Head Injury Week 2: up and running (sort of!)

The forced go slow and new scatter brain that I seem to have developed is becoming very frustrating. I just can’t think or do as fast as I used to be able to do. Its like a need a pause button while my brain processes stuff. The number of times that I have had the ‘well?’ kind of looks from my husband – its getting quite regular.

He apologised the other day. He said he had become accustomed to me being so get up and go whizzing about, he just can’t get used to the 1^st gear me at all.

Small steps

I can now walk without clutching the walls, which seems like a ridiculous thing to get excited about. But, it’s all small steps in the right direction. The permanent feeling of being on the deck of a ship in a storm at sea is beginning to abate.

I managed to get up on Saturday within 25 minutes of my Lumie Lights alarm clock. Again, this seems abnormal, but I used to be able to get up before its even brightened up that much on the sunrise setting. Now I seem to need a head start to life in the morning it takes me that long to get started.

Tentative turbo

Although in reality, it was probably a day or so too soon, I was beginning to get a little frustrated by sitting in one spot and watching day time TV, so I decided to try a turbo. Husband wasn’t amused at all. He agreed to let me do it on the turbo in the garden, and came out every few minutes to make sure I was not breaking into a sweat. I was unable to lean on the Tri bars. Leaning too far forwards still makes me almost pass out with dizziness and sickness, so I sat up most of the time. The heart rate was barely even registering as recovery, it was that low. But, it’s a start.

Swim sickness?

The Neurosurgeon suggested I try swimming. I thought it very much sounded like a recipe for sea sickness, but I gave it a go. I was able to do a few lengths at a time, with a rest in between, without being unbearably dizzy. I managed 200m all at once before I left. Small steps, like I said. I continue to look forward. If not I would simply get depressed about how ridiculously slow it was by comparison to what my swim pace used to be.

SCAT test, take 2

I was determined to do better than last week. I very quickly discovered that wasn’t up to me. David Sutton said I was drastically better at the thinking stuff than last week. I almost felt like I was myself again, at times. But, balance… nope. I still felt like a drunk without all the fun, when I was asked to balance with eyes shut.

I head injury is a head injury. You have not bearing on how it develops. All you can do is respond, rest adapt and wait. Frustrating, but the result was better. I was given the go ahead to try gentle exercise. Better than nothing.

Sunday driving on Thursday!

My first go at driving since the accident. The fact that my thinking and reacting time are still slow was a small concern. So I drove like a Sunday driver. Lets face it, its probably the only way I could have executed it anyway!

Hubby said ‘try not to get a wobbly eyes episode while you are behind a wheel, won’t you!?’ That’s the humorous way we have decided to describe the odd episodes I am still getting. Make light of it, it’s the only way.

Up and running at last

I was keen to get a few things out of the way. My misconception about the running being potentially problematic was one of them. I still don’t trust this odd head of mine, so I decided to go to the gym, nice and safe. I started on the cross trainer, but the programme ended in 30 mins. I had the number 45 in my mind and I really wasn’t sure that 32 minutes of running was a good idea. So I climbed back on for a bit and stepped tentatively onto the running machine for my last 15 minutes. I began walking. My right leg still felt odd, heavier than the left, like it had all week. It felt like a dead leg. I was determined to crack this, so started jogging the slowest jog I think I may have ever jogged in my life. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that It was in fact ok, apart from the fact that my legs felt like lead. But I didn’t care. I was running, and I didn’t expect to be able to do that just inside two weeks after the accident. I was so pleased I can’t tell you. And, thankful for running machines. I didn’t need to get back to where I had started, I could simply climb off and sit down!

It’s a roller coaster ride in the world of head injuries. I only hope the wobbly eyes symptom eases off next.