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Traumatic Brain Injury and Post Concussion Syndrome For traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post concussion syndrome (PCS). |
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08-05-2007, 08:01 AM | #1 | |||
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Lessons learned from living with all these injuries to the brain:
Whatever I'm feeling at any given time will change for better or worse at the drop of a hat. I'm used to this. I have the power to make my overall quality of life better, even when I feel like crud. When new symptoms sneak in, it is not "all in my head". Because I'm so accustomed to the multiple odd sensations that go with TBI, I must not assume that these new symptoms are just my brain playing tricks. Case in point: Newly discovered vitamin deficiencies mimic and exacerbate my TBI symptoms. Other medical issues are under examination as well. A solid primary care physician is one of my biggest assets. I finally have one on my case, and he has saved me from much confusion with his expertise. Fatigue, confusion and memory disorders are the most persistent symptoms I experience. When I need rest, I take it. When I'm beset by confusion, I get myself into an environment where the risk of sensory overload is minimised, and then find one good focal point (usually breathing) and stay with that. Short-term memory challenges are a constant. If I don't write it down, it's gonna slip away. Abbreviated notes work best for me. Isolationism is the enemy. I'm not alone in this, even when I feel like I am. I am a unique person, as is everyone...but I'm not that unique. Therefore I must stay in touch with a variety of people and keep talking. New ways of doing things are always worthy of investigation. It's all too easy to slip into the familiar ways of minimising and/or hiding from these challenges that these injuries have presented. Whatever I set out to do, I must always allow lots of extra time. I'll need that time to process sensory input without rushing myself. When I cram the schedule and get in a lather over time, I run myself down real quick. The risk of injury is much higher, too. This is a start of my list of ways to be "living with it". Thanks for listening, and if any of my methods are helpful to you, it's purely a delightful coincidence. Soon I aim to chronicle my history in another thread. This thread is the beginning of the latest process of me opening up and getting off too many years of hiding in a cave of my making. Good health to us all! Jeff |
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