[ll44]

I made the mistake of trying to work the Sudoku in the paper this morning...

The result was that I've become very light headed and dizzy which is making me quite nauseous. Is this something you all have noticed? That is, when really trying to apply your brain power, it really brings on the symptoms?

After my initial injury, I'd say it hurt to think. Thinking would bring on migraines and whatnot, but I don't seem to be in the migraine phase these days. Now a days, thinking too hard seems to just make me dizzy and lightheaded. It feels like I've been holding my breath as long as I can, as if I'm not getting enough oxygen to my head.

Is this something any of you have experienced? If so, is there anything you have been able to do to help? Obviously this is a problem given that thinking is pretty important when working.

I want to think that I'm on some kind of road to recovery since this isn't bringing on terrible headaches, but frankly, these symptoms are just as debilitating.

[greenfrog]

I had some symptoms with crosswords and other cognitive work initially. Start slow, lower your standards, maybe do 5-10 mins to start, then very gradually (over weeks or months) build up as tolerated. Recovery is a marathon, not a sprint.

[Theta Z]

Yes. I have indeed tried to just 'simply occupy my mind'.
Nothing works for me. [ In this year, my year#4.]
Not in this year nearly all year my year#4. You know I'm neither 'young' nor a 'newbie', being in year#4.

Year#3 I thought I was doing well, managing well, active again, happy, taking good care. Enter: I got a creative project last year which I thought I could do well, and manage to take care of my brain, resting to balance out the activity.
I similarly to andi perhaps, thought I was taking good care while enjoying being moderately more active and engaged in the world. After a year of "being better, doing better" I simply couldn't sustain it and all went away, including my self. Ugh.

I presently cannot abide any music whatsoever. No 'relaxation' music, no classical music, not our fave rock&roll from our 'SaladDays'. Not even REM or CountingCrows. REM used to be 'good for my brain', and Mozart. Can't go to the symphony or ballet, or any live music.

DownHere is home to such richness & diversity of American music genres and songwriters. There is really fine live music, jazz, or whatever to enjoy every night of the week all year outdoors, free, in small lovely alfresco venues with beautiful sunsets to enjoy. One of the things I loved about Gulf Coast living. Sigh.
Can't do youtube either. Sigh.

Crossword puzzles, I've loved doing, lifelong, now serve only to remind me painfully of the cognitive, vocabulary and language skills that I've lost. No sudoku. Any numbers simply send my head into "TILT!!" No drawing, no calligraphy. No reading books or magazines. Can't sing or even hum!
Solitare using playing cards makes me feel hopelessly doomed and like 'just passing time'.

Playing cardgames on the computer and anything like luminosity just tax my eyes/vision or just plain annoying. (I'm just not a gamer. And that's okay.) I like playing canasta with real cards, real people, yes. I presently can't abide 'chattiness' of people; conversations are annoying, taxing, difficult for me.

"Hey,I'm tellin' ya, this 'me' is no fun! So I don't socialize or be with people, for now, anyway. It's kind of like a self-imposed 'solitary confinement' with my own mind and no distractions, for these 9 months. Oh well, I'm going to learn a better to work with that

I abhor tv'; for me it's all largely stupid, irrelevant, or annoying.
Movies can be okay, sometimes. I really didn't watch tv pre-crash. Now my tv is too small, i.e. my vision is such that it's really taxing for me. No radio, no talk shows. No books on tape. Did I say no magazines or short stories, even?

Lil dogs that don't yap & barkbarkbark, cats, and birds, yes! Yes, I walk my friends' lil canine guys and gals down by the bay now that it's Autumn DownHere, and I don't "die" in heat/humidity.

So I've been largely in self-isolation, locked within a prison of my mind, and that's not a relaxing nor 'self-supportive' place to hang out 24/7,[B] for me, in my own experience with myself in this pcs life we live and have to learn to work with, somehow, sometime.
Yes. I have indeed tried to just 'simply occupy my mind'.

However I'm reaching out here online in an effort to connect with the fine folk and fabric of life, yet again. And giving a small hope to a comeback, again, another 'Go". Thanks for keeping me company along the way, Each and All here on NT, and for all mutual supportiveness.
And keep reaching out here along your own way.
We're all trying to find our way 'Home' to ourselves.

Love, appreciation, metta,

Theta

[andromeda]

Theta, I relate to all of that.

I've just had three weeks of quiet in my house as housemate has been away. She's only been back a few hours but the chit chat chattiness, the small talk, the door slamming and just hearing somebody else in the house drives me INSANE.

I can enjoy music at certain times in very small doses. I usually save it for when I have to go out and use it to block out traffic/people talking. Anything more than 10 minutes and I have to switch it off because of the headache and ear fatique. I used to go to a lot of live music things, usually at least twice a week, but when I did try once my eyes went funny and I ended up lying with my head on the table speaking rubbish, apprently, and had to be taken home.

I feel that listening to somebody speak now is something that is to be endured. Especially if they have a particularly carrying voice. I muffled mumbles which I find intolerable and have to wear ear plugs.

[ll44]

A day later and my head is still spinning, making me nauseous and resulting in headache. I think the headache is just from the spinning feeling as much as anything.

Good gracious this is frustrating. I'm wondering how I'm working and I'm realizing that subconsciously I'm avoiding some of my more challenging tasks because those challenging tasks tend to result in this kind of sick feeling.

The neuro prescribes pills and offers little more. Unfortunately, the pills are prescribed to cure migraines which isn't the biggest issue at this time. I'm kind of at a loss. There are only so many sick days one can take without causing too much of a stir and when I'm there, working can be challenging. Sometimes it's not, but the harder I have to think, the more dangerous it can get.

I'm thinking about giving up and moving into a box.

[andromeda]

It really doesn't sound like you should be working. Is there no way you can negotiate some proper time off to get some rest?

[ll44]

i probably can, although last time i spoke with the neuro, i mentioned the idea and she blew it off. i'll need doctor's approval for a leave which i may do if i go back to my normal doc.

the question is then, how long do i take off? i get the feeling that if i were to take a month off, the symptoms will just come back as they did this time after taking a month of vacation this summer.

i guess that's the burden we live with with these injuries. how much rest is what i need? who knows. i'm afraid the answer might be closer to a year than a month. ugh.

[rmschaver]

We are each on a unique journey. Alot of factors will affect the length of recovery. I am at 4 and 1/2 months, not long for some here. I am still symptomatic and was very, very active pre. The degree of severity of your injury, earlier concussions and age can be major factors. Your role in the recovery proccess is also very important.