Forgetful and work

[SonnyBlue]

Is anyone else really forgetful? I forget what I am going to do/going to say like it completely leaves my head. I thought it was from sleep deprivation but I think it could be from post icu stay. I haven't got the capacity to concentrate either, I'm dreading going back to work and being useless.

[Sepsur]

Yeh man - all the time, I write cryptic notes on calendar but forget to look at calendar, alarms on my phone but forget my phone, really really annoying - peoples names!!!

[SonnyBlue in reply to Sepsur]

Omg same! Sometimes it's instant forgetfullnes, or I forget how to write/spell a word. And I'm jsut stumped. Appointments need to be written down instantly or there is no wya I'll remember. I really hope this is from post icu and not jsut me being lazy/forgetful

[Sepsur in reply to SonnyBlue]

Cognitive dysfunction after ICU mainly 😊🤣

[SurvivorPhoenix]

Hey, I was in ICU in sept 2020 and off work for seven months. I’ve been back to work a year now and I still find that my brain and how I work isn’t the same. I still forget things, struggle to process information and instructions. Hopefully your employer will be understanding and be honest with them from the beginning. Most importantly, take things at your pace

[SonnyBlue in reply to SurvivorPhoenix]

Hello! Thank you for your reply. How did you know you was ready to go back to work?

[SurvivorPhoenix in reply to SonnyBlue]

My journey to get back to work was crazy. My original sick note from the hospital was 6-8 weeks from memory and my doctor would then top up. I think my manager thought I’d be back before Christmas (this all happened in September) but luckily my team members put him straight on that due to the severity of what had happened to me. He hadn’t understood the sick policy correctly and was telling me my ‘deadline’ to come back to work was feb 2021. I knew deep down I wasn’t ready but I felt so much pressure and was going along with his suggestions and not mine. Thankfully, I had a long first session with occupational health and she concluded I was not ready to return to work. I was relieved but also worried about pay and then it transpired my sick pay would run out in April and not feb. My doctor was fantastic at giving me regular sick notes and I then stood firm. In all honesty, I would have liked longer because once the physical starts improving, the mental side comes to the forefront. I had an 8 week phased return which I suggested the hours for.

My advice would be… know your policy and rights, communicate everything to your manager etc so they know exactly what you’re going through or get a family member to. Speak to occupational health early as mine was late in the process. Hopefully you have a good relationship with your doctor and make it clear to work that you want to come back when you are ready and able to face work and be in a place where you can be productive. You won’t be productive for a while but for companies, it reflects poorly on them if someone comes back from sick leave and then goes off again.

The first few months I was sweating the small stuff like my mileage and expenses or worrying what my peers would think. I look back now and realise how ridiculous that was. I’d just had a life threatening even and nearly died and I was worrying about stupid things like that. It also helped me put myself first when I realised that had I passed, they would have found a replacement pretty quickly… always look out for you.

Hope that is useful and feel free to ask anything else x

[Gooddaysunshine]

Yes, I forget things all the time. I renewed our house insurance online three times (instead of once), which caused a lot of problems financially.Also I write notes to myself via email or text, but the next day forget the context.

Have now bought a paper diary/notebook, which I carry about, and write everything in there.

I need to consult it each day, and would be lost without it.

As for work, I have been home for 16 months post-ICU coma, and - as things stand - do not see me reaching the mental capacity needed to return to my previous job.

[Sleepalotmore]

All too familiar!! I was in icu for 2 months, 28 days of which was on ECMO. This was 2 years ago! I am still recovering and definitely forgetful and lacking concentration , although that is improving. 18months ago I could barely concentrate on anything longer than 5 or 10 mins. I still struggle to sit through a film in full. And often start a sentence and instantly forget the end of what I'm about to say!! So so frustrating!

[Sleepalotmore]

Also, someone can say something to me, I walk away and have instantly forgotten what they had said!

[Purdeypaws]

Hi, was in ICU six months ago and I still find that my memory is poor, I go to do something and forget what it is I am trying to do, I think this is quite normal from the posts I have seen on this site, try not to worry too much about it, it does improve with time and practice.

[Sepsur]

6yrs ago - my memory is still crap 😊