[Mark in Idaho]

I realized that one thing that has greatly improved my life has been changes in how issues are handled at home.

My serious PCS struggles started in January 2001. My cognitive and memory struggles have not changed in the 11 years since. But, my daily life has improved greatly.

What has changed is my attitude and the growth in work-around skills and the attitude and communication with family members. Something that made a big difference was when my wife finally read and tried to understand my NeuroPsych Assessment report.

With the knowledge she gained, she became a support system rather than a conflict system. She would try to calmly pull me aside when she could tell I was about to lose control or struggling with anxiety/over-stimulation. She also stopped expecting me to do things that she thought were obvious. We began using a white board on the refrigerator to help keep order around the house.

With poor memory, I would forget to finish tasks or not even start them. Instead of her getting upset, she would just write it on the white board. Communication with someone with PCS / memory problems needs to be carefully considered. Family especially needs to adjust to reduce the stress and conflict from poor communication.

I hope others have learned some of the adjustment that can be made with friends and family and sometimes even co-workers to make life better.

If others could post their experiences, I'm sure many could be helped.