[eponagirl]

HI all, I am new here and have only read a few posts so far. My concussion happened March 16th.
The Accident: I have 3 horses and on that day was taking them down to my riding arena for turnout (they had been in their run in shed for 3 days prior due to lots of rain and I didn't want them in the field). The arena fencing is electric tape, including my gates (no electricity yet). I was putting the last horse in & failed to notice one horse looking out over the gate already. When he saw the slack in the gate, he started walking forward...I asked him to back up, he did...then he went forward more strongly this time. Knowing he was "going for it", I let go of the gate handles (with other horse still in my hand also) the gate handle has a hook on it and it got caught on my jacket, pulling me fast and hard right down to the ground and pulled in behind him (the tape was at his chest as he was trying to barge through it). I saw black and then thought these magic words..."did his hoof just hit my head??"
When I looked up all three horses were running up my driveway and then up the main road. Probably by adrenaline or who knows what, I ended up running after them and finally got them back onto my property...to the original field that I didn't want them in, but better there than down the street! I went to work for a couple hours and even got hay that day.
The next day was a totally different story. I woke up feeling the bruises and wondered about them until I realized about the accident. I knew something was not right and it wasn't until I gently leaned back in my chair and as soon as the back of my head slightly touched the chair, I felt a warm woosh on the right side of my head and spontaniously burst into tears. That scared me more than the pain I was already feeling...in the front of my head...where the hoof left a scrape on my right forehead. SO the back of my head was not hurting at that time and we'll never know what that warm woosh was that I felt. Went to the ER, CT Scan normal...told to go home and follow up with reg Dr in a week.

The Aftermath: FYI: I am a 12 yr veteran massage therapist (not the fluff and buff kind, the therapeutic and worked with injured people kind) I understood the whiplash part of this, but not the brain part. Over the last few weeks I have been to my reg dr and a neurologist twice and had a "normal" MRI. The Neuro said I had PCS (didn't explain what it was, but by then I knew) gave me amitryptaline and told me to take time off from work if I felt like it, use my best judgement..ha! That was a funny one since my judgement has been impaired. I drove when I shouldn't have been, worked when i shouldn't have, etc etc. I have taken a few days off here and there. Neither of them gave me should/shouldn'ts just "do what you feel is ok". The Neuro does not want to be involved again unless a)things get worse or b)my condition is the same in 6 months. The final "plan" is to wait and see.

It is my nature to research the heck out of everything, so I have 3 books on this subject:
Coping with mild traumatic brain injury
mild traumatic brain injury workbook
brainlash
All of which have been helpful in different stages for me.

Luckily for me, things have improved, but only so far and I keep trying to be optimistic since it is *only* about 7-8 weeks in. (Had NO idea it would be going on THIS long and it was all very difficult-did I also mention that my "best" friend decided she would not acknowledge my head injury was so serious and we have ended the friendship-that trauma has begun to fade, apparently she really wasn't a friend, but it was another major loss in all of this)
I'm on my second week of PT and it seems to be helpful. My head still feels in a haze, I have weird pains where the impact was, constant ringing in my ears, have difficulty falling asleep, get agitated easily, have melt downs occaisonally when I've "overdone it", mental processing can be slow, memory is slow, not great at making decisions, feeling down and alone. My boyfriend (lives with me) who was great in the beginning, has gotten back to some old habits and arguing/impatient with me sometimes (does NOT help!!). He keeps forgetting I'm not all better because I look ok and am better than I was (meaning I am not always so dizzy and can walk around looking less dazed, so outwardly look fine). I can't determine if I should take more time off work and need to make some money, so I have been working a little. Perhaps that is still a stupid idea?? I am just confused sometimes about how much or how little to do. I feel halfway better, but still have days where I have "setbacks" when the haze is worse, feel emotionally fragile, head pains, etc. I started taking the amitryptaline again because it helps me sleep, but today I feel SO tired. Oh, and the carb attacks!! Ok, enough of my long rant, whew!

So anyway, I found this site and hope to get some reassurance, education or just "misery in company"
Thanks for making this far if you have!

[nancys]

Welcome to the forum. I am the mother of a 15 year old equestrian who received a concussion last October. Her story is much less dramatic than yours - she stepped on the end of an arena rake and whacked her self in the head. Tomorrow will be the 7 month mark. The recovery has been long and slow. Most of her cognitive issues seem to be resolving. I think there are some lingering executive function and mental stamia issues - but the memory and rentention are so much better. On a physcial level - she still has headaches - though decreasing in severity. The fatigue is finally getting better - though he mornings are still tough for her and still only makes it to afternoon classes or her tutor. This too has started to improve the past 3 weeks. I think the NUCCA chiropractor is making a difference.

You've read two books that I would recommend. The other two that I like are:

Head Games: Football's Concussion Crisis from the NFL to Youth Leagues

and

Over My Head: A Doctor's Own Story of Head Injury from the Inside Looking Out by Claudia L. Osborn

The first half of the football book has a good source of information relating to concussions in general. The book is currently out of print - but I think it's due out again soon.

My advice would be to listen to your body and take it easy. Can you afford to take a couple of weeks off from work and just rest?

[Mark in Idaho]

eponagirl,

Sorry for your struggles.

What you are experiencing is not uncommon. You might need to be a bit more vocal with your boy friend. Express your condition each morning. Let him know what you need from him, or not from him. You will benefit from being proactive about how you feel. He will think you are fine if you do not speak up.

Hows is your nutritional health? You need to make sure you have adequate Vit B-12, B-6, D3, folate, Omega 3's, etc. I and others have posted about the nutritional needs in prior posts. Your hormones could be out of balance too. It takes blood work to understand where your hormones are.

When you try to work in any capacity, be aware of your intensity level. You can do lots of tasks if you just take them slow and easy. Being busy is helpful, just be carefully busy. Be ready to stop and take a break. Find a quiet place to take your break.

Avoid controversy and confusion. If you take it slow and allow your brain and body time to heal, your days will go better. Has you PT checked your neck? Neck injuries are usually overlooked.

My best to you.

[eponagirl]

Thanks Nancys and MarkinIdaho! I will check into your suggestions and try to take things a slow and easy pace, since that does seem to feel ok and I do get more done, it just takes longer (but that is ok, better than a setback). The PT is working on my neck and head. The back of my head is much more sensitive than my neck, which is just tight.

Thanks again for the suggestions!

[Theta Z]

"try to take things a slow and easy pace, since that does seem to feel ok and I do get more done, it just takes longer (but that is ok, better than a setback)"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
eponagirl, you are very wise young woman to have already arrived at the wisdom and acceptance of the above, just ~2 months post-injury.
I heartily acknowledge you for that.

[eponagirl]

Thank you so much Theta Z! Not as young as I used to be, but I'll take it! .

Sadly two people have exited my life now from this accident. I think I've over committed my time and then had to retract from it later and people just think I am flaky or something. This has been so challenging and I think it may be time for a psychologist or someone for added support...

How do you go about finding someone familiar with MTBI?

[Theta Z]

"This has been so challenging and I think it may be time for a psychologist or someone for added support...How do you go about finding someone familiar with MTBI?"
__________________________________________________ _______
Hi, eponagirl - I'd try first contacting your State's Brain Injury Association or Brain Injury Foundation. You may get helpful referrals.
(In my case in this State, they do not. No help with suggestions for appropriate doctors, neuropsychologists, psychologists, counselors, physical therapists, occupational or speech therapists.) Here's the link:
[URL="http://www.biausa.org/stateoffices.html"]
Also, check for local Brain Injury Support Groups. You can learn from people there who's been helped by whom, much like here in this forum. I do hope that you get some genuine local support. I know how isolated I became and that's not good for anyone to heal and mend one's brain.
I know that others on here will have even better suggestions for you.
Meanwhile know that you've got a lot of highly knowledgeable and very caring people here on your team!

[Concussed Scientist]

Hi Eponagirl,

Two things in your tale sounded very familiar to me.
The first was the "warm whoosh" as you called it.
I was rear-ended by a high speed heavier car on the motorway, so I got effectively hit extremely hard in the back and neck by a high speed seat and headrest. Well, I had that warm whoosh thing going up my neck and back afterwards. I have wondered what it was and I think that it should be something that neuroscientists ought to investigate. One possibility is that it is caused by the release of some sort of chemical (could be a neurotransmitter such as glutamate or else a charged ion such as calcium, both of which are known to be released in neurological traumas).

It would be interesting to know who else has experienced the "warm whoosh". (Let us know please.) In any case, you are not alone.

The second thing is the loss of friends. It does may you reevaluate who is really a friend, doesn't it? People do find it difficult to believe that there is something wrong if you look the same and talk in the same way. This strikes me a somewhat lacking in imagination though. After all, people look the same if they develop diabetes or heart problems and no one disbelieves them. I suppose that is the thing: - people want some sort of medical explanation and seeing the neurologists can't give one how can you be expected to? I have also found that most people turn out to be fair weather friends. It makes you wonder. If someone can't believe your most basic and profound experience without medical evidence then what sort of a friend can they really be? However, I have found most, but not all, people, family as well as friends, to be like that. It gives you a new perspective on people.

CS

Originally Posted by eponagirl

HI all, I am new here and have only read a few posts so far. My concussion happened March 16th.
The Accident: I have 3 horses and on that day was taking them down to my riding arena for turnout (they had been in their run in shed for 3 days prior due to lots of rain and I didn't want them in the field). The arena fencing is electric tape, including my gates (no electricity yet). I was putting the last horse in & failed to notice one horse looking out over the gate already. When he saw the slack in the gate, he started walking forward...I asked him to back up, he did...then he went forward more strongly this time. Knowing he was "going for it", I let go of the gate handles (with other horse still in my hand also) the gate handle has a hook on it and it got caught on my jacket, pulling me fast and hard right down to the ground and pulled in behind him (the tape was at his chest as he was trying to barge through it). I saw black and then thought these magic words..."did his hoof just hit my head??"
When I looked up all three horses were running up my driveway and then up the main road. Probably by adrenaline or who knows what, I ended up running after them and finally got them back onto my property...to the original field that I didn't want them in, but better there than down the street! I went to work for a couple hours and even got hay that day.
The next day was a totally different story. I woke up feeling the bruises and wondered about them until I realized about the accident. I knew something was not right and it wasn't until I gently leaned back in my chair and as soon as the back of my head slightly touched the chair, I felt a warm whoosh on the right side of my head and spontaniously burst into tears. That scared me more than the pain I was already feeling...in the front of my head...where the hoof left a scrape on my right forehead. SO the back of my head was not hurting at that time and we'll never know what that warm whoosh was that I felt. Went to the ER, CT Scan normal...told to go home and follow up with reg Dr in a week.

The Aftermath: FYI: I am a 12 yr veteran massage therapist (not the fluff and buff kind, the therapeutic and worked with injured people kind) I understood the whiplash part of this, but not the brain part. Over the last few weeks I have been to my reg dr and a neurologist twice and had a "normal" MRI. The Neuro said I had PCS (didn't explain what it was, but by then I knew) gave me amitryptaline and told me to take time off from work if I felt like it, use my best judgement..ha! That was a funny one since my judgement has been impaired. I drove when I shouldn't have been, worked when i shouldn't have, etc etc. I have taken a few days off here and there. Neither of them gave me should/shouldn'ts just "do what you feel is ok". The Neuro does not want to be involved again unless a)things get worse or b)my condition is the same in 6 months. The final "plan" is to wait and see.

It is my nature to research the heck out of everything, so I have 3 books on this subject:
Coping with mild traumatic brain injury
mild traumatic brain injury workbook
brainlash
All of which have been helpful in different stages for me.

Luckily for me, things have improved, but only so far and I keep trying to be optimistic since it is *only* about 7-8 weeks in. (Had NO idea it would be going on THIS long and it was all very difficult-did I also mention that my "best" friend decided she would not acknowledge my head injury was so serious and we have ended the friendship-that trauma has begun to fade, apparently she really wasn't a friend, but it was another major loss in all of this)
I'm on my second week of PT and it seems to be helpful. My head still feels in a haze, I have weird pains where the impact was, constant ringing in my ears, have difficulty falling asleep, get agitated easily, have melt downs occaisonally when I've "overdone it", mental processing can be slow, memory is slow, not great at making decisions, feeling down and alone. My boyfriend (lives with me) who was great in the beginning, has gotten back to some old habits and arguing/impatient with me sometimes (does NOT help!!). He keeps forgetting I'm not all better because I look ok and am better than I was (meaning I am not always so dizzy and can walk around looking less dazed, so outwardly look fine). I can't determine if I should take more time off work and need to make some money, so I have been working a little. Perhaps that is still a stupid idea?? I am just confused sometimes about how much or how little to do. I feel halfway better, but still have days where I have "setbacks" when the haze is worse, feel emotionally fragile, head pains, etc. I started taking the amitryptaline again because it helps me sleep, but today I feel SO tired. Oh, and the carb attacks!! Ok, enough of my long rant, whew!

So anyway, I found this site and hope to get some reassurance, education or just "misery in company"
Thanks for making this far if you have!

[PCS Mikey]

Originally Posted by Concussed Scientist

Hi Eponagirl,


It would be interesting to know who else has experienced the "warm whoosh". (Let us know please.) In any case, you are not alone.


CS

I too had an experience of the 'whoosh' but it was much later after the initial bonk on the head I had. My syncope (post marathon) was in June '09, all PCS symptoms were completely gone by September '09. In Dec '09 I had colon surgery and was on the mend. While on a trip out of town in Jan '10, my family and I were sitting for lunch in a cafe, and I was hit by the 'whoosh', dizziness, warm sensation, an almost syncope feeling, kind of a panic feeling. Then all of the PCS symptoms came back first with a raging headache, dizziness, fog, etc. Symptoms are a little better now than they were in Feb, but it's strange that this second round wasn't aggrivated by an actual blow to the head.

Mike

[Mark in Idaho]

Mikey,

Are you aware of the Post Anesthesia Syndrome that combines with PCS? It can leave you brain in a chemo brain condition. I do not tolerate anesthesia very well. It takes me months to get over the 'just recovered from anesthesia' feeling.

Just though you might be interested.