Starting a YouTube channel is good rehab.

Hi, I said a while back that I was going to start a YouTube channel. I got it up and running by the beginning of the year. Learning all the tech was hard but I managed to make a few videos that are really bad quality, learned from them and adjusted the way I made them.

I had recovered from most of my TBI symptoms before I started the channel, but I found spending the time to learn about and actually starting it really helped boost the integration of cognitive abilities.

I had really bad aphasia after my TBI and pretty much forgot about it as my speech etc had improved but difficulties with maintaining coherent speech was exposed when I was 'talking to camera' for the videos. I found that practicing talking for the videos improved the quality and content of what I was talking about.

Here's my latest video about PCS/mTBI. I'd be interested in your opinions about whether my speech comes across ok and is understandable.

youtu.be/AMfvNd5qmQk?si=ttb...(Not working as expected?)

[Shreds]

PV,

A very good You Tube reel. Good pace, not too long but detailed and analytical enough to hit all the right elements.

Thank you so much. And do not be concerned about your presentation skills, I have seen worse on the BBC.

Yes its another skill to learn and You Tube reel production is both a technical venture and an art form that you have certainly mastered.

👍

[Hidden in reply to Shreds]

Hmmmm, thanks for that, I do have to say everything about 10 times then chop it up in editing software to assemble all the sentences. But on a few occasions, I find I can keep it going for more than one sentence. I remember when I started, I lost my voice because I'm not that used to talking out loud. I can talk in my head and write really well but the speech does not match that, BUT I will keep going and I'm sure it will come. Cheers for the comment.

[Silkwood20]

Thanks for sharing this. I found it really helpful. My husband had a severe stroke, not a TBI, nevertheless I learned a lot from it. I like the clear, uncrowded charts and illustrations. In the early days there is shock, panic and such fear, so a calming voice, and nicely slow paced speech is what is required while learning...you have a gift!

[Hidden in reply to Silkwood20]

Thank you very much.

[Rosebud66]

I never knew any of that, took me two years to get an MRI scan and I hope to get referred to a post concussion neurologist as my migraines aren’t going away. This was great, thank you. Can’t wait for your next video … we all need hope! Very clear, slow which was needed and you covered so much I didn’t know, thank you… and a round of applause to you! 😁

[cat3]

Hi Richard. I only had a glance through your video as I've been unwell, but I see it's another beautifully designed and presented piece of research. So I'll be dipping in & out (as much as my muddly brain will allow) over the next few days.

Your presentation is so accessible and personable, which will help I'm sure...

Nice work indeed ! Cat x

[Hidden in reply to cat3]

Thanks Cat, hope you get better soon.

[Marley1908]

Thank you for your video. Keep the your work for the cause.

[catrabb1t]

Hi PV I have just watched your video. Its great. I doubt this type of info actually exists and if it does it will be in a written format and not as informative. Your slides are excellent. Will Headway have this video on their site? It is most helpful. I will say that I would not have been able to make sense of it for the first 18 months, or retain any of it, watching it highlighted my own progress to me.

Your editing skills are brilliant because I could not tell you were chopping in sentences. What an interesting experience for you to convey the info out loud when you are not accustomed to it because it is usually written and thought. Your speech is good. Your accent reminds me of friends who live on the Wirral who origionated from Liverpool.

The pace at which you speak works well for me. I still had to pause it to digest at certain times but because I could process what you were saying at he speed you spoke this was most helpful. I do not know if you intentionally speak at that speed but it is a winner. Above someone said you speak slow and that is good. To me it is not slow, it is my normal, but I have slower processing now. I would not have been able to follow this info for the first 12 months, possibly 18 months post-surgery so it is also a measure of my own improvement.

When I press pause I was unable to look at the slides because pause brought up a banner of other videos which blocked your content. Perhaps it was because I viewed it from Headway and not for you tube?

I don't know what to say about the gaps in testing at hospital. What should happen after BI is not happening a lot of the time and the current deterioration of NHS service means delays will not meet time constrained targets for scans. The NHS is not delivering the correct info post-BI because the tests are not being done (no pituitory test for me, no understanding of change in my vision). As regards to the DTI scan, I doubt I had one. My notes say CT scan I think.

Will one of your presentations cover what acute and chronic bleeds means? I found it confusing and still do (I had both). This presentation mentions the scan only picks up the acute bleeds I think.

It is so good to see all your hard work leave the academic field and come into the public field. You're a star for doing this and helping people.

[Hidden in reply to catrabb1t]

Thanks, you may have to see it on YouTube if you want to pause without adds popping up. It does answer the queries you have about the diagnostics. Neither CT or DTI would pick up micro bleeds and only CT would see acute bleeds. How do you know you have bleeds if your scans did not see them?

[catrabb1t in reply to Hidden]

I was referring to the timing of the scans I had. I should have been scanned 3 months earlier but was sent away from A&E without one. Then my symptoms deteriorated on a sliding scale and I kept saying I had a head injury (until I couldn't because the bleeds stopped rational thoughts and speech). When they agreed to a scan I was put on as an emergency - that was a 4 week waiting list. Eventually i collapsed before the scan date arrived and taken to hospital by ambulance. Then I had scans but i was was barely conscious so not sure what type it was. The first scan picked up 2 bleeds on different sides, acute and chronic. I had another scan a few days after craniotomy to check the other side and it showed it had absorbed so no need for a second craniotomy. Lucky me!

My friend who had a brain tumour (unknown at the time) had the same experience in A&E when presenting with symptoms which included bad headache. She ended up being wheeled into A&E a few weeks later with her mother refusing to leave and my friend was in so much pain she would crawl and not walk. They scanned her and found the tumour. It seems to be a common experience that the scans are not being done if you pass their finger squeeze test.

[Hidden in reply to catrabb1t]

Yep, it's a bit worrying really.

[FlowerPower62]

We'll done Richard, that was very impressive. There was new stuff in there for me, and I thought I'd looked into it so much! Never heard of dti scans, or the word atonal, for example. It was quite complicated, I think I need to watch it again. I look forward to the next one on neuroplasticity. It was nice to put a face to the name too! Thank you for doing this. X