[katie71083]

I randomly read that the experience of PCS can be similar to that of stroke victims - I don't remember where. I kind of brushed it off as one of the bizarre statements that are so common when reading about PCS. I haven't done any further research on the subject.

Recently, I spent time with a victim of strokes/dementia. I was a little startled by the fact that I could understand the person's situation from "inside their brain" - if that makes sense. It was like I could feel their frustrations, confusion, and responses for myself.

It really did remind me of parts of my PCS. (Enough to where it was difficult for me to be around them because it brought things back.)

Anyone else identify with this? Or was it a bit of happenstance?

[Mark in Idaho]

If that person suffered from dementia, I can understand your position. My father died from non-Alzheimer's (ischemic) dementia. I could tell long before the rest of the family that he was struggling. I could see it in his eyes and by how he interacted with people and his surroundings.

In my experience, most stroke survivors have a different cluster of symptoms than are common to PCS. Strokes are usually focal injuries where PCS is more often global. Focal injuries can leave the rest of the brain with much more capability, unless the stroke caused severe swelling to the whole brain.

My awareness makes it so I tend to be more compassionate toward the dementia sufferer. I just hope there are others to be compassionate with me when my condition deteriorates.

If you see a person like this with others around who are clueless, you can use this opportunity to explain their condition from inside their brain. You do have a very special perspective.

[EsthersDoll]

I have a couple of friends with MS and they both relate more to me know that my brain doesn't behave the way I want it to, and have learned that it should over the 33 years before the accident that injured my brain.

I'm sure many brain issues are similar in that we can all relate to one another better.

Just the fact that it's a serious and life-changing health issue makes me understand a lot of ill people (like cancer patients and people who have had heart attacks) more because they have to deal with it on a daily basis and all the icky symptoms and treatments they have to go through and how fast a change in lifestyle it brings. (That's the hardest part for me right now, is that I used to be so active and now I have to rest so much!)

My mom almost died a few years ago of viral encephalitis and now she can't code new memories. Every 10-45 minutes she just forgets, she says it feels like she just "woke up". I think that must be very scary! Right after she got it, she couldn't remember every 30 seconds to one minute, so she's getting better, but as we all know, the brain takes a long time to heal! She also has a lot of problems recalling memories from before she had the encephalitis. It's typical of that malady.

Anyway, I had NO idea what she was going through until a little over a year after she survived I was in a bad auto accident on the other side of the country that injured my brain. I haven't been able to visit her since then, BUT I sure do understand better what she's going through! Even though I was never as bad off as she was when comparing brain functioning. She and I talk over the phone and my understanding brings her a comforting feeling of not being so all alone.

The first speech therapist I saw kept thinking I *was* a stroke victim. I kept trying to correct her, but she didn't get it. Thank god I was referred to another speech therapist.