|
Ooo keep us posted, looking forward to an article!
|
|
|
|
|
Why do I see a PI controlled Oculus coming...  Please let the rest of us know what it's like...
|
|
|
|
|
Dr Dick Swaab[^]
I know that on here there are people who have suffered from, and in some cases even survived, every injury and ailment known to man (and for a few of you known to cattle or sheep). So I was wondering if anyone has any practical experience of amnesia and memory problems.
For those who don't follow my life closely, a recap[^].
For about four weeks after the accident I suffered with a lot of concussion type symptoms, confusion, inability to do simple problem solving, couldn't make decisions, couldn't cook, typed nonsense at times without realising (real nonsense, not just pointless crap). That seemed to clear up.
I was off work from 11th November to 30th December, largely due to the back problems, because of that I didn't really go very far, didn't really do very much, avoided the computer.
I began to notice however, chiefly in conversation with my daughter, that I couldn't remember things that I know have happened, in my childhood, in her early life. Then my wife showed my a picture from out holiday three years ago and I couldn't remember any of that holiday. It is a very odd felling trying to access these older memories, like the pointer to them is there but something deflects me away from accessing them, and it is very unpleasant to try to battle through to them.
When I returned to work and began traveling more widely I noticed other things, people I knew I recognised but had no idea who they were or why (one woman turned out to have worked in the same office as me for 4 years), place names I have driven through hundreds of times I could not recall, songs I would hear on the radio and recognise but have no idea at all who they were by or what they were called. In these cases it is like my brain goes straight for the information but the file is blank so my brain just stands there staring at it. If I am in conversation when this happens I just pause for a long time, I am unable to think around the problem because I am stuck at a dead end.
And processes and things at work I cannot remember either. Things I know I wrote but cannot remember my way around them, I am having to work things out all the time rather than just doing things. Although stuff must still be in there, because on a few occasions I have written code, not understood what I am writing and then when run it has produced the desired effect, quite unexpectedly. My typing seems faster too, as if I have finally given up thinking where my fingers are going and just let them get on with it.
Simple mental tasks that I used to find easy are also now far more difficult, or even impossible at times. One day last week I needed to meet my wife at lunchtime. I knew exactly where I was, I knew where I needed to be, about 8 miles away. I have been there and all places around many, many times. I could not work out how to get there from here, couldn't do it at all. Just drove in the right direction and the way kind of revealed itself as I went along. I have always had a superb sense of direction, if I went anywhere once I could know my way back from almost anywhere else.
Simple maths is also beyond me, the numbers game on Countdown for example, I cannot get close to the answer without pen and paper and I used to be able to do those or at least now how to get to the answer every time.
It isn't just old memories that are missing either. I've had to buy a new car, the old one got written off, I'm trying to work out how the fuel consumption is going so when filling up last week I tried to remember the previous time I had done (less than a week earlier) and had no memory of it at all. Couldn't remember the garage I'd used, what day it was, time of day, what else I had been doing before or after. Nothing at all.
And on Tuesday I left the house and according to my wife forgot to shut the door.
I've seen my GP, and a private neurologist who is sending me for a brain scan on Monday, but I don't really feel as like anyone is taking it very seriously, and I don't like it. I don't like it at all.
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously the scan is the main thing but you also need to try and get as compete a picture as possible (which is, obviously difficult as it relies on memory) for example:
1) Any change in your sense of smell or taste?
2) Dizziness / balance issues?
3) Vision issues?
|
|
|
|
|
1) Not that I have noticed
2) No
3) Initially I did think some at distance, but not so sure now. Should probably have a check at the opticians to compare against how I was before.
|
|
|
|
|
#1 - IANAD
#2 - Ok, that's good news - and I am assuming "The other thing driving me crazy ever since is tinnitus." is known to your GP.
How's your attention span/ability to do detail stuff?
|
|
|
|
|
The only problem I've noticed there is that if I get distracted then I completely forget what I was doing and don't drift back to it on my own if that makes any sense. If I stop doing something then I need something to remind me to go back to it like an email coming in or as has just happened I closed a window and noticed one I had been using about 3 hours ago and was in the middle of doing something with.
|
|
|
|
|
I feel for you - hope the scan shows something (and it's easily fixable). ![Rose | [Rose]](https://codeproject.global.ssl.fastly.net/script/Forums/Images/rose.gif)
I've never had all your symptoms, but Morphine has a similar effect on me: it destroys my short term memory for a couple of weeks after I've been given it. (My mother had the same problem after she broke her wrist and assumed it was Alzheimer's setting in) At one point, I was at home on my own with Classic FM on the TV, and The Opera Band started singing Unchained Melody - but I couldn't understand it and thought I'd forgotten English... (Buggers were singing in Italian  )
I didn't like it at all - suddenly you can't trust your own brain and that's not a good feeling at all.
Hope it goes well - I'll be thinking of you.
Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it. --- George Santayana (December 16, 1863 – September 26, 1952)
Those who fail to clear history are doomed to explain it. --- OriginalGriff (February 24, 1959 – ∞)
|
|
|
|
|
OriginalGriff wrote: suddenly you can't trust your own brain and that's not a good feeling at all.
Yeah, doubting yourself is not a good place to be.
|
|
|
|
|
Given the severity of the impact you may have sustained some brain trauma or a concussion. It is like the brains file allocation table has been corrupted. The good news is that most people recover, however it does take time, up to 6 months.
Brain injury can be difficult to diagnose Talk with your GP, the scan is a good start. You may want to do a little research as well.
This an American site, there probably a UK version, but it does contain some good resources for you to look into. http://www.biausa.org/mild-brain-injury.htm[^]
Good luck and wishing you quick recovery.
It was broke, so I fixed it.
|
|
|
|
|
I think the woman who hit me was doing about 60 mph. I don't think I hit my head but obviously there was a very sudden acceleration and the brain does rattle around somewhat.
The other thing driving me crazy ever since is tinnitus. It has been gradually receding but is so irritating, especially when things are quiet.
Had a letter from the police about it the crash yesterday, they are offering the woman some sort of driver awareness course instead of prosecution, which seems reasonable to me.
|
|
|
|
|
I did suffer from a neck injury which lead to some brain swelling and memory problems (some of which still affect me, I have birthday I can't remember (17)). It seemed to me that the problems get less and less over time. Not much help I know, I was laid up in Hospital for a long period and my Mum & Dad had a very awkward summer (I seem to remember running up & down stairs banging my head on the wall). It does get better over time if there is no major issue (some comfort, I know). I was prescribed some very odd medication that upset my stomach (can't remember the name), once I was back under my GP he changed it (still on it) but it gets better. 
|
|
|
|
|
Have you been eating any medicine?
|
|
|
|
|
Just ibuprofen and paracetamol.
I was able to avoid anything with more interesting effects and am not taking much of either of those anymore.
Although I got properly beaten up by my physiotherapist yesterday. It is little more than legalised sadism.
|
|
|
|
|
chriselst wrote: It is little more than legalised sadism
That would depend on whether you enjoy it or not.
|
|
|
|
|
Jörgen Andersson wrote:
That would depend on whether you enjoy it or not.
Not quite, if he enjoyed being given pain, it would be masochism.
If his therapist was enjoying himself by torturing him, then you'd call it sadism.
Cheers!
"I had the right to remain silent, but I didn't have the ability!"
Ron White, Comedian
|
|
|
|
|
Yes, I know about both Marquis de Sade and Ritter von Sacher-Masoch and the differences between them.
I merely failed at being funny.
|
|
|
|
|
chriselst wrote: Dick Swaab
Is it just me, or is that an unfortunate name?
|
|
|
|
|
The Dutch have the best names.
He was in the news recently claiming that smoking when pregnant makes your baby gay.
|
|
|
|
|
No Its not just you, when I first read the title I was thinking the Hamsters will jump on that!
|
|
|
|
|
Hopefully it is, as others said, just a fragmentation issue in the file system and a good defrag will sort it out. Corrupted sectors is what you need to worry about. Do you find that once reminded of things, they stay remindeded? If so that's a Good Thing[TM] as it points to indexing rather than the raw data.
speramus in juniperus
|
|
|
|
|
With the older stuff then yes. Once the link is restored as it were then it is back up and running.
What is more worrying now is the newer stuff that seems to be going in and going missing. Some stuff at the moment it is like I am having to learn over and over again.
The hardest part of explaining it to a doctor is not falling back on computer terminology as it all makes perfect sense to me when I do that.
|
|
|
|
|
[cynism] Aaaahh, so you did not just resist coming back to the Lounge, you simply forgot us ! [/cynism]
Well, this sounds no good, but sometimes, we imagine things far worse than they really are. I hope the scan shed some light on that.
~RaGE();
I think words like 'destiny' are a way of trying to find order where none exists. - Christian Graus
Do not feed the troll ! - Common proverb
|
|
|
|
|
Great to see you back Chris. Sorry to hear the road is so bumpy at present.
Thoughts and well-wishes, hope the defrag is speedy and successful.
I'd always thought tinnitus was based in the ear, though recently read/heard that it has neurological roots - the brain is creating a signal to fill in for the one not being received from the ears. In my case it was from playing with high-explosives as a kid. Mostly, it's rather an irritation for me - other-times it means I don't hear the things that would annoy me, I guess you could say that it works both for and against us. 
|
|
|
|
|
I have heard this is common and memory comes back over the months, so hang in there, it will get better.
|
|
|
|
General 
News 
Suggestion 
Question 
Bug 
Answer 
Joke 
Praise 
Rant 
Admin 
Submit an article or tip
