If you haven't had one yet, your doctor will probably send you for a neuro-psych exam. That's a serious of tasks (memory, pattern recognition, motor skills, sometime IQ, etc...) to see how your injury is playing out in your daily functioning. This will help them identify your deficits and target your therapy accordingly.

Unlike a lot of the TBI folks here, I don't have convergence issues, so didn't need a lot of visual therapy. I needed a lot of occupational therapy and rehab to relearn basic tasks, like doing up buttons, holding utensils, etc... I did neuroplasticity exercises to regain some ability to distinguish between hot and cold, etc... (Yeah, I'm really messed up. )

On the cognitive side, I spent a lot of time working through the various stages of Attention Processing Training (APT). Among other things, it really helped me to learn to focus on the task at hand. I have parietel lobe damage, which makes it impossible to filter sounds - very distracting. I also needed a lot of help with auditory issues, like coping with the blasted ringing.

I benefited a great deal from cognitive therapy. It was really hard work, especially in the beginning. I'd work at it for a few minutes and be in bed the rest of the day.

It was also hard not to get discouraged when I discovered how much I'd lost. I couldn't even find all the triangles on a sheet of twelve simple shapes. What a humbling experience. However, I gritted my teeth and decided to think about where I was going, not where I was starting. In the end, I am really glad that I stuck with it.

Have hope and courage.

I must say, again, how thrilled I am for you that you have found a compassionate and concerned doctor. You are the envy of 99.9% of the TBI folks at NT.

Kev... no idea what it entails but hoping it helps... I am really concerned about the blood and clear fluid coming out of your ear... can you call and see what the docs thoughts are on that and see if he can order more tests?

So is it safe to say that I probably have some sort of brain damage? Im assuming we all do when we hit our head, but just checking.

Also scary day today. Wife had to go get her hair done, and was gone for 3 hours. The baby was extremely fussy and wouldnt stop wanting to eat and poop and want to be held. Obviously ok, thats what babies do. But, usually theres always someone with me, like my wife for example. But today was my first extended period of time with just us two. Within a half hour I became overwhelmed and got extremely confused ect ect. Luckily she fell asleep for about 30 minutes to allow me to recoop.

Now heres the crazy part, a neighbor who works nights (so shes never around during the day because she sleeping) saw me getting the mail today for the first time since the baby has been born. She asked me her name, and I couldnt remember, it literally took me over 20 seconds to think of it. I just blanked out. She looked at me like I was crazy (she doesnt know what happened to me) and that was basically the end of our converstation. As I sit here, 4 hours after all of this, my head is throbbing, im confused, and cant even fully hold a convo with my wife.

Im just at the point now where im getting scared. I understand theres probably a good chance ill never be the same, but man, this confusion and lack of train of thought is beyond scary. Im going to hate to see what im like when im 60.

Yikes.. I am so sorry that happened! I hope you get some rest tonight and feel a little better tomorrow!

Well the past few days have been a trip. Still waiting to hear when ill start therapy, and still no clue what it fully entails and what it will actually do to help me get back to work (specially because I have a physical labor job)

Anyways some of this is "hearsay" since I honestly dont recall it. Evidently Friday night was a horrible night for me according to my wife. I guess I saw a large ant in the hallway and completely lost my being. I guess I freaked out and starting cussing and swearing and stomped the crap out of the ant. The next few hours she said I was beyond strange. I guess I went into the bathroom and starting plucking my bear with tweezers. She stopped me. I then guess I stared at myself in a really weird non blinking gaze for about a half hour. After that she finally got me to go back to the couch. I guess I got up shortly after and wound up outside kicking dandelions and then sitting on the patio chair staring at the sky with my eyes wide and my mouth open for about an hour. After she got me back inside I guess I laid at the couch staring at an off tv for about another half hour. I finally came too a few hours later laying in bed. All I remember is seeing the ant, and then winding up in bed. Crazy. Saturday I kept zoning in and out all day as well but I remember it.

Saturday night we had a good friends wedding, I didnt want to go simply because of all the noise and stuff going on. I wish I listened to my brain and not my heart. Last night was pure utter misery. The music, the lights, all activities of other. I spent the vast majority outside sitting at the beach watching the waves while others partied away inside. Not only was my head throbbing, and myself zoning out, but it really made me realize my lack of wanting to be around others. Sad part is, they are all very close friends, and I couldnt be bothered at all.

Also, ive taken myself off the road unless I need to go to the dr. Driving is very dangerous for me. I only get slightly lightheaded while driving,but I have 0 focus and concept of braking and speed currently. Dangerous.

Anyways just figured id post all of this and see what all of your thoughts are. Is this par for the course 5 months in? Im just getting unsettled thinking that maybe I do actually have some decent brain damage and I may never be normal again.

Could it be a Seizure?

No clue. I know nothing about seizures nor does my wife. Guess I could research it? Im not a fan of looking up medical stuff online though because all of a sudden everyone will think they have something.

I do know I used to have seizures a lot when I was a young child because of ear problems.

Oh, Kev, my heart aches for you.

It's really frightening when you lose control of your behaviour. If I wrote down all the weird stuff I did right after my injury, I'd cause a paper shortage. Shoes in the fridge, getting lost in my own little community, standing in a shower of only hot water, etc... My husband once found me kicking the crap out of the front door. I have no idea why. Heck, I didn't even know I was doing it.

I wish we could answer your questions about whether your symptoms are "typical" and how long they might last. Sadly, while there is some commonality in TBIs, each is really as unique as the person who sustains it.

You, and your wife, should keep a journal of all your symptoms and behaviours. The unblinking, other worldly stare sounds a lot like one of my seizures. Thank you for having the good sense not to drive in your current condition.

You really do need the medical assistance you are seeking. You might also want to contact the Brain Injury Association in your area. www.biausa.org They will be able to offer support to you - and your spouse - while you deal with your TBI.

Hang it there.

Also I should add in I smell weird stuff all the time and I do have chronically high blood pressure ive been getting treated for the past 10 years. Not sure if that could be effecting all of this as well.

I was reading someplace about seizures today and brain trauma and it said that if you smell odd things that it could mean something larger...

That coupled with the staring and fluid coming out of your ear I wonder if you are not losing some sort of spinal fluid...

Smelling odd things can also be a sign of a stroke..

I am not trying to scare you but just trying to think of things that it could be that when you call the doctor tomorrow you can ask... and they can check off the list..