconscious for about 3 weeks. She will be able to return home in about a month.) Her brain is working much better than mine!

I am also trying to look at this as a lesson form the universe. I am a (very) type A personality. I would rather have a broken bone -- I know how long that take s to heal. Of course, we have no time frame here. So, I'm trying to tell myself that this will take time and I can't push it. I can't control it. Lesson to let go and surrender to the healing process. Sigh. I fight that one. I see an occupational/speech therapist and my doc on Monday.

Anyway, hello. It is nice to have a place for information and to "meet" others. At the moment I can speak to my spouse, 5 children, goats, pigs, chickens, dogs, and vegetables. It's been very isolating and boring!

Emme