Hello,
My name is Kevin,i'm a 51 year old who has lived with brain injury for most of my life.I was working until about 5yrs ago,when my noggin gave me too much aggro,for me to continue.I consider it a good run.Probably like a lot on here,i'm medicated up to the hilt with tablets,and i have a shunt fitted.As im new on here would be interested in reading about similar symptoms as mine,and maybe learn something as well.
Hi Kevin and welcome ! You've done well to hold down employment all that time with a brain injury. Maybe you could fill in the details of when/how your injury happened and the issues you've been coping with ever since. I'd be interested to hear your story...… Cat x
Hello cat3,
My trouble started when being the elder of a twin,(10 mins),was me that always looked after my younger brother.We lived on a council estate,and as a result had to fight to survive,so i did looking after me and my twin,when we were at school.My father was ex RAF,so had a very strict upbringing.As i was stronger than my twin,my father wanted me to be the prodigy,and so i joined the local lads club where i boxed. I used to be a loader,fork lift,reach truck and articulated reach driver.Was one day i was reading my dispatch notes,that i was going in and out of focus.I worked the rest of the day but made an appointment to my quack.He looked into my eyes and sent me for a scan,after a few more,had various operations at Addenbrookes,the first two did'nt work that well,so they put a shunt in from my brain to my stomach,i've always wondered,am i a cyborg ?
or will i wake up shouting "twinkie"-"twinkie"-"twinkie",like the small metal dude on Buck Rogers in the 21st century lol.I am on Topiremate,it increases the absorbtion level of brain fluid into the body,a lot of anti-depresssants,and a high dose of ibuprofen.My last visit to my doctor weighed me and said i was a little over,so i have been watching what i'm eating and so far lost a stone and a half.
Thanks for that Kevin. So it was hydrocephalus, but can you tell us whether it was caused by a particular event or something which just evolved ? You've obviously managed to hang onto your humour………..SO important after a brain injury ! x
Hello,cat,
The neurosurgeon tells me it might be historic,but thats as much as i could get out of him,wether it was me or a genetic thing,i'm not sure.
kevin
So what are your most troublesome issues nowadays : do you have memory / mobility / cognitive problems, or others ?
I'm 7 years on from a coiling procedure to fix a bleed on the brain and have been affected by the issues mentioned...……. along with frequent headaches and a short fuse ! x
I've had a hole made from the top my brain to the bottom,was my first brain op,in an attempt to drain fluid.The result was it has affected my memory.I find making notes to remind me or using the calendar function on my mobile very useful.I dont really get angry,but i do suffer with people who dont do what they say.My motto is "Do what you say-say what you doo".Being quiet helps,but you need to find a quiet space,and then empty your mind of everything,then choose the boxes you want to put back on the shelves,before you go back to whatever the word normal is.If i make a mistake,or forget something,i laugh at myself,i never take it to heart,i own my condition,it never has owned me.
Great attitude Kevin ; I'm a firm believer that humour is a vital component in any treatment plan. Keep spreading your positivity ; it's infectious ! Keep smiling..... Cat x
Thank you,im not really good at understanding some things(sorry for that),please could you explain what coiling is ?,and how your mood affects you,i dont mean to pry,you could tell me to sod off if you want ?
Wouldn't dream of asking you to sod off ! …………..maybe when I know you a bit better 😉.
Coiling is a procedure where a titanium coil is fed via a catheter through an artery in the groin up to the site of a burst blood vessel in the brain. The ruptured area (a burst bubble on the blood vessel) is filled with the coiled titanium wire to stem the bleed. ……..clever stuff eh ?
But the long term damage results from blood contaminating the soft tissue of the brain and death of cells.
You can find it on You Tube if you're not squeamish 😝. Mine was a Subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). x
arrrr,so now i know,cheers,
is that what they refer too as a stent ?
No a stent is used to remove blood clots after a stroke.
Hi Kevin, I’m a 52yr old bloke who had 4yrs off work after my TBI in 2014. I actually started a new Insuance Broking business in Oct 2017, for brain exercise as much as anything else. I am physically fit, which I was before the bump, got back to it 4 mths after once they’d rebuilt my skull. It is simply best to do what suits you, we are all ultimately of a different construction. Good luck with whatever you choose to do👍🏻
Thank you,good you have been active,when you have a knock to the noggin,like a lot of us,its not all gravy,always best if you can to stay moving instead of staying still.
I am feeling a bit more upbeat since my last brain op,caused my left eyelid to droop,but the wonders of modern medicine,and a good surgeon,had it cut off a bit trimmed off the back,and stitched back on,now its healed,nearly as good as new.I think a lot of the process of healing is adapting,to understand that things change and to keep up with what life throws at you.
Always good to chat
Kevin.
It's been a while!
Getting used to the new me
A Miracle or a Curse ? 
I need a job!...
Hello I'm new here
