|
|
GL Discussion Group
In my 47 years of watching soaps...I can't tell you how many Amnesia storylines I have seen. In fact, the earliest one I recall is when Penny on ATWT suffered amnesia as a result of the car accident that killed her husband Jeff Baker (Daytime's FIRST super couple...long before Luke and Laura). I was only 6 years old at the time.
Sadly, I now know of a person who is suffering from amnesia. My beautiful and brilliant 23 year old niece was in a car accident last Saturday (ironically, that was our wedding anniversary). She has lost 40% of her memory. She thinks it's 2008. She is a diabetic, but, because she found out within the past year, she has to now re-learn how to give herself insulin injections. She has to see speech therapists, neurologists, etc...Ironcially, the day before the accident, she had paid tuition for a graduate course, that was set to begin in October, but because last friday was also the last day to get refunds from the bursur's office. Her mother was told that she has to file an appeal, despite showing them all her daughter's medical documentation attesting to her present condition.
I am positively heartsick, because not only is she a beautiful and brilliant girl. But she has the highest moral standards, something, that is, sadly, lacking in today's young people.
In fact, last year, when she sought to get assistance in paying for her diabetic medication, she was told by a Social Worker that she would not qualify because she is neither pregnant nor has an illegitimate child.
If ever health care reform was needed, this young girl would be a shining example. My heart is broken to see her like this.
My husband had a traumatic brain injury 4 years ago after a brain hemorrhage and stroke. He was in his early 50s.
THINK POSITIVELY!!!!!!!!
The brain is amazing and has all sorts of ways to re-organize itself. The week after his bleed, he thought his sister and I were imposters. He saw monsters under the bed. He thought someone was putting "daytime" and "night time" posters on the outside of the windows to make him confused about what time it was.
Two months later, he couldn't read a book, he couldn't think of the words for the things on the flashcards we used to help him get his language skills back. He was devastated. I was scared. But the neurologists kept saying it can take the brain 2 years to repair itself, or to change its circuits.
Today, he drives, doesn't get lost, knows his wife, kids and grandkids, can remember who was on the '69 Mets...just about everything is back but his short term memory. He forgets more than the average male. He know he forgets and gets frustrated, but other than that, he's the guy I married. He reads the paper, makes jokes, does yard work, is a crossword puzzle addict and is doing so much better than I ever thought he would. Most people wouldn't even know he had a health problem
Your niece will improve in "her own time". It's early. There's a lot of healing ahead of her and therapy helps. Keep talking to her. Tell her stories. When she forgets something and asks a question she's asked before, pretend it's the first time you ever heard her ask that. Things will improve. She will get better - maybe not "all" better but nobody knows. Four years out of the stroke, my husband still improves.
I'm so sorry you're going through this. It's very hard and it's just plain scary. You've already been through the worst scare; that she wouldn't survive. From here on, it's all uphill and good stuff.
Replies: (list all replies)
