Are thinking exercises and brain games useful for TBI recovery?

Colleen, that is an interesting fun fact about French Chef's. I have been baking since I was 5 years old. I have not figured out yet how to apply that method to other areas. It is a work in progressive for me figuring out how to adapt to new ways of doing things that work for me since my brain injury.

I've had 4 concussions from falls over the last 10yrs. My most recent one was May31, 2023. In 2020 I start painting. I had never tried it before. In 2023, I won 2 juried competitions but I couldn't understand my published scientific papers I had written previously. It seems my injuries damaged my left brain abilities but the neuroplasticity rewired me to utilize my right brain. Don't give up, keep challenging your brain and especially try new things, you may be pleasantly surprised. I'm 77 and about to start a new adventure of selling my paintings.

Problem solve? I wish but exercising s a good way. For me, I lift 40+ lbs for a hour and 3 times a week and stretch/lift my legs that is 50%;ny other lifting is the other %.

I bought a beginners mandolin to " make" myself to learn a instrument I never knew anything about. Really helped, and still helping, with my short-term memory. Learning to read notes, and then remembering what I just played. Takes hours and hours, days and days, to even begin playing the song without needing to read the sheet music. Maybe, because of how much I loved music before my injury, that instrument was, and still is, import aspect of my recover. Plus singing with the "band" when listening to albums I knew up listening to, before my injury, helps with my aphasia as well. In case you haven't figure this out, I think that music is one of the main keys of surviving a traumatic brain injury.

@ricj - wondering if you are still playing your mandolin? If so, how is it going?

@lanieg - the painting you posted looks amazing. Are you still painting? If you are painting more, are you selling your paintings now?

Hi @lisalucier, I'm still playing a mandolin and getting better (IMHO) and will never stop because there is no reason to stop. Moving forward is my key to recovery.

Thanks for asking . I recently made my first professional sale of the following painting.

That is terrific, @lanieg. Will you share a photo of the painting you sold? It looks like you intended to do so, but it's not yet posted.

I had one concussion from a fall on ice on a winter walk around 12-13 years ago. I cannot imagine going through four concussions. Among other symptoms, soon after my fall I found I could not match my grocery list to items on the shelf at the store. That was scary for me. It took me a month to recover and be able to take a lot of light, loud noises and screens.

How are you finding your brain function lately, lanieg?

I'm sure I would get better Lumosity scores if I began with the "How to Play" instructions, which I currently only do by accident. It's not because I'm a guy that I avoid the instructions, but because I believe that working it out for myself helps my cognitive capacity.
I'll try your way next time I do Lumosity, hevykevy . It's good to check out the approaches taken by others. That way I can be reasonably sure I'm not eliminating any ideas that might be better than my own before I try them.
I do like the idea of your drip feed garden project. Must look into that too.