First, and foremost, I can not thank all of your for your responses enough...thank you

I made my way to my treadmill, 2 miles later I felt good...showered and ate lunch and then brought cupcakes to my Son's fifth grade class. OK, I was worried about how exercising and the gym were going to impact me, silly girl...my Son's class was my demise lol!!!

17 fifth grade kids, on Valentine's Day...and there is SUGAR everywhere!! His Teacher is a SAINT...she was finishing up a Math lesson when I arrived and I was SO disappointed at what I saw...(I'm from the "old school" lol..at 45?!) She is standing at the blackboard showing the kids how to figure ratio and several kids are talking; one gets up and randomly walks around the room. I had a REALLY hard time paying attention to what she was saying...I now know why my Son is so "distracted" during class...there is no order

I was EXHAUSTED when I got home...we ordered take out and had a quiet evening...my plans are to do nothing today

Every day is so different for me, I guess that is what I'm having difficulty dealing with. What works one day, isn't even a consideration on another. I'm trying to just listen to my body but at the same time, not give "in" to the point that I do myself more harm than good.

The support from this forum keeps me going...I'm less anxious and feel more at peace with the changes...

Still waiting on the Neuropsych report...very anxious to speak with a psychologist...I know it will help me put things in to perspective...

I just read your latest post. I was old schooled just like you. I am the 50's and we had dominican nuns that beat your hand with a ruler if you didn't pay attention. I remember absolute quiet in the classroom. Maybe the old way is better! I hope you are having a better day Julie. I had to bring in my cat to the Vet today. Even with beauiful weather outside, I still like being home. Take care, ginnie

JulieRN, be careful that in protecting yourself from overstimulation that you don't isolate too much. That's what I have done and I became even more depressed. And the more depressed I became, the more I isolated myself and the lower my confidence dropped.

I know what you mean when you say that you don't know what you can do day to day. I'm very lucky in that I have a friend who I can generally contact spur of the moment to go for a coffee. That way, I don't have to plan it ahead but can go when I feel like it. This has helped me a whole lot! I hate to plan anything because I don't know how I am going to feel.

It's such a difficult balancing act, isn't it! I'm naturally extroverted and I was very very active and social prior to Oct, 2009. Now I feel like the overstimulation has forced me to be introverted. Especially when my speech problems kick in. Then I really don't want to talk to anyone.

Mark had excellent suggestions which I incorporated this past summer - sunglasses and earplugs! They are a must to have with you at all times! I purchased some of the safety glasses that wrap around and sit right against my face and I find that to be so beneficial - the light coming in the top & sides sometimes bothers me. The safety glasses can be adjusted up or down and they were under $10!

I like the suggestion of a "quick escape". Going to incorporate that one into my life for sure!

Soccergal

Yes, I have become a bit of a hermit as well. I also have been working two jobs from home for some years before the TBI, though. But now pain levels determine whether I go out. And risk of an accident causing more pain.

Maybe try not to skip a special event you're looking forward to unless you're really feeling bad. I regret an event I skipped when the pain was worse. Then again, maybe it would've been too much.

Yesterday was one of the best days I have had in a very long time. Not physically (I have been feeling EXHAUSTED lately), but cognitively. I had a long conversation with my Atty. on the phone, felt I was able to speak "intellectually"...then again, had a conversation with my 21 year old after and he told me I wasn't finishing "not one sentence"...I ramble alot..

I hope your cat is ok...I LOVE my cats to pieces, I've always been a HUGE cat lover lol!! We are having THE strangest New England Winter I've seen in my lifetime...very mild!

My Son is off from school starting tomorrow and doesn't return until next Wed. I am SO excited that I'll be able to "sleep in"...and am grateful he doesn't really want to DO anything during his time off...

Thank you for your support Ginnie...))

One of the problems my wife observed when she did some test proctoring in the local public schools was classrooms with far to much visual clutter at the front of the class. Behavior and class discipline aside, the visual overload when trying to follow what the teacher is doing at the black board (white board in some schools) explains why there are so many ADHD diagnosis.

It is like a newsletter edited by someone with 50 new fonts in their desktop publishing software. There is a new font used for every article and tid-bit. Just because the teacher has all of this wall space to put visual clutter, it does not mean she should clutter up the view.

It says a lot for the value of uniforms and the stricter discipline used in most uniform schools.

I can't imagine a student with PCS trying to focus in such a classroom.

I have felt similarly many times, about many things. I too tried to rationalise it in terms of symptoms, but it never quite added up - the worsening of symptoms from any given activity was often not bad enough to justify just how badly I DIDN'T WANT to do that thing.

I've been doing a lot of reading now that I'm well enough to do so, and came across a discussion of 'loss of executive function' as being very common following TBI. This is essentially a 'loss of ability to engage in purposeful activity' and can manifest as lack of motivation as well as problems with attention ie sticking to a task. It seems to basically be a mindset that makes you not want to do anything that is remotely difficult.

It came as a shock to me that I would have suffered from this as it feels kind of worse than my other symptoms, more of a change in who I am than just another bit of pain and discomfort. But I'm certain I had, and to an extent still have this symptom, and it sounds like you do too. It is common and should pass. Good luck!

This is how I feel!

ericalou,

Welcome to NeuroTalk. As your posts have commented, you have found a good place.

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My best to you.