Problems writing and composing text
 

So it is nigh on 9 months since my injury and I am still finding it difficult to compose text and writing sentences.

To help cope with grammar and spelling problems I use Microsoft Word and Outlook email. These are quite useful but it still takes an excruciating amount of time to compose what I am trying to get across and still find I miss whole words out. It is not a problem with keyboard layout as I can touch type although sometimes that does go astray

Does anyone have any coping tips or therapies they have found to improve their ability to compose messages?

P.s. time to write this post 18 minutes

For me Sospan its about not being too tired. I manage half hour then thats it. Maybe take more breaks between reading and writing. Look away from the screen and see how you feel, you may be surprised how tired you are without realizing.

I just did spell check and couldn't believe the amount of mistakes so Im signing off for a while.

I struggle too. I recommend using Safari or google chrome as browsers because they automatically underline words you've spelt wrong. It makes a HUGE difference for me.

Sospan,

Is the issue with word finding, grammatical only or getting them to written text?

Without knowing much more perhaps software by nuance called Dragon speech recognition may be helpful? They have some for iPhone and Blackberry as well. I wish I could offer more suggestions.

Good luck!

I find writing easier than speaking for some reason.

The biggest problem I have is that I seem to leave whole words and even sentences out and sometimes the sentence just doesn't make sense.

Finger control is a minor problem (but frustrating) but I can correct it as I go along.

It is a funny thing I can compose a sentences in my head maybe 10 words but it seems to be a problem getting them from my head when I type I may end up with 2 or 3 words missing

Whilst I am writing I never get stuck for words unlike when I am speaking. I have pauses which seem to go for ever - although when I ask my wife about this she doesn't notice it too much or even when I feel like I am slurring.

really frustrating

Language
 

I struggle with this also. Immediately following my injury was the worst. Now I find If I slow down from what I used to do helps. I frequently pause and double check. Early writing, reading and speaking was very difficult. Now I struggle when I am stressed. It's improvement but I am a long way from pre-injury.

My daughter has had a learning disability since birth. When she reads it must be by rote. For example she could not sound a word out she had to memorize the word, it's pronouncement and meaning. The psycholgist said it was a decoding issue.

It was the same for writing. I watched her struggle and succed. She is 22, has a good job with benefits, a child and manages part time colledge.

Must be so proud of your daughter to see overcome the adversity and go on and do well

Daughter
 

I am, but it also highlights that these challenges can be dealt with. How the medical system allows for that or even if a Dr will assist is a unknown to me.

I feel your pains and can relate. 2007 TBI. what I try to do now, is to write
the conversation before hand save it then come back to it a couple times to correct it.

I thought of myself as a high level functioning TBI recovery patient.
until I lost 2 great paying Jobs in a matter of 3 months and may have to settle with almost minimum pay. It is hard and frustrating but as long as there is breath you have to go on. Try ,try, try. My closet family is 500+ mile away. And my best supporter is my X-fiancee 2+ miles away.

After 4 years, I thought I would be better instead it seems to be.. I don't know:confused:
My memory at my firsts Job after TBI recovery must have been always bad but, because I knew it before the accident I did not see the problem. But stepping out into a new Environment seems to show my real disabilities and deficiencies.

I changed my legal team last week and spent Saturday emailing over some of my documents. A combination of the meeting, stress and spending too much time in front of the screen seems to have tipped something over the edge and spent the last day drifting in and out of sleep

I was going quite well on Saturday and when I was checking one of the documents and felt a bit strange a decided to give it a rest and closed down the PC. Switched to watch the TV and of all the channels I selected was a news channel with a horizontal scrolling news feed - a few seconds that was it - overload

Lesson well and truly learned

Well done sospan!

I have noticed my writing deteriorating with stress these last week. I keep writing things then reading them back to realise they don't make any sense, don't even know what I was trying to say. I was trying to write a word earlier, can't remember what it was but it was the equivalent of spelling photograph like fotograf. Lots of sleep and warm baths for me.

"trying to write a word earlier, can't remember what it was"

Thats your membership of the TBI club complete :)

Sounds like me trying to actively participate in replying and posting. I grok.
 

:osospan,

Only 18 mins. to type, compose, edit, re-word, edit, proof, edit, preview, edit/add, preview, and finally post? Wow. That's impressive in my experience! :p Wish I could manage this better as well in order to participate moreso in posting here, as I am so isolated socially otherwise IRL and I'm determined to change that, e.g. first by reaching out here to this online community. Some days all I can manage is to hit the thanks button. And that's okay. As you said it, " I am still finding it difficult to compose text and writing sentences. and takes an excruciating amount of time to compose what I am trying to get across.

I do always appreciate to read your posts.
And good luck to us both in sustaining our capabilities to participate here,

Best regards,
Theta ;)

Thought I was doing quite well over the last few days. Just had to type a letter and averaged 3 words a minute. The worst bit, my wife I had to give it 6 times to my wife to review and correct before I got it right :o

like a kid trying to do his sums for teacher - didn't even get a star for effort
told must try harder :(