Some Cognitive Effects of Head Injury

Picture: Gisborne NZ sunrise. A new dawn beckons…Writing into the Light

Article Title: Some Cognitive Effects of Head Injury
Author: Craig Lock

Category (key words): head injury, brain injury, brain damage, neuro-psychology, medical information, medical resources

Web sites: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005GGMAW4 http://www.creativekiwis.com/amazon.html and http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/craiglock
The submitter’s blogs (with extracts from his various writings: articles, books and new manuscripts) are at www.headbraininjury.wordpress.com and http://craigsblogs.wordpress.com

Other Articles are available at: http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles.html
(Personal growth, self help, writing, internet marketing, spiritual, ‘spiritual writings’ (how ‘airey-fairey’), words of inspiration and money management, how boring now, craig!)

Publishing Guidelines: I hope that the following piece may be informative to others. This article may be freely reproduced electronically or in print. Although very personal, if through sharing a little of my experiences, it helps anyone “out there in the often very difficult, but always amazing ‘journey of life’ in any way, then I’m very happy.

We share what we know, so that we all may grow.”
*
SOME COGNITIVE EFFECTS OF HEAD INJURY:

by Craig Lock

“Compare it (your head) to a jelly in a bowl. The bowl is the skull – a strong, protective container – and the jelly (the brain) is nestled within. The skull is able to withstand many types of blows; but the brain is vulnerable to sudden swirling or rotating movements. Shake the bowl and see what happens to the jelly.”
– Dr Don Mackie, Emergency Specialist(in New Zealand)

This extract (in note form) is from a chapter from my manuscript titled MY STORY, MY DREAM available at http://www.amazon.com/Ill-Do-It-My-Way/ and as an e-book at

http://www.amazon.com/Ill-Do-It-Way-ebook/dp/B005GS6ZVO

Also LIVING WITH HEAD (BRAIN) INJURY (from ‘MY STORY’) * [Kindle Edition http://www.amazon.com/LIVING-BRAIN-INJURY-STORY-ebook/dp/B005IQMC0W/

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Firstly …extreme FATIGUE

* Wake up every morning feeling heavy-headed (very).
* fatigue – take frequent breaks and do the most demanding tasks first…even get exhausted reading a newspaper! So break the task into “bytes”…doing most of my reading “first thing” when I awaken early)

* in SA found telling stories very difficult – kept facts to a minimum. Write way better than I talk.

* muddled – making tea AND coffee for guests. Sugar, one two, milk??? Total confusion making for more than just myself. Ha ha (just ask my friends if it’s true – a clue – they make the drinks)! So I put one thing away at a time, then finish. Single-minded FOCUS.
Not observant.
Visio-spatial organisation
short-term and visual memory (visual overload)

I have the ideal job (at long last!). Very part-time and flexible, work in my own time, take breaks when fatigued. Info overload (and change) is a real problem, when other things are going on – groups (avoid that!), etc.
WITH determination, self discipline one can achieve wonders.
*
THE EFFECTS OF FATIGUE:

I wake up every morning feeling exhausted, as if I haven’t had a good night’s rest. ALWAYS. A bit light-headed too – no very HEAVY-headed. It’s hard to describe the feeling. I feel I could sleep for days, but force my self out of bed to do my daily tasks. However, the first 2-3 hours of the day are by far my best times for alertness and getting the most important tasks done (like sending out articles on the internet). Also get more tired as the day progresses. I need more rest and have to work my day around my “funny job(s)” – by taking frequent rests and walks. It’s not at all depression, just REAL FATIGUE – a “heavy headed” feeling, a bit like
the “hung-over” feeling (not that I’ve had one for “moons” – thank goodness I don’t drink much… what I be like then… a total zombie!).

* Wake up every morning feeling heavy-headed (very).
* fatigue – take frequent breaks and do the most demanding tasks first…even get exhausted reading a newspaper! So break the task into “bytes”…doing most of my reading “first thing” when I awaken early)(Repeated for effect, not light-headedness!)

On reflection, my Lifegrow insurance job in Cape Town, South Africa was perfect for me… It was liason/marketing/PR. Worked few hours early am, then socialised just ‘cruisin around’. Only then I didn’t know then what I now know….and how well it suited me. Thank goodness for the great people, who helped me to “success” (Nicola, Rethe, Tony and Ronnie). Then after “emigrating” everything, our entire worlds, came crashing down in Perth, Australia …and the real struggles began. Yet God can do the most amazing things, work miracles… by turning our deeepest scars in to the most brilliant stars.

Now many many years later after that trauma my current position selling subscriptions for Sky TV (very part-time) here in a small provincial NZ city suits me perfectly. Flexible hours working when I want out of the “corporate rat race” and doing it “totally my way” (even with the occasional ‘Frank Spencer episode’!) . I’ve been doing it very successfully for over three and a half years (five now, now over ten!). It’s my longest and best job in my entire “career” and I’m very happy here “Dropped out in Godzone” (the title of my second book, btw).

BE HAPPY too

craig Nov 2012

PS:
If you are interested, there’s a great detailed article by Dr Frederick Linge at http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/What_Does_it_Feel_Like_to_be_Brain_Damaged.html

It’s also on this blog at www.headbraininjury.wordpress.com

“Success to others may be apparent in what you DO; but
significance, meaning and purpose lies, then reveals itself
in what you ARE and BECOME down the ‘river of life’ – how
and the spirit with which you face, then overcome the daily
obstacles, the frequent trials and tribulations along the
often rocky path-way of life’s magical and mysterious
journey.
Light your path brightly.”‘

“The task ahead of you can always be overcome by the power behind you…and the seemingly difficult path ahead of you is never as steep with the great spirit that lies within you.”

“When the world is filled with love, people’s hearts are overflowing
with hope.”
– craig

About the submitter:
Craig has a long-standing head injury and has been researching and studying in this field for nearly twenty years. He hopes that by sharing this information, it will make some difference in those lives affected by brain injury www.craiglockbooks.com www.selfgrowth.com/experts/craig_lock.html

The various books that Craig “felt inspired to write” are available at: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005GGMAW4 and http://www.creativekiwis.com/amazon.html

MY STORY, MY DREAM is available at http://www.amazon.com/Ill-Do-It-My-Way/and as an e-book at http://www.amazon.com/Ill-Do-It-Way-ebook/dp/B005GS6ZVO

Also LIVING WITH HEAD (BRAIN) INJURY (from ‘MY STORY’) * [Kindle Edition http://www.amazon.com/LIVING-BRAIN-INJURY-STORY-ebook/dp/B005IQMC0W/

The submitter’s blogs (with extracts from his various writings: articles, books and new manuscripts) are at www.headbraininjury.wordpress.com and http://craigsblogs.wordpress.com

This article may be freely reproduced electronically or in print. If it helps anyone “out there in the often very difficult, but always amazing ‘journey of life’ in any way, then I’m very happy.

PPS

“Let’s not what we can’t do stop us from doing what we CAN do!”