Hello everyone! if you are reading this you have used your superpowers to be a ruptured Anyurism survivor! Congratulations! Nov 2025 will make 8years since I survived a ruptured cerebral anyurism. I didn’t have any signs of an anyurism before the rupture and to be specific my rupture was more of an arterial leak. It has been a long road of recovery and I still battle with some impacts such as short-term memory issues due to fresh blood encroaching in the subarachnoid space around the brain. I keep working on alternative actions such as more reliant on lists and notes. sometimes this is frustrating when I can’t find the notebook or the page in it I want because I can’t quite remember what I am looking for. sometimes I need notes to organize my notes. Grrrr!
I am looking for suggestions from others who have successfully overcome this issue. Thanks
Congratulations on your superpowers as well!! As a not-even-two year survivor, I KNOW that I stand on the shoulders of giants, such as yourself, so thank YOU from the bottom of my heart! 
Your legacy has been part of my recovery!
I too have had to consider how to organize myself in World 2.0. Straddling between the old world and the new world, it probably is not of much surprise that my systems consist both of print and of digital.
My print system (notebook) is what I take with me to all doctors’ appointements and consists of questions I need to ask them, as well as whatever information/details/to-do items I learned from the appointment.
To keep me on task though, I switch to a digital world. I rely heavily on a digital calendar to remind me about appointments, and I lean into the notes fields for any reminders (bring this, do that).
I also rely on a digital task app (personally Microsoft To-Do which I like because it also has a pre-built grocery list section), but Google Tasks and I am sure there are others out there that can be just as effective! I like these because it pops up with reminders at a time I selected (e.g., don’t forget to meditate or play your brain games!) Pre-rupture, I used my calendar to do the same thing (e.g., finish this project by Friday at 10 am), so you can certainly consolidate if that is easier for you.
Of course, I am also not adverse to an old-fashioned paper to do list either! In fact, that is what I did before my last CTA to ensure that I cleaned the house and did some intense exercise before I got the 5 lb weight restriction. 
I am certainly curious to hear what others do, and what better options there might be!
Thanks for bringing up a great topic!
Fin Whale Fan 
Welcome and congrats to surviving! Before I share what I’ve learned to do and have done, I’m very curious as to why you’re still bleeding into your subarachnoid space. If you don’t mind my asking of course. I learn something new almost every day here from our members but this is the first time I’ve heard of it.
Ok, now on with my list…I ruptured in November 2013 at the age of 53, when I first started, I used sticky notes plastered everywhere. Graduated to a couple of white boards that were gifted to me by one of the first Mod Support folks way back when I first became a moderator. She no longer comes here as she became very busy with work and other things.
Then when I finally decided I could get to ST, the ST taught me to use the calendar in my phone and to actually look at it every morning first thing. It’s something I am fairly good at doing. She taught me to play different brain games on my phone. Had me read out loud to someone and then discuss what was read which was difficult for two reasons, I don’t like reading out loud now and we had to break it up in paragraphs or I’d get aggravated. With practice I did improve somewhat.
I also now use Alexa for shopping lists. The first time I went to grocery store was a hilariously adventure in hindsight. During the trip I was a mess, lights hurt and way too many choices. I forgot what type of kielbasa we like and so bought two of each type on sale. I did have a list BH wrote down but it wasn’t exact obviously as besides the 14 kielbasa on sale bogo, I had several other things that I bought too many types of. BH learned to write down exactly what we needed so I wouldn’t be overwhelmed and to keep the list no more than 5 or 6 items. I’m sure I could figure out more ways to use her than I do. She tells me when to give our dog her medicine and I’ve put reminders in my calendar as well. I think I may just get one of those daily pill boxes and put her meds in the appropriate spot. She’s on one that can be taken an hour before eating but if I forget, she has to wait two hours after eating. It’s the one that’s hardest for me to remember, the ones at meal times are the easiest.
Specific lists helps me a lot. My problem say with chores is I either get fixated or I do something else than what’s on the list that I made🤪 and my biggest issue is no longer understanding how long something will take me so my lists are way too long and I get aggravated with not being able to do what I once could in the time allotted. But I didn’t need lists back before I ruptured except for work and those items were a constantly changing phenomenon. An old friend/colleague commented that I’m much like someone who is ADHD/OCD or has Asperger’s syndrome. They symptomology is strikingly similar.
Routines help me not forget.
Remember you’ll improve but it takes a bit of work. 11 years out and there’s been a great improvement with my photophobia and hypercusis (my hearing improved dramatically after rupture)
I agree with everyone below it will be 12 years in March for me. I had a lot of Complications Bacterial Meningitis while in ICU, anything that could go wrong did. However I fought thru and 9 years to the day of my Rupture I went back to work full time as A Registered Nurse
Stay focused work Hard