Hi, so I haven't been here in a while. Just to sort of restate my story, I was doing a lot worse back before my summer break. I got a concussion in December, and I hit my head again in the spring. I had very bad headaches, fatigue, dizziness, confusion, memory issues, frustration, all that stuff.

Since school let out I've had a very restful summer and now I feel many of those issues have gone away. I no longer have cognitive problems or any dizziness issues, and I've even gone back to dance class which makes me very happy.The headaches are starting to come back, which I was expecting with school and more thinking going on, but they aren't as bad so I can actually knock them out with Aleve now.

My main problem is, I'm still so tired. I can make it through the first part of the day, but by the end of school I'm just completely spacing out. This is a problem now because we have a new schedule where the period we have last period is always the same. I need to deal with this tiredness or else I'm just going to always be falling asleep in this class! I feel bad because I have a new set of teachers, and I don't think they know about what went on last year, but at this point I just feel like I'm bothering everyone. I had a 504 but we didn't renew it because it just gave me a pass to the nurse, and extra time on tests, and I don't need them anymore I don't think.

I'm just very frustrated. I feel bad even bothering my mom with it. It seems like it should have just gone away by now.

Dear Gemma17,

I am writing to you from a teacher's point of view, which I am, but not teaching this fall because I too fell and got a concussion in March.

I too had a restful summer but realized teaching music k-6 and 2 bands was not within my reach and so here I am, home. In the beginning of the summer, I was hopeful that I might return but after I went for my neuro- psych testing, it was very evident, my brain was not healed enough to return to teaching.

Let me explain myself. During the neuro testing, from 8:30 to 2:00pm, they tested my cognitive skills using a wide variety of tests - reading, memorizing, comprehension, writing, visual stimuli, blocks, and number patterns. After an hour and half, I was exhausted but I had to keep going!
At the end, my dear husband had to assist me to the car. I slept all the way home and slept till 9:00am the next morning. My brain needed to rest big time!

Gemma, I have my masters in teaching. These tests would not have exhausted me before my fall. Now, is a different story.

I tell you this story because my dear young lady, you are different now. Your tiredness is telling you something. Your brain is very tired.

It is working extremely hard, getting up early, an adjustment from the summer, more tired perhaps. Listening to bells, announcements, all the talking(yelling) in the hallways, settling into taking notes, following directions, trying to stay attentive, OMG answering questions coherently when called on and then the BIG one, being social, did I say being social, that's what high school is and you haven't even gotten home to do homework! And did I read, "I've even gone back to dance class which makes me very happy." - after school?

Consider this, you running a race without being in shape. Exhausted you would be! Your brain is on over drive and you are driving in 1st maybe 2nd gear.

No wonder "with this tiredness", "I'm just going to always be falling asleep in this class!"

Ah Gemma, do you see what you're asking your brain to do?

Now this, "I have a new set of teachers, and I don't think they know about what went on last year, but at this point I just feel like I'm bothering everyone. I had a 504 but we didn't renew it because it just gave me a pass to the nurse, and extra time on tests, and I don't need them anymore I don't think."

If I was your new teacher, I would want to know YOU but most of all anything that "went on last year". We teachers need to know, so we can guide you. You are not bothering us. It's our job to serve you and bothering isn't in the equation.

I am not a special ed teacher but from your description of your symptoms, I strongly urge you to reconsider renewing your 504. Your brain still needs restful breaks with the nurse and if you're fried from the day and you have to take a test, once again the extra time will be necessary for you.

Gemma, I'm processing so much slower and I get tired too when I am typing on the computer. I have to give myself breaks from it otherwise my headaches intensify.

So please, check with your guidance counselor about renewing your 504.

Now I am talking to you from the point of view as a Mom. I have 3 college kids. "I'm just very frustrated. I feel bad even bothering my mom with it. It seems like it should have just gone away by now."

Dear dear Gemma, I hear and so know your frustration. It has not gone away
and oh how you want it to. Once again "bothering" is not what this is all about. Receiving what will help you is. Your mom is your advocate, she loves you. Tell her where you are at and what you are feeling. She wants the best for you so you can be your best.

This letter took me close to 2 hours to write - alot slower than normal but the brain is still a teacher and a mom, my core.

The core of you is still there inside - honor it and listen to your body, it's talking to you.

Peace
Grady Lady

Gemma17 - Talk to your mom, your teachers and the school. It's important that you scale your return back to school. Don't feel bad if you were injured in December and not fully recovered yet. It takes time and everyone recovers at different rates. My daughter's injury was back in October and she is finally able to get up and make it to school full time. 2 months ago (which is about where you are at), she wouldn't have been able to do it - even 2 weeks ago - it was iffy as to if she would be able to get up on time.

She's only been in a school a week - and so far - she is doing ok. I don't know how she will do once the work load increases. Some of the things we have done that I think have increased her energy levels (which take a while to work) are Upper Cervical Chiropractor, a good multi-vitamin with D3 & Iron, LOTS of water (75+ oz daily) & fish oil. The increase in fluid has to help with light headedness issues & headaches.

She still has headaches but they are not as constant as she had before. She’ll have periods without them and when she gets them, they are usually not as bad. She sat through a loud assembly at school and was ok today. The one things she still has issues with is stress. It really effects her harder than it would before. Stress reduction techniques really help – breathing, positive thinking, yoga, etc.

Please tell you mom and let her help you with this. As a mom, I would want to know and help.

Thank you so much to both of you, I think that was something I really needed to hear, especially from the perspective of a teacher and a mom.

Grady Lady, after reading how all that testing made you feel, I sort of understand why my brain freaks out so much when I'm back at school. I've only been back for three days, and this weekend couldn't have come soon enough. I went to be around 10 last night and I slept in till 11 today easily.

I also see what you mean with teachers wanting to know what's going on. I think it might just be because at my 504 meeting last year it was first period so early in the morning, I wasn't prepared to be called down to the office and there were I think 4 or 5 adults just gabbing away. I forgot to ask for what I wanted/needed and ended up accepting what they suggested I needed. So it was kind of a bad experience, but now that I'm more prepared, it could be more beneficial.

I think I'll talk to my mom about going back to a neurologist, but a different one from the one I was seeing. He had me on an anti-seizure med for the headaches, but when that wasn't helping it was sort of a "well I can't do anything else". So. It'd be good to have someone with more concussion experience.

Have you had any neuro-physch testing done? If you haven't had any done, it might also be worth investigating. It would give you a better idea as to where you are at and what accommodations might be helpful.

Finding a good doctor can be hard. Our experience with the neurologist and rehab doctors was less than ideal. Our Sport's medicine guy is great (as in another one in the practice) and very supportive. The NUCCA doctor was extremely helpful. Believe it or not, we had to see a cardiologist for another issue and he was extremely helpful with the fatigue issues we were experiencing.

The fatigue, both physical and mental was the hardest things for my daughter to get over. Hang in there and get the rest you need.

My daughter also had a moderate increase in symptoms when school started two weeks ago (mostly headaches, not as much with the fatigue). We talked with her vision therapist about it and he explained how her brain is re-learning to deal with stress. He prescribed some breathing exercises and specific yoga poses to help alleviate stressors.

The second week of school she was able to "breath through" the few headaches she had. Might be worth a try for you. Breath in for 8 counts, hold for two, exhale for 8 counts. Four sun salutations each morning.

As far as I can tell there is no way to deal with that darn PCS fatigue other than to let it run its course (and of course proper rest and nutrition). In my daughter's case it started to get better around 6 months and now, at 13 months, she seems to be close to her pre-injury energy level.

Ditto what the others have said...talk with your mom and your school. Schools are far behind the curve on dealing with kids with head injuries, but they are light years ahead of where they were even two years ago.

Gemma,

If you get put in the "five people talking" setting again, you need to speak up. Your brain cannot process the different questions and comments from so many people. They are clueless. You need to ask for a single person to be you 504 case worker. That person should strongly moderate the flow of information in front of you. You deserve a good and appropriate 504 plan.

You need an informed advocate. Maybe your mom or one of the counselors at school. Read the section on education plans in Dr Johnson's Survival Guide online at www.tbiguide.com or for download and print out at http://www.drakecenter.com/file.axd?...vivalGuide.pdf

Take written comments to such meetings. make you case long beforehand and write it down. Then have copies for each person at the meeting. The Survival Guide should give you some good ideas of how to present your symptoms and limitations. When you can sound semi-professional with your understanding of your condition, others tend to listen to you or understand your written needs better.

Keep an binder/journal with all of these resources. Make daily/hourly notes about how you are responding to school situations. Like, 'someone dropped a book on the floor with a bang. I could not focus for the next half hour. I felt like I needed a nap.' 'Teacher was talking too fast. I could not follow her instructions.' 'Too much noise in class. I struggle to understand the teacher's words among the chatter.' ( Ambien noise can be a big problem for PCS sufferers. ) Sitting at the front of the class helps some.

Remember one thing. The knowledge you gain from understanding your own PCS condition will prepare you for greater things ahead. You will be better prepared to bob and weave through the stresses of life.

My best to you.