A friend recently emailed to me this New York Times article. The final section on How Patients Can Help is right up my alley and I wanted to blog here about it!
The article refers to a few key concepts, some of which I've blogged about before: having lists of questions when seeing specialists, turning up to appointments with at least two people and being (very) familiar with one's condition. The article does warn about "oversearch", but I think that's less of a problem if one keeps in mind that one's own case may always differ from others.
I hope my readers enjoy the article.
Cheers,
Mike
Friday, 12 June 2009
Patients' Approach to Specialists
Posted by
Mike Wilkinson
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12.6.09
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Labels: Family and Its Importance, Finding Answers, Medical Specialists, Memory
Friday, 22 May 2009
Managing Brain Lock
In the post, Brain Lock, I described one particular problem I have where I get something in my head and set about doing it... no matter what. In spite of me being aware that I occasionally suffer it, I continue to experience it. Most recently, it happened at work when I continued to (somewhat publicly) argue about a point in spite of it becoming quite disruptive for my team.
Although we ended up with the problem resolved, I was embarassed about the way we got there - good ol' brain lock was at it, again. So, to try and avoid future episodes, I went back to the drawing board once more to reflect on ways to manage this problem. I've thought of a couple that, as yet, are untested. That is, I don't really know if they'll really work. Nevertheless, I wanted to blog about them now so my readers can see an example of a thought process I go through when managing through such problems.
I decided that, in times of brain lock (and perhaps at all times), the best thing is to focus on end-outcomes. What is my end-goal for this situation? What do I want to walk away having achieved? What is the best way to achieve it?
Of course, there's still the problem of knowing when I'm in danger of becoming brain-locked (and, therefore, in need of thinking about alternative methods to achieve end-goals). Here, I'm still a little unsure, but think that the best way of knowing this is to always reflect on one thing: how many times have I raised this issue? How long has it been since I reflected on my end-goal and alternative methods of achieving this?
I'm not too sure if this will work (particularly, my method of trying to realise when I'm at risk of brain-lock), but there you go. I will continue to think about it and revisit it, if I still have problems with brain lock.
Cheers,
Mike
Posted by
Mike Wilkinson
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22.5.09
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Labels: Social Situations, Thinking Outside the Box, Working
Sunday, 17 May 2009
As Good as It Gets
A brain injury can cause all sorts of problems, problems that require such a different approach to things that used to be so easy, One can start to feel these problems are insurmountable; feel like there's no way "back to" the way you were before; there are no more improvements to be had. Basically, one can worry that this is as good as it gets!
I don't know about obsessive-compulsive disorder, but I do know a little of recovery from traumatic brain injury. While understandable, I think it a very dangerous thing to worry about. The brain is an immensely adaptable piece of equipment. Worrying that things won't get better almost flatly assumes the brain won't learn how to work around whatever problems it comes across. In my humble opinion, assuming that is almost as bad as ruling it out from ever happening. That is, if you want to learn to recover, start by believing that you are actually able to recover.
Yet, feeling this is as good as it gets is still very understandable; when I start thinking it, what do I do about it? Simple, I do my best to keep in mind specific areas of progress I have made, specific times when my brain has learnt about how to work around things. With that, I can convince myself that my brain can work around things. This is definitely not as good as it gets!
Cheers,
Mike
Posted by
Mike Wilkinson
at
17.5.09
1 comments
Labels: Acceptance, Determination to Recover, Plateauing
Saturday, 11 April 2009
Having Faith I Will Figure It Out
In my most recent post, I talked about how I've relearnt heaps just by retrying an activity. I talked about trying to relearn it enough just to enjoy it again. Part of what guides me in that is having faith I will figure it out.
Of course, my injury has affected what I can do. I know what I enjoyed before my accident; unfortunately, I can't do all of it in the way I used to. I get into it, but it (very) frustrating as I often feel I'm starting from the beginning.
I can't give up hope, though. I try and think hard about what, specifically, I enjoyed about doing it. What will I need to relearn to start enjoying it that way again? Often, my constraints from my injury will mean I need to adopt a new approach. Is there an approach that will still allow me to enjoy the activity as I used to?
I guess, once again, my running's a good example of this. Like I said in my last post, I got into it, but then found improvements tailed off. It became more and more frustrating not feeling like I was making any sort of progress with it. What kept me going was having faith that, sooner or later, I would work it out.
I thought hard about what I needed to enjoy it: it wasn't the speed; it wasn't the hills or the views; it was the endorphins. Running properly was important to get those. In the end, I had to get some expert advice to help me do that from a physiotherapist who specialised in brain injury and running.
It's been quite a journey and, although not over yet, one big help along the way has been the faith that, eventually, I'd figure it out.
Cheers,
Mike
Posted by
Mike Wilkinson
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11.4.09
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Get Into It!
It doesn't matter to me whether I enjoy it less than I used to. Of course, it's frustrating to have to restart learning it again, but only one thing's important to me, am I still enjoying it at some level or other? Maybe I'll one day have my old level of enjoyment back, but, right now, do I still like to do it?
Sometimes, I'll restart something, but have real trouble relearning it. That's when it becomes more important to find the right people to talk to. There must be someone around who can help me with whatever I want to relearn. It's just a matter of finding out who that is.
The best example I have that sets all of this out is my running. I had loved this before my accident; popping out somewhere interesting for a few hours' hard running; the views. the feeling of drive during it, the endorphins afterwards, it was a great feeling. My running afterwards was much less so.
Yet, I got into it and was making progress relearning it. Eventually, however, I stopped making progress and had real trouble with it. In the end, I saw a physiotherapist who specialises in brain injury and running. He made all the difference, improving my form out of all sight.
Even now, though, I'm not sure I enjoy it as much as I used to, but I love it enough to back out doing it again.
Cheers,
Mike
Posted by
Mike Wilkinson
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11.4.09
1 comments
Tuesday, 23 December 2008
Merry Christmas to You All!
It's been a long while sine my last post. Obviously, I've been suffering something like the problem I described in it, Brain Lock.
There is more coming, though. My recovery certainly isn't over, yet, and I continue to find out things I'd like to share with you. Perhaps it's a sign that things are going well, though - I lack time to properly write.
Anyway, I will get around to it. In the mean time, I wish my readers a great Christmas and a happy New Year. To all those recovering from brain injury, whatever '08 was like, I wish you a much improved '09!
Seasons Greetings,
Mike
Posted by
Mike Wilkinson
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23.12.08
1 comments



