Recovery of long term memory

[Sarbear123]

Hi everyone, my husband is now home from hospital. It’s two months since his anoxic brain injury and I think he’s doing well. His short term memory is still totally shot but it’s very gradually improving.

From looking at the pictures on his phone he doesn’t recognise what’s happened in the last 18 months to 2 years. So, holidays, weddings, things like that he doesn’t recover the memory by looking at the photos.

Can you advise if you recovered any long term memories and if so how long did they take to come back?

[Froggiefrog]

Whilst not claiming to have any answers, what I would say is that memory is one of the most individual and unpredictable phenomena going.

I am two months post op after a VP shunt revision. The infection causing the need for surgery had, it seems been present for a while. Connected or not, I currently have a very poor short term memory, but my longer term memory, whilst no better than adequate, seems unchanged.

I do believe that those around you are at least as central to making memory the best it can be as anything else and that I and I suspect many others would not function anywhere near as well, were in not for the support of those who know us best, know our past best and know better than anyone how to encourage us when we need it most.

[Kirk5w7]

2 months is such a short time.

Im 7 years+ now and over that time ive seen quite a huge difference in all aspects of my problems.

[Kirk5w7]

Everyone recovers, or doesnt, at different rates.

It also depends what on how severe the injury was and just how well the brain can reconnect old pathways or make new ones.

Please try to be patient, encourage your husband whenever possible. I drove the rate at which i made my recovery, i played games on my ipad, did jigsaws, did paint by numbers, i took up knitting again, etc etc, and gradually my memory has improved.

Games may be a help with this, be creative with those things your husband enjoys doing.

[Chelle3069]

Sorry 2 months is really not much time. I'm still struggling 20+ years for me. I don't remember any of the time leading up to my surgery or after it. I can perhaps keep things in my brain for about a week if i'm lucky then its gone but that depends on whether my head is not tired or hurting from headaches, then its only a couple of days. I do get frustrated by it, but I've learnt I think just to except things it is what it is now and nothing will change now.

[WinB]

My Dad died in 1999 and I used to say to my Sister after Hydrocephalus had cleared via having a shunt fitted. "Tell Dad I will be up to see him and not to worry about me" I had my SAH/Bleed in June or July 2009 awoke 2010 December after shunt was fitted. Laying in bed one night it hit me that Dad had died, so I cried spoke to him in my mind told him I am getting better and it was so painful to relive that moment so we went to his grave and I spoke and sung to him...Our short term memory is bad with most of us but it was as if my brain kept sadness away from me. Daft as it sounds but that is how I like to think of it. It is early days for your hubby let his brain wake up in its own time as it has been through a war and needs to fix itself..Happiness and caring is good for us. I knew I was better as hubs got moaning again lol xxxx

[Lynd]

My Husband is 13 down the line from Hypoxic Brain Injury. Memory from the last 20odd years is hazy and disjointed. Take heart, things improve over time.

Talk about events that have happened in the past. You are still very early days x

[rockyandfrank]

I am 1 year from last aneurysym treatment (the first at easter last year) and my short term memory is still shot but long term memory is slowly coming back as clear as a bell. I still forget to lock my doors, easily get distracted and forget what I am doing. So it takes time ------.

[Kavib]

Sometimes the memory does come back but you can get him CBT therapy that can help his memory. But key thing is that recovery with take a long time, weeks, months sometimes years. Just keep the continued support.