Category: tbi

TBI Challenge The n-th

On By JohnIn health, tbiLeave a comment

Hearing issues.

Not hearing loss, mind you. But sensitivity to sound along with the inability to distinguish direction of certain sounds.

When I awoke, my hearing was simply gone, which was easy to explain. I couldn’t hear. People understood that.

Yes, it was problem enough. And in a few weeks it became manageable for a time while the problem evolved.

Somewhat later–a few days or weeks–it shifted to the point that I could perceive sounds. I think I then likened it to sounds being somewhat overdriven. The perception was that certain frequencies might be overdriven and yet others were normal, yet difficult to perceive because they’re bracketed by things overdriven.  This, of course, increases difficulty in consciously (subconsciously?) separating sounds for comprehension.

I still lack the ability to readily discern the origin of sounds. Yes, I know the birds are chirping. Yes, I know it’s in the direction of outside. Yes, I know there are loads of them.

But nearby voices, that I know to be at conversational distances, aren’t clear –  drowned out entirely by by background sounds of hundreds of birds, or loads of neighbor dogs barking, or passing trucks and machinery.

This isn’t a problem with my ears.

Not at all – the problem started, both left and right, as I recall – simultaneously. And I was effectively unconscious at the time.

This is a brain problem with interpretation of input data; it’s absolutely not an issue with the inner, middle, or outer ear.

The Great Fall

On By JohnIn reality, tbiLeave a comment

The Great Fall

So, what happened to me? Why do I slur my speech?

Watching myself hit the ground, knowing how high above the ground I was, I’m wondering why I’m not dead.

Not in the video, until much later when somebody tricked the exposure on the camera: the safety glasses I used, as I insist on wearing them, while using the drill. Norm Abram would be proud.

The drill? Died in the fall.

Double Vision reduced by almost half!

On By JohnIn health, tbiLeave a comment

Just noticed this morning that my double vision (diplopia) is reduced by almost half! Since I became aware, I’ve been fighting with diplopia in the left, upper quarter of my vision – probably from some issue with a cranial nerve palsy or problem with the optic chiasm –  but not quite anymore. I’ve another check in with my optometrist in two more weeks and I think it’ll be entirely singular by then.

Still In the Fight

On By JohnIn health, tbiLeave a comment

So last week, I learned that while I might be going “back to work”* next week, there are still a few formalities to address. The most significant issue to address is the neuropsychiatric examination.

“What in the world is a neuropsychiatric examination?” you ask…

This is the kind of thing that’s performed when there’s a question of whether somebody in sane or not – or if there are some deficits that they need to work on. Just because I’ve endured and lived through a Traumatic Brain Injury, it doesn’t mean the rest of the world has any confidence in my actual abilities.

Generally, a PSE starts with an interview to see what you’ve done in life, your profession, education, certifications–what is it that you’ve done (or what you think you’ve done) up until then.

Then they dive in with question. Lots of questions. There may be a classic IQ-type test (which I’ve done several of lately) or similar, or practical testing of judgement and higher processing capabilities: a driving test for example. And more. Many hours worth.

So, now I wait.

Or, rather, I wait until there’s a test scheduled.

Then I wait until the test day.

Then I summon all of the mental strength I can and participate and absorb everything I can from the experience.

I still have some fight in me – and I’m not giving up on anything.

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*Back to work; part time initially – for a few months – but nowhere near the 70-hours per week I was doing previously. I don’t have the mental focus to sustain that.