I posted this on another forum and wanted to have it here too.
I hope you might be able to help me. I had the typical epilepsy surgery 10 years ago which was successful as far as I am concerned, and I am doing great as far as seizures go. In trying to go forward in this new life, I am in graduate school nd am finding that i might need some sort of adjustment to learning techniques. I don't know if it is just so much material given in a short time, my age now and time since school, or the fact that I have had the surgery that is making it difficult for the material to stick and stay stuck. I usually need to apply the material. Then it will get into long term memory, but we do not get the oopportuiity to apply all of it as there is so much material at once. I get terribly overwhelmed, but what is worse is that the lectures are basically someone reading a power point presentation with little input or rationale with the tests being totally application. Without the rationale or data that should be in between presented at all, it is like being asked and expected to put a puzzle together with no picture and some of the pieces missing. That rationale is missing to me, but I have learned that we are supposed to dig that out ourselves. My question is this. Did anyone who has had this surgery find that they needed other learning strategies after surgery in order to retain and then recall material? What were they and were they effective? It would help me immensely to have other learnng techniques that take into consideration this surgery. I need to be able to apply this material in order to be successful, but the time allowed is short and there is a lot of it. Any input would help.Thanks Tattoo

Hi there Tatoo,
I had the right temporal lobectomy. But also my seizures are coming from the left temporal lobe. My memory is in the toilet, either because of taking so many meds. Or because of where the seizures come from. The thing that engraves something in my memory the best is doing something i enjoy, and learning by doing hands on work. That's how I became a Microsoft professional. But because of the damn seizures and all my years of being unemployed. No company will accept me for an interview.
Sincerely
shawn33

Hi! I had my surgery 7 years ago this month and also have a Terrible memory and have "adjusted" to the situation at hand with constant repetition and written instructions to learn something new. Repetition seems to be the key for me as well as doing it hands on myself. If I have the opportunity to do it myself a few times I am much more likely to retain the information (although not always by any means).

Hope this helps some. I would be interested in any information myself.

Hi Tattoo,
I had my surgery 15 yrs. ago and after that my short term memory went downhill. I have found that keeping myself active and when I'm working in school to take a lot of notes for myself, by doing these things it has helped improve my memory much. I wish you the best of luck in graduate school. May God Bless You!

Sue

Thank all for the responses. I have had a busy and very stressful summer. Because it has been 10 years since surgery, I decided to have more Neuropsych testing done in June to see if I could learn anything there that may help me retain information better. It showed that I have a Reading Disorder. Believe it or not, that is a disability too. The psychologist in my doc's office who did my testing told me that sometimes people are able to get through undergraduate school with it, but in grad school with its rigorous schedule, it may be detected then. Guess that is right. I went through Disabilty Office and do quallify for accommodation. I have seen the Learning Disability office for that and my contact there has recommended accommodations.. At this point though I don't think my school will allow me to stay. The will know about the epilepsy, surgery, and LD. Even though it would be discrimination, professional schools are a different animal and nursing especially sets itself apart. I am considering either a transfer or another option. I feel I have so much to offer those like us but am hitting road blocks in my growth after surgery and do not haver time for that. The growth after this surgery has been phenominal to me, but I may have reached an end here. At a loss really. Thanks for being here. Tattoo

Hi Tattoo,
I'm sorry to hear that you have a reading problem. I know if I were in your place I wouldn't let the school tell me I could no longer attend that is completely wrong. I look at Alan Faneca who plays for the NY Jets he's had epilepsy for 15 yrs. and has been playing professional football for awhile and he was able to get a college degree and he's still playing now. He taking tegretol for his sz. The reason why I know this is because the NY Jets are at summer camp just a few miles from my house and that's how I found out about him. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't go to their school or push you around just because you have sz. and reading problems. After all your just as good if not better than they are! Here's wishing you well and May God Bless You!

Sue