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Old 07-07-2012, 12:53 PM
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SpaceCadet SpaceCadet is offline
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Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 756
10 yr Member
SpaceCadet SpaceCadet is offline
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Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 756
10 yr Member
Default Frustrated by the Roller Coaster.

Thursday night I went out with my girlfriend and her mom to Fremont St Experience. I'm no longer just messed up when I'm stressed, overstimulated or really hot...Now, its all the time. So I might as well just live my life, right? For those of you who've never been to Las Vegas, its a street that has a bunch of casinos, stages with loud music playing, lights flashing everywhere, thousands of people walking and talking...and its just hell for someone with PCS. Well, I survived the whole ordeal (with some cognitive and speech problems) but I ended up a mess when I got home.

I slept maybe 2 hours that night before I had to get up with the kids. When I woke up, I could hardly speak or think. As the day went by, it started to get better. I was on the bus when I had a conversation with someone that actually went quite well. Since that conversation, the rest of the day turned out pretty good. My actual personality came back and I was almost talking like I normally would without a brain injury. Out of nowhere, it came back with a vengeance. Around 11pm, I was back to not being able to express myself properly, I was saying things that weren't very nice (because I didn't know how to express it in a nicer way) and my personality changed for the worse. Now today, I just want to bury my head in the sand because I'm hardly able to articulate myself.

Here's the thing...Its been about 3 weeks since I had a good day. My days are usually crap no matter what I do. Now, this question is probably going to be hard to answer but...Why is it when I avoid overstimulation, wear my earplugs, stay away from stress, and whatever else brings on symptoms for someone with a brain injury, I function like crap anyways. But, I go out to Fremont Street, which is a nightmare for someone with PCS and the very next day I have the best day I've had in 3 weeks. It doesn't make sense. That happened a few weeks ago, too, when I went to a busy casino pool (hundreds of people, kids screaming, loud music playing, etc). I broke through my expressive aphasia and functioned quite well...and then again for 3-4 days afterwards.

I'm just confused and frustrated. I just want more good days...I'm tired of being messed up for weeks at a time before I have one good day. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason why it happens this way.

I envy those who have "symptom free" days. I can't remember the last time that's happened...or if its even happened at all.
__________________
What happened: I was randomly assaulted from behind in June of 2011. I was knocked unconscious for an unknown amount of time (less than 30 minutes) and have no memory of the event. CT scan showed contusion and hematoma of the left frontal lobe. I spent 3 days in the hospital. Diagnosed with Post-Concussion Syndrome in September 2011. Currently have Medicaid, Medicare and SSI.

Current symptoms: Brain fog, mild memory issues, problems with spontaneity, occasional spacing out, word finding difficulties, tinnitus in right ear and some other things that I can't explain.

Life after the brain injury: 4 years after the injury, I'm engaged to my beautiful girlfriend of 5 years, I'm the CEO of my own business, Notorious Labs, I've taught myself how to program complex games and apps which is a feat I never thought I'd accomplish and now live a semi-normal life with very mild PCS symptoms.

Slowly but surely regaining my life back.
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