I choked on July 16, 2011. A young boy saved my life by calling 911. I was unconscience for four days. My living will said to pull the plug after a week. I'm sure my subconcious knew that. I now have short-term memory loss. I was a high functioning assistant manager at a grocery store. Here it is Spetember 08, 2011, it has almost been 2 months since my accident. I have also lost a lot of the past couple years or so. I have pieces of my memories, flashes. Numbers were my thing and now I can't remember dates, not like I used to. I remembered the date of every important or significant event in my life. Now I barely know who the woman in the mirror is with the grey hair. I catch myself drinking and eating things I gave up prior to my accident. I gave up gluten, caffeine and dairy. Oddly I remember I gave these up and put them down, but I can barely find my way to town in my car. We moved a few months ago into a nice house and it is a struggle getting home. My disabality pay was approved. So I at least I have that for my family. My family is being torn apart. My son left the other day to go to Germany with his father for a year. My daughter is in high-school and struggling to become a woman. My boyfriend of many years is torn between a life with me and dealing with my issues and his mother who is old and ill and his neices who are in another state. I know he loves me, but is that enough?
It is so strange to be lost in my own head. To not remember the things I do, the things I say.
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The damage is the same as a stroke would cause. So treatment is similar:
http://www.lef.org/protocols/heart_circulatory/stroke_cerebrovascular_disease_01.htm
I recommend Enhanced External Counterpulsation Therapy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enhanced_external_counterpulsation
Supplementaion with R Lipoic Acid:
http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2014/may2014_How-Lipoic-Acid-Preserves-Critical-Mitochondrial-Function_01.htm
Coenzyme Q10
May 22, 2014 - 8:24amhttp://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2006/feb2006_cover_coq10_01.htm
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Thank God, the cancer is in remission. The diagnosis of cancer and watching my health decline took a tremendous toll on my husband and children. But, I fought hard to find the right doctors and equally hard to regain my cognitive brain functions. Writing was a therapy for me. Listening to music and identifying the title and performer became a " memory game". It was not easy and it didn't happen overnight. The way I look at it, God didn't call me home, I didn't die. So I had better make the most of each day. And so I do!
September 9, 2011 - 5:29pmMaryann
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Well, you sound like a fighter. I am glad you are finding ways to work on the memory. I too find myself playing the who sang that song game. Or what movie or show do I know that actor from and who are they. I am an artist and I paint and draw, but ever since I came home all I do is stare at the canvas. I guess it will take time to find the inspiration again. Patience is not one of my virtues. The right doctor does make a difference. When I was pregnant with my son 11 years ago my OBGYN let me go way past my due-date, (I was 10 months) I tried to tell him, but he just wouldn't listen to me. I told him I was further along than what he was tellign me, but he was going off periods and he was the doctor, "what do I know, right?" I knew I was pregnant before I ever missed my period, and when I finally went into labor he was too big to come out. I had to have an emergency c-section after being in full blown labor and pushing. I remember hearing the delivering doctor swear at the nurse that he was going to kill my doctor. I am pretty sure I wasn't suppose to hear that. My son had a bowel movement due to the stress of his size and lack of room for him and he inhaled it (severe meconium aspiration). He was on a high-frequency oscilator at first and after a month in children's hospital in Denver he came home on oxygen, which he finally got off of at 4 months. He weighed 9lbs, 7oz and was 22in long, bones would have had to break for him to come out naturally, his head didn't even fit in my pelvis. To this day his head is huge, there was concern with the size, but he's all brain and extremely smart. Anyhow, I think I've rattled off and lost my train of thought. LOL
September 9, 2011 - 8:43pmHow long have you been married? How old are your children?
Thanks for taking the time. I appreciate it.
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I appreciate your responding. I have found that most people who visit support sites for the sufferers of memory loss visit the site, post once and forget. 4 years down the road, are you still grieving? I usually move on and get passed things pretty quickly or I just make them go away, get a different job, moving, divorce... Excetra. Just when I think I have control over my feelings I go to bed and wake up the next day and go through the range of emotions all over again even though I have it written down that I am over it and why. My boyfriend is very understanding but children are at a loss. It has really pulled my teenager's head out of her rear. I feel as though it is unfair to put them through this, but such is life and this is what we must get through. Anyhow, again thank you. With your condition, is the tumor/cancer completely gone? Are you at risk of remission? How has your family learned to cope?
September 8, 2011 - 6:15pmThis Comment
I am touched by your story. For very different reasons, I experienced memory loss, altered cognition and a change in personality. Four years ago, I was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer. As the tumor grew, the resulting edema or swelling put pressure on my brain. It was like another being occupied my body and controlled my mind. Following the first surgery to remove the brain tumor, I worked diligently to exercise my brain by using the Nintendo Brain Age game daily. I continue to work on regaining and retaining memories. I truly can appreciate the suffering that you have. It is the love of the people in your life, faith and hope that will help you get through.
Maryann
September 8, 2011 - 4:11pmThis Comment