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MT recovering from TBI

Posted: Apr 17, 2014

I had the strangest thing happen - a minor closed head injury around Christmas that turned into an acute/subacute SH about 5 weeks later necessitating a frontotemporoparietal craniotomy with clot evacuation, followed by a "significant" seizure disorder, placed in a coma for a week, about 12 days in ICU, then 2-1/2 days on Med/Surg and dismissed. Home health including ST, OT, PT and nursing came for a few weeks. It has been 10 weeks now since the surgery. I'm starting back to work today but am so confused about everything. Life does not make a lot of sense to me anymore and I am surprised I can sit here and type stuff I hear but cannot necessarily remember to go turn off the stove if I heat up some water for tea. I've been an MT for 28 years. It's so weird to have something like this happen and not recall hardly any of it, and have to read the medical reports like a 3rd party observer. Anyone else out there who has had an acute subdural hematoma and lived to tell about it and/or returned to work?

;

No hematoma here, but I can't put water on for - tea without settingTWO timers.

[ In Reply To ..]
I think because it's something you do almost automatically, without thinking about it, and then you forget.

Also, after being away from MT for so long, I'm amazed that you can sit right down and do it without problems. If I even took a 2-week vacation, I had to write down how to open the transcription software, and what my passwords were, or else I'd have to have IT set me up all over again.

The only brain bleeding I had (don't think it was called a hematoma) was when a small vessel inside an unknown, already existing brain tumor burst, causing a big headache and subsequent craniotomy to remove the tumor. I was just super lucky to have that bleed; otherwise, the doctor said I wouldn't have known the tumor was there until it blinded me, as it was headed towards my optic nerve.

Your experience sounds far worse than what I had, and to me it sounds like you have healed spectacularly! I'm sure as time passes your memory will continue to improve. Just remember that we all forget things - I think it's because we have too much to remember on any given day!

Good luck!

SayItGirl

No more burned pots - ME

[ In Reply To ..]
This doesn't have anything to do with TBI's, but for the longest time (at least 3 burned pots) I always would forgot the tea water boiling. I finally got an electric tea kettle. I love it, water boils and it shuts itself off. If I forgot, no problem, I just turn it back on and stand there until it's ready. Problem solved, no fires, no more evaporated bottled water, no more ruined pots.

If only the burners would shut off automatically. I still put the fire on under a pan to cook something and walk away, thinking about something else, so I still have to be careful, but I hope this helps somebody.

consider use of a microwave ... for safety (sm) - anemone

[ In Reply To ..]
and/or a computer free-download timer(s) ... I have no excuse ...

I keep a fire-extinguisher right next to the stove - sm - SayItGirl

[ In Reply To ..]
all the time, because I've walked into the kitchen and seen big flames coming out from under the burning pot. (I have a gas stove).

I've burned up so many pots, that I no longer waste my money on new ones. I get old ones at the Goodwill, because around my kitchen, they likely won't last more than a couple months, if that.

I love the automatic shut-off teapot. I only boil water for instant coffee and instant oatmeal for breakfast. And once in a while I steam veggies.

Yesterday something went haywire while I was simply cooking a frozen hamburger patty in the frying pan. (Plain stainless steel pan - no non-stick surface.) I don't know why, unless maybe the meat was VERY lean with no fat in it, but the side of the pan turned black, and the house filled with smoke. It then set off my smoke alarm, which would NOT shut off until I opened all the doors and windows wide, and turned on my electric fan.

A friend's quote from long ago comes to mind: "If God had intended for me to cook, I would've been born with Teflon hands."

Smoke alarms here too, LOL - ME

[ In Reply To ..]
The smoked-up kitchen happens to me more times than I care to admit. I already know to turn on the vent fan over the stove and I long ago moved the smoke alarms away from the kitchen and closer to the floor, or else the whole neighborhood hears the blasted thing and I have to open all the windows and run around shaking a towel trying to get the smoke outside. Too funny. I actually love to cook and fry meats. I just need to remember to keep the flame down and not leave the pan alone. I have to wonder if it's this job or aging or menopause that's made me so forgetful, at least I haven't burned the house down yet or had the need for the fire extinguisher (yet)! Thanks for sharing, at least I'm not alone.

Same problem here, almost burned down the -sm - XXX

[ In Reply To ..]
house once about 10 years ago by leaving a pot of boiling water on (was going to sterilize baby bottles). Forgot all about it until smoke was pouring up the hallway and my smoke alarm was blaring. Pot was on fire big time. Luckily I do keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen, came in very handy that day. Had quite the mess to clean up, black smoke stains all on the back of the wall, on cabinets above (have a downdraft hood so no hood above), opened up all the windows in the house to get the smoke out, so glad I did not have to call 911. Use a hand timer now whenever I boil water now, put it in front of me on my desk so I don't forget (in theory). I have forgot a couple times since then, but luckily not so bad, just low water levels, no fires. Resort to notes and a timer now which seems to work well. Guess I will have to be very careful when I am elderly, just middle-aged now, lol.

Good luck to you - Wish you well

[ In Reply To ..]
I am very amazed and impressed with what you have gone through. I hope you continue to improve and can get the help you need to continue your recovery.

A person very close to me had a stroke with a fall. It has been very sad for me to have lost part of her. We have a conversation and 3 minutes later we will have the same conversation because she cannot remember. It always stuns me a bit, but I am so thankful that I still have time to spend with her.

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