Hello Brian,
I was interested in finding out what type of OT helped you with regaining your memory?
My husband is only just at the beginning of his recovery journey. He is feeling ok overall, and most people wouldn’t know that there is anything different about him. I do notice that his short term memory is not the same. He does ask me the same questions a number of times a day. Has or daughter been picked up by her friend, has our son gone to play soccer etc. - all that, after we have had the discussion about what they are up to earlier. I’m keen to help him with his recovery, so would love to know what worked for you. Many thanks! Heidi
Hi Heidi. I think that the first thing I need to say is that OT doesn’t help regain your memory. I think only time will heal that. What OT did was helped me with things I could do that would help me to remember. An easy example was that I was encouraged to have a small diary or day calendar, understanding that you need to remember where to look and on what day to remember events. If your husband is just starting out, hopefully you have seen some improvement from the very beginning. I think also, that I knew that I was forgetting things. Although, I was apparently forgetting more than I knew. So I knew to ask for help. Even two years out and I still forget things. I am reminded constantly by my family that I already asked that question or they have already answered another question. It is frustrating for all of us. But then I remind them, and they feel bad for making me feel bad. UGH!
Anyway, OT, through all sorts of mind exercises, helped me. I am not sure if it was any exercise in particular or the cumulative effect of the experience altogether. I am just a very big believer that the process helped.
That said, another big help is patience from you and the people closest to your husband. Find soft ways to remind him that a discussion has already taken place, or that he has the information that he is looking for. He can’t benefit from OT unless he thinks he needs it. I didn’t think I needed it, but the therapist knew I did, so I went along with it and I am glad that I did.
Hope that is of some help.
Heidi, I never went to OT, we have one in our area and she was booked. The Speech Therapist took me. She also had a bag of tricks to help memory recall. My last recoiling had my recall much worse. Some things she taught me was to play word and brain games, look at my phone’s calendar each morning, keep notes in the phone of small goals or anything else that might be important. Remember with brain issues you have to think in terms of months and years, not days and weeks.
Your profile says your husband had a basilar aneurysm leak in April of 2000, did you mean 2020? If you want to see someone’s profile, you click on their avatar.
Thanks for the advise moltroub. Sorry, yes the first coiling took place in late March 2020. Early days, I know. It’s hard to watch somebody who is normally so full of energy and who has such a bright spark, go through this seemingly never ending health issue. next scan coming monday, so fingers crossed!!
Hello Brian,
Thank you for getting back to me. It’s early days, I know. A follow up scan is coming up on Monday, so fingers crossed that there are no new issues there.
My husband has a very supportive boss, and is going to do some work on a part time basis from home. I think, having more structure in his day will also be beneficial to him.
We do go on lovely long walks on daily basis, which makes my husband (and I) feel so much better in body and mind. Have a good day and stay well!
Heidi, Remember to take some time for yourself. Caregiving is exhausting with all the worrying that is done. I’m not sure why having an angiogram or more coils set me back, it’s something I will ask next time I see my neurosurgeon. It could be the anesthesia. I know with the last coiling, my Dr said she used a lot less anesthesia and dye, I was much better for it. Of course I will keep my fingers crossed for the both of you on Monday. Enjoy those long walks. Besides exercise, make sure he is hydrated and eats a lot of protein. This will speed up the healing process, albeit slowly. One thing we used to do was to put reminders on a small white board on the refrigerator door. I recall some members kept one in a bathroom. Just tools to help remember. Routines help tremendously. Surprises throw me off.
Hello Moltroub,
I somehow missed this message from you. Thank you again for reaching out, and offering your advise, it helps a lot.
You are right, caregiving is tough sometimes. It’s the constant worry, and I try hard not to catastrophise. My husband is home, he has been through a lot, and he came out the other end, better than many doctors had hoped.
He is just so frustrated with the very slow recovering process. He used to be so full of life, and have plenty of energy. More energy than the rest of the family put together!
It’s the fatigue that really gets him down. I tell him all the time that he needs to rest, and that in turn will help him recover. We will get there … slowly …
Reading the other stories has helped a lot, I can see that fatigue is a universal problem after brain surgery. Onwards and upwards! All the best to you. Heidi
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Heidi, thank you so much for the kind words! When he is fatigued, make sure he eats some protein and drink water. It is simply amazing how much these two things help. We even looked at snacks to see which had more protein in them. LOL. The only thing that has helped my BH not to worry so much in the almost seven years since I ruptured is COVID-19. It has forced a work from home situation. So now the imagination isn’t going rampant as we are both together all day. All I can say to this change is that it’s a good thing we like each other!