Are thinking exercises and brain games useful for TBI recovery?

I started doing jigsaw puzzles. It is fun and also keeps me focused. I also started baking again which I love. At first, I would mix up the recipes and forget what ingredients I had added or not added or end up in another room altogether forgetting what I was suppose to be doing. This would just make me frustrated and irritated. I finally came up with an assembly line method where I move the ingredients to the other side of the kitchen as I add them. I can now make two different kinds of cookies at once without making a mistake. It challenges my brain by keeping me focused and also helps my memory I think.

She’s the one of the three who is part Satan. A cute one.

The photo on my profile is one I took myself with my phone at the hospital. I wasn’t doing too well. I was also pretty infamous as the patient with blue hair. And two black eyes.

I fell on November 28, 2018. Black ice on a walking path was the culprit. I didn’t take an ambulance ride because I didn’t want a huge bill.
Friends took me to the ER the next day.

In the ER, lots of doctors came in. I had many scans. The doctors said I was lucky I wasn’t dead. I had broken all the bones in one ear, which is pretty hard to do. Two bleeds, concussion plus TBI. In the hospital 2 1/2 days. Sent to old folks home to transition. Cut loose from there after a week. No suggestions for what to do for myself. The MN Brain Injury Alliance sent me some info, I went to one meeting, and found out about the Mayo study and was thrilled to be accepted!

As the bills pile up, I go to the specialists recommended by Roger at MNBIA. I filed a lawsuit against the management company and the condo board. Just settled in July of this year, my attorney sent $$$$ to my debtors and of the $10,000 award, I got $1,000 from the settlement. Recently I got $4,000 back, because Medicare goofed up. (,!!!) what I have now is permanent. No sense of smell, too. At least the crystals in my ear went back where they were supposed to be.

Sorry if this is TMI, but I did edit a lot out!

@totto, arranging your baking ingredients in an assembly line to remember which ones have been added by moving them down the line is such a simple yet creative solution. In fact, French chefs call this "mise en place" which literally translates to "put in place." So you're not accommodating a brain injury, you're baking like a gourmet chef! Way to go. Is there any other part of your life that you've been able to apply a similar method?

@hevykevy, I have to admit that real physical puzzles in the form of outdoor work suits me best too. I had a whale of time piecing together the flagstones for our back garden. Who knew it was so challenging and very rewarding. I get to admire the fruits of my labor every day - well until the snow covers it. What winter projects are you looking forward to?

@mugglemary, sounds like you're less keen on the winter weather coming. It must be a comfort to have a variety of indoor activities like stitching, beading and jigsaw puzzles. My mom has been doing online puzzles. She's using a fee online version that sends her a puzzle a day. That might help with reducing the cat's involvement in your puzzle destruction. Onwards with the mental victories.

@frontrunner, the free courses on Coursera have been a real blessing for so many people during the pandemic. A lot of people are finally getting to study things they've always wanted to learn more about. What subjects did you take courses on?

What's one area that you're hoping for more improvement?

@totto, arranging your baking ingredients in an assembly line to remember which ones have been added by moving them down the line is such a simple yet creative solution. In fact, French chefs call this "mise en place" which literally translates to "put in place." So you're not accommodating a brain injury, you're baking like a gourmet chef! Way to go. Is there any other part of your life that you've been able to apply a similar method?

@hevykevy, I have to admit that real physical puzzles in the form of outdoor work suits me best too. I had a whale of time piecing together the flagstones for our back garden. Who knew it was so challenging and very rewarding. I get to admire the fruits of my labor every day - well until the snow covers it. What winter projects are you looking forward to?

@mugglemary, sounds like you're less keen on the winter weather coming. It must be a comfort to have a variety of indoor activities like stitching, beading and jigsaw puzzles. My mom has been doing online puzzles. She's using a fee online version that sends her a puzzle a day. That might help with reducing the cat's involvement in your puzzle destruction. Onwards with the mental victories.

What a creative and beautiful work around.

In addition to quilting (I like the patterns that use a lot of math) I try the daily crossword puzzle in the paper. The former can still be frustrating but I am almost back to my old level on the latter. I have also done the free courses on Corsera. I'm about 2 years, 4 months after my injury. I am lucky to be as good as I am but am still hoping for more improvement.

I started doing jigsaw puzzles. It is fun and also keeps me focused. I also started baking again which I love. At first, I would mix up the recipes and forget what ingredients I had added or not added or end up in another room altogether forgetting what I was suppose to be doing. This would just make me frustrated and irritated. I finally came up with an assembly line method where I move the ingredients to the other side of the kitchen as I add them. I can now make two different kinds of cookies at once without making a mistake. It challenges my brain by keeping me focused and also helps my memory I think.