Mild traumatic brain injury

Posted by carnes @carnes, Dec 22, 2018

Good morning friends, it is so frustrating to forget my point in the middle of a sentence. Forget or can’t find the right word to express what I mean to say. Can’t remember what I did or said 5 minutes ago. It is quite scary. Anyone have professional help on what to do other than puzzles, using the brain when it’s so difficult to think? Thank you for any help . Cognitive therapy helped but insurance won’t cover now.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Support Group.

@lisalucier

Hi, @eazy630 - another thread you may be interested in is https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/adult-life-after-a-tbi

You mentioned that with suffering a TBI you went from elite level athlete to struggling to put on pants. How are activities like that, requiring balance, going now for you? Are you taking a class that focuses on balance or something on your own? What kinds of balance exercises are you doing?

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Hi Lisa. I am doing much better than a year ago. It was 1 year ago this week I went to the brain clinic for 2 intensive weeks of therapy. One of the things that had to happen and has occurred as of late is my acceptance of the current state I am in. I cannot change my reality but can respond well to do.
With respect to your question, I have a small balance beam that sits on the floor and I use it daily. I walk in a sort of slow march (opposite pointer finger forward with opposite knee rising) forwards a couple of times. Backwards a couple of times. I also do a side walk (like in a karaoke shuffle) slowly. I repeat all of this with my eyes closed as well. The key is not perfection, but rather progress. I go slow.
I also continue to do eye exercises with colored sticker dots in a cross pattern and in a diagonal pattern. My problem is my left eye stopped moving in conjunction with my right so I follow the up to the right and down to the left pattern. In recent research I have found quite a bit of info discussing eye sight as a major key to repairing the brain functions. This seems to be accurate in my case.
I also do balance exercises on a bosu ball. Sometimes on the flat side and sometimes on the rounded side. It depends on how the brain is feeling and functioning at that time.
However, I am always up for learning new routines.

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I had a fall in which I would say I bumped my head, but I focused on the knee injury sustained from the fall. Weeks later I had an “episode” in which I lost my sight (eyes stayed open) and zoned out for about ten seconds. A CT scan casually mentioned bilateral frontal hygroma detected. My Dr. doesn’t know exactly what that is?! I can only find Subdural Hygroma online.
Any direction?

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@nickaj

I had a fall in which I would say I bumped my head, but I focused on the knee injury sustained from the fall. Weeks later I had an “episode” in which I lost my sight (eyes stayed open) and zoned out for about ten seconds. A CT scan casually mentioned bilateral frontal hygroma detected. My Dr. doesn’t know exactly what that is?! I can only find Subdural Hygroma online.
Any direction?

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What type of doctor are you referring to, when you say that your doctor doesn't know the diagnosis given?

I guess that I got lucky with my traumatic brain injury back in 2008 (I think). I live in Rochester, MN, so my neurological doctors have been with Mayo Clinic throughout. I'd had brain surgery exactly one year prior to my TBI, to control my seizures. However, a slip on the ice and fall on my head complicated things for me. . That's where I'm coming from.

Anyway, it sounds like the doctor that you're referring to isn't strongly educated in brain functioning, and I'd recommend getting a second opinion from a neurologist that specializes in traumatic brain injuries. So, one who works at a hospital that has a TBI recovery department.

I'm sorry, but I forgot to grab a link or two for you to search through.. but, there are many decent brain centers throughout the U.S. What state do you live in? Start there, if you can. A lot of people from a few states surrounding Minnesota, do travel here for treatment. I'd imagine that other decent hospitals throughout the states have the same experience. So, you may need to travel a little bit, to get proper understanding and treatment for your TBI.

Sorry that I haven't specifically answered your question. But, I hope that my tip is helpful for you. Hugs and very best wishes sent your way!

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