Sleep is a must for good recovery. It isn't good. Your doctor should be more concerned. Lack of sleep leads to all kinds of bad stuff. Hope you get to see someone new! ginnie

Abel, have you tried any OTC sleep remedies? My son (severe TBI 10 months) likes Alteril, it has 4 mg Melatonin and a few other herbal stuffs in it. I struggle with lifelong insomnia myself and have been dependent on Ambien script for about the last 15 years. That sucks but I do highly value my sleep, can't function without it, know how you feel. Whatever you try, take it on a fairly empty tummy so it can absorb quickly.

As for stuff to do, my son just yesterday celebrated his 31st birthday -- but in his words, 27 years of video gaming. lol! They say video games are bad for TBI, but for him it's been very therapeutic and it would have been impossible for him to cope without his lifelong hobby anyway. It depends on your PCS symptoms, I'm sure; for many it would be too overstimulating. It was for him at first and he'd sleep a lot the next day, but he does well most of the time now, day sleeps out of boredom more than fatigue.

Anyway, figure out some hobbies to pass time; I like rock hunting /collecting... though I haven't since my son's TBI. heheh try collecting bugs or leaves or something, or bird watching maybe, nature stuff is cheap and good for walking exercise too. Bad weather hobbies, my son likes cooking; if you like creative stuff there's all kinds of things to simply have fun with, everything from oil painting to dough sculptures to building popsickle stick log houses to origami. Someday when my son is better I'd like to learn quilting.

Doesn't matter what you do, just have fun, don't push yourself to be precise or compete with yourself; and know it's ALL therapeutic. :-) ....gosh it seems like about everything requires working the eyeballs ... maybe try playing a musical instrument. Never mind trying to read music, just have fun making some noise! A fish aquarium can be very soothing. Tai Chi is good, slow, non-impact exercise for TBI'ers.

Every watch "50 First Dates"? One of my all time fave movies... claim a wall for yourself and slap paint on it. (No need to start fresh every day tho!) I think that would be fun and not necessarily too hard on the eyes unless you're going for an intricate mural. Cheap leftover paints is usually easy to find, just make sure they're all indoor latex based, not oil. People do alllll kinds of crazy art forms on their walls, from rolling themselves all over it to their cats' tails (not recommended lol)... so just make sure the floor is well covered and splash it!

I struggled with insomnia and still have the occasional night where I sleep a few hours. The nuero suggested I stay up all day even if I was tired. I started taking 3 mg melatonin every night. 5 to 6 hours is common for me now. Preinjury I slept 8 hours consistently.

I still fatigue easily and one day at work found myself nodding off. Could not keep my eyes open to save my life. Short term memory is an issue still. If I am holding something and put it down I will easily forget all about it. However I feel if you have a support group in place memory does not make much difference one way or the other.

I can't tell how many times I have forgotten things, and the world has not stopped spinning yet. Mostly if I get upset because I forgotten it is only because I think it is more important than it really is. What I have learned or remembered is whats most important is my family and our love for one another.

Not to gloss things over this is very difficult thing to go thru. But it is not the end of us just the beginning of a different chapter in our lives. It would be easier if the normals would better understand.

do you have any hobbies? they are grate ways to get away from the tv and keep your mind active, here are a few that I do jeg saw puzzles,femo clay you can make all kinds of thing with that or you could try painting ceramics I paint rocks personaly I know that sound funny but I paint all kinds of animals and all kinds of other things on them and put them in my flower bed,there you go theres another thing besides tv any way back to the rock the kids in the apartment complex just love it they always have to come by and see them they even drag there parents by to look any way try some hobbies,or games if you have someone around

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I go to *edit*, put on an hour or more documentary, roll over and nap. Keeps eye strain down, plus is relaxing enough to sleep. [ wish I actually watched sometimes, LOL . not really, I pick the most boreing ].