Hi Nancy, thank you so much for your ongoing support and I hope your son will be fine. I found the part about the vestibular nerve very interesting as I am still having problems with dizziness or what seems more like my perception is off. It affects me mostly outside of my house while walking, shopping, etc. I feel like my brain can't take things in fast enough and I have to slow down. Also big stores get to be overwelming. I need to ask my neuro about this when I go on Thursday. Again, thanks!

Sissy,
You are still pretty early in your recovery, May right? I bet in time your dizziness will get better gradually until low and behold, it has been a long time since you have had the symptom. I would not be too discouraged when you get symptoms back, I bet you bounce back quicker, when they do come on. I have noticed this with my son, when he would get dizzy and foggy again, he quickly recovered with rest and they did not linger like they did in the begginning. Hang in there, I think your prognosis is very good. I am sure it is so hard to be patient and it can be so frustrating to have setbacks.
Nancy F

@Nancy F

I appreciate all the feedback you've given me in the last couple of days.

I'm always been a very competitive and athletic person, so I fully understand how much one can get out of sports and athletics. But, having participated in many sports, I also realize a very similar sense of accomplishment can be had by really pushing oneself in any of them.

I don't know. The idea of wrestling to me at this point just seems like lunacy.

There is a tendency in our culture to be hard asses and to praise all this "can do", "never give up", "buck up", and "be tough" nonsense. We love to hear Lance Armstrong's story, but we don't want to hear about the countless other cancer victims that DIDN't recover. We think science and medicine must have the answer to everything. We ALL tend to have this exaggerated notion of the bodies resiliency. My mom's shoulder still hurts sometimes 10 years after she injured it. That's just the way it is sometimes.

Anyway, I think your son would be wise (and I say this from the perspective of someone who probably understands him all to well) to try and find the worthiness in such traits as caution, discretion, hesitation, and restraint. All totally under appreciated in my book! Fanfare for the common man, if you will.

I didn't ride a bike for about 5 years after my accident. I didn't consider it cowardly at all, but rather wise. And though I might get on one occasionally now, it's always with a helmet, and I never go faster than about 10 mph.

I think cross country is an excellent vehicle for letting out all that competitive spirit, particularly for someone who has had a concussion.

If that's not exciting enough for him, he could try the 400m and work those fast-twitch muscles some. In either case, as far as I know you don't hear about too many running related head injuries.

Anyway, that's just my 2 cents. I'm sure as a mom it's tough, but maybe you could try and subtly steer him in that direction. Go out and rent Chariots of Fire maybe? Hee hee. I think there was a TV movie out recently about the first guy to break the 4 minute mile.

e-head,
Thanks, lunacy is an understatement! My son is almost 17 and way too trustful that this is behind him and being 17 does not help! Wrestling is a sport he went into 2 years ago after doing boy's gymnastics on a team for many, many years. He was great at gymnastics and when he left that to wrestle, he had alot of success and this respect from his teamates thrilled him. He does not get the same success in cross country and I imagine this is why he is pushing to go back. As of now, he will just be working out with the team!! He is also successful as a student and I am hoping, now that he is doing an independent study in Science, that this will feed his self esteem enough. As we reviewed his history with the neurologist, he remembered falling off the high bars years ago and then was a bit dazed and he forgot his routine after. This was probably why his healing after his wrestling injury was so delayed. He told the trainer at school, he is at war with his parents. I admire his motivation but his vulnerability and the danger of further injury frightens me. I will remain vigilant as a parent, and hope for the best. Soon I am going to have him read some posts here to give him some information but I don't want to depress him too much. Thanks again and hope you are feeling better.

Nancy F.

Don't know if you have access to the Neurology Now but there is a wonderful article that you and your son need to read. About this specific subject in last months magazine. At least I believe its last months. I usually get a copy of it. But I didn't get this one yet, but read it in the Psychiatrist and psychologist office of my sons.

Anyway, I think it might help your son put this in perspective. It wouldn't be you saying this to him it would be professional football, basketball, wrestlers,
and other sports people saying the things we say.

I was amazed at what I was reading. I'm sure hoping I get a copy of
it in the mail still. Or that if I did get it and just missed it I find it soon.

It was the Oct./Nov I believe.

Donna

My Neuro gave me the magazine and the article was a good one. Gaye

I was being tactful before - tact does not come easily to the brain injured!. Maybe you could tell your son that when I was 14 I hit my head on the bottom of a swimming pool, then at 16 I was knocked out playing hockey - I got better - then following all this is those accidents that you can not predict or do anything to prevent - my car accident at 21 and then all the little knocks in my 30s and then the tiniest of knocks in my 40s - less than any of the others that have resulted in how I am now. My last concussion 3 weeks ago was simply brushing the top of my head on the top of the door frame putting things in the car. In truth I don't think anybody could have warned me about this when I was a teenager but your son has been "lucky" enough to have been warned. Hope I don't sound like a drama queen - your son will think he is being nagged - tell him it is because none of us would wish how we feel on anybody!! By the way my name is really Lynlee.

Thanks guys, I'll try to get the article. You are all a wonderful support. Hope you have a good day!

Hey Lucy... I found this board after simply brushing my head under the sink! Granted, I hit it about 3 months ago on a filing cabinet at work doing the same thing... getting up too fast and not paying enough attention to where my head was. In both cases I was in a hurry and trying to get a lot done.

Anyway, I'm just floored that such insignificant hits could seemingly bring back all these PCS symptoms. I bet the one thing we all have in common is at least one serious concussion in our past. Little knocks on the head that most people don't even think about can become a big deal. Surely not that much damage could be caused by these little knocks!

It's been exactly 3 weeks and 1 day, and I feel considerable better now, thank God. After this, I'm seriously considering wearing a helmet around the house now as I do chores! It would go a long way towards making me feel safer! I don't care about how ridiculous I'd look.

I was cleaning up a bit yesterday (it's the first time I've had ANY energy to do anything in 3 weeks), and I noticed an involuntary bang of apprehension anytime I walked through a doorway. It's like my body and mind are hyper sensitive to anything coming within a foot or two of my head.

Hope you feel better soon. I was really bummed for a week or two there, but I'm really encouraged by how much better I feel now.