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I am a retired scientist/writer, so I live in my brain. It sounds like yours was a pretty severe TBI. I have a friend that had a skiing accident a few years ago and lost a lot of pieces of herself; she is still her, but some abilities and memories are missing. Mine was a moderate TBI 33 years ago, and my rehab was pretty intensive, so other than emotional changes (some for the better), some lost memories, and anomalous left temporal lobe EKG (missing words/numbers), everything rewired. I spend a lot of time learning, new hobbies, crossword puzzles, and such, Having a brain injury is a bit like going in reverse; starting with dementia and working your way back. You don't realize that part of you is missing until it is found. Emotionally this slaps you around, and it is important to have a good support system. I went back to work a few weeks after (in hospital 6 days) and got a lot of jokes and nicknames from coworkers about being "drame bamaged"; I suspect they wouldn't have been cruel if they knew what I was going through. Head injuries also remove emotional filters. I did learn a lot about how the brain works.
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I don't find that joke funny. I wish it upon them and see if they laugh. What comes flying out of my mouth is too honest for some people and I still don't give a poop. Sometimes when I go to write the letter B, the number 8 comes out and vice versa. I am 58 and from my TBI I have epilepsy and a vision impairment. I also have thyroid problem and a heart attack last summer. My family all died early from cancer. I think I will (hopefully) die in my sleep from epilepsy. The Canadian government gives me $300/month after rent is paid. I was homeless on the street and then found a room-mate and now can rent a bedroom in a house. I don't even have money for the bus. To the Canadian government I say a huge F U. I am not scared of death because this life for me has been only about survival. The only thing that I will miss are dogs.
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Thx @kayabbott
I was zero when my TBI started like every women name was “mom” (my wife knew everything). As time went my “coming” life came back, but I’ve lost the 80% of my life/brain of what I could do. The other 20% is my amity of helping my self, my wife, and a few others.
A cording I’ve read dementia (what I’m, I think, #10 of with type of this deceive (sp?) if I get it. My mom had this, my aunt was the same, and my alive aunt has part of that.
My memory was gone, but, this is cool, my daughter, wife sometimes tell me of what I did like names, times, doing something. The other 50% I’ve never known that.
As far of puzzles, I didn’t use those even as a kid. Sure my memory would be there. Usually I uses cards, some for money as a kid - some lost, some won. As a kid I uses and loved chess, sorta like cards, some with money as a kid.
Thx,
Greg D.