I don’t even know if it’s possible to worsen over time but that’s how it seems. I used to be able to write stories now I can’t even manage a line without someone guiding me on what to write. I forget what happened the day before. I forget childhood memories so I’m left with what’s happening right now. I forget what is going on mid sentence. I become overly angry at the smallest things. I suffer with more problems but I won’t write them all this post will be long enough. What I’m saying is these problems didn’t just happen they gradually become bigger and worse. I don’t know how to deal with it. I’ve gone around 3 years dealing with my brain injury by myself no one knew about it. Only this year in college I told people so I could get support. Apologies for the many posts it put up but I don’t know where else to express my thoughts and feelings. If anyone can help please do. I feel to myself like I’m a lost cause sometimes.
I am having such a hard time with the depression. I don’t have one single person to talk to about this who might come close to understanding.
Have you received cognitive therapy from a speech and language pathologist? I needed that help in order to heal. And it has taken a LOOOONG time. My neurologist said to accept the new me and move on. I've healed enough to do some things, just not everything I did before the TBI.
Also my neurologist had me take a multivitamin, Vit B, Vit C and Vit D. This helped alot, in addition to going gluten-free. It was explained to me that a lot of trauma brain injury patients need to go on a gluten-free diet, as their bodies now react differently to gluten.
Hi Dale, I believe what you have is immediate memory. It takes some time to get used to it. I think you should just realize that and accept the fact, You can carry on a conversation, but if you get interupted, then it is harder to get yourself into the mindset that you had. It is very easy to get derailed, the train just leaves the tracks. It is okay! Don't get overly frustrated, even people that hasn't had a brain injury have that problem. Have you tried Lumocity? I does have some good memory therapy. You can try it for free, as many of us living on disabiity can't afford this type of training. Just take care and don't worry too much.
Dale,
Being Active in your own recovery is imperative. While some folks do have a negative image of folks with brain injuries, unfortunately, we have to have to be active. That really means, tell the RIGHT people. Not just folks at college, but folks who can help you get access to tutors at college, speech therapists who can check on how you are processing information and not just what comes out.
One of the problems noted in the Brain Injury Journal is that the longer issues are let go, the less likely you are to recover items.
This means you need a referral to get Neuro-Psychological tests ASAP! They will document what you can do, what you are having issues with, and create a plan that will help you move forward.
Without a plan, you will stay about the same and you may get steadily worse. Time is of the essence so, make an appointment.
Or better yet .... just walk in to the Student health clinic - TODAY!
Make a list of items, start with the items you have here and hand it to them.
Then, tell them how your brain injury happened.
Before my brain injury, I wrote articles for publication. Just after the brain injury and for about six months, I could not write anything. I could not even express how I felt in a journal. Yet, I had feelings and things to get out.
So .... I created collages. I cut out letters, words, and pictures from magazines, printed items from the internet and pasted them into Word, then printed them in color. I arranged them based on how I felt. It took me a while. Yet, it allowed me to formulate ideas and concepts into thought categories. I could arrange them and rearrange them depending on the time of day. When I got to where I liked the pattern and felt it expressed what I meant, I carefully glued them down.
I have pictures of what I thought life was before ... and what I thought about the accident afterward. Some I could finish in an hour, some took days, several took weeks. And, after several months, I am still working on a couple.
When I needed to talk to folks, I would arrange items on colored paper, and organize the words I'd cut out. Then, when I had to talk to them, I had the picture with a simple note page in the upper left so that I could cover all my points.
You have to be active in your recovery. As dealing with this by yourself has not been successful, you need to get help from a General Practitioner to deal with all the issues, a Neurologist, to deal with the structural issues, a neuro-psychologist to deal with the behaviors and items of where you should be, and at least a speech pathologist to help you find ways to develop the skills you should have and strengthen the ones you do have.
It is time to get active and GET MOVING toward a REAL recovery!
While I have no experience or advice as my TBI is new, I do send my support and encourage yoipu to keep your head up and never give up. Everyone on this site and seeing how you all push through this gives me hope of having a normal life again. My prayers are with you friend. :-)
Hi,
I second the person who said to contact your student health office. Some states offer vocational counseling and support for individuals with disabilities. I know the details about NY State, but not sure about other states. In NY, individuals with disabilities can receive ongoing support, which might include evaluations, regular check-ins, advocacy for supports in college, and job coaching. The goal is for the person with the disability to obtain and keep a job. If you need help finding this resource in your state, feel free to send me a private message. I work in a high school as a school psychologist and am happy to help you locate this support in your community. Hang in there..... and be sure to address your neurological as well as mental health needs.