trouble recalling information/expressing thoughts?

[kippy6]

Has anyone's memory or ability to say what you are thinking been affected by surgery? I used to be a deep thinker, but it seems I have a hard time conveying what I'm thinking or remembering what I read at times. I'll never forget being in my hospital room after being released from ICU. My mind was thinking all of these things, but I could only say a word here or there. I can remember my husband and parents asking why I wasn't talking. I remember just not being able to talk, and wondering why I couldn't say the things I was thinking. Glad that lasted just a few days!!  It improved by the time I was discharged, but I still had a little problem with it while recovering in Seton Hall.

Two months after my surgery I was taking a class, which lasted until May (9 months). By August, I couldn't even remember the name of the book we studied (not even part of the name). Other things too, which I won't mention here.

Right now I'm taking a class at church. We are all reading the same book, and we meet to discuss the book. The group questions are given to us ahead of time. I have trouble answering the questions unless I look through the book for the answer. I didn't used to be this way. If I don't have written down answers in class, then I usually don't say much of anything in class. It's like I'm pretty dependent on what I have written down, and I have trouble thinking of the long-winded answer on the spot.  Even after reading 20 pages of the book each week at home, it's like I have trouble recalling what I read, and I have to flip through the book during class just so I can look at some of my underlined phrases to trigger something I thought was important. This week I was reminded of being in that state of knowing(in the hospital), but not being able to spit it out.

[Boppie]

I will not presume to compare our age differences because I am always aware of diffferences between me and my children's genration but...

I experienced word and speaking lapses for several months post op.  Most notably I havd trouble focusing.  I suspected all along that the lapses came from the trauma and my hysteria over the AN.  On the outside I am a brick, inside I am "bumblefounded".

Today I had another anesthetic (Versad + Penergan) for a 20 minute colonoscopy.  When I awoke my husband could see me babbling and saying long sentences of syllables.  He couldn't make out one word of it.  When I arrived home, an hour later I was still word doubfounded.  Tonight at six hours past the test I was trying to converse over dinner and couldn't make out names of people and events recent.  I think the fear of being asleep and having doctors "fix" me, once again put my word processor on vacation...hopefully a brief one.  I can type, but I am not speaking well.  As an old English teacher I find this frustrating but manageable.

 

[Lorenzo]

I had a bit of the same problem, except people didn't notice, I don't talk much anyway! But, mixing up words and so on s still something that can happen, even  now. Rarely, but it can happen.

as for the memory thing, yes, I know what you mean on that too. I couldn't read a book for a very long time after treatment, just couldn't concentrate for long enough. I was stuck on page 36 for a couple of months, before I gave up. Grdually the concentration came back. It's still on the blink at times, depending on how tired I am, but in general it's ok. I think this thing and the treatment and recovery messes with our brains a lot and only time will heal it and bring it all back, mostly. Certainly worked for me. Luckily, I still don't talk much, I just type much better than I did a couple of years ago. Less going back and correcting.

Ciao

Lorenzo

[tony]

Yes - sad but true
Basically the forward, or short term memory
is changed and reduced (not the deep history memory)
It has something to do with the revised balance
the new balance is working harder taking more "space"
in the recent memory
Generally the more expert the new balance becomes
- the better the thought process becomes
so exercise will improve this
(when you first learned to walk - you were 4 ()
it didnt much matter then...now you have a job or drive etc
and need fast thinking
even so - at work I just write alot more down than before
Best Regards
Tony

[deea]

Hi there Kippy6,

My goodness, yes I do have problems.  I am a bit upset that my doctor did not warn me about this prioir to surg., not that it would have made any differance at all,  I just feel like this part just sneaked up on me.  Spelling is so hard for me now.  I just don't read much yet. Surg.was aug.17,07...Patience , that seems to be the word I hear the most now days. 

I was doing great the first couple of weeks after my surg. then started a downward slide.  Six trips to the ER and no answers.  Discouraged but not giving up.  My theraspists tell me I am actually  doing quite well but this patience thing comes into play again...I just don't have it!

I guess our brains just need time to heal and that time may be different for each of us.  It's not a race, it's just people doing the best they can to get back what we lost when our tumors were removed.  I am so glad that tumor is gone but impatient for the "old me" to be back.  Sometimes  that impatience can be good for us, it pushes us, makes us work harder, and that helps us reach our goals.

My prayers and best wishes for continued progress are with you.

Claudia

[leapyrtwins]

This seems to be a somewhat common issue.  I have no trouble reading or spelling, but I have trouble expressing thoughts through speech and writing.  When typing, my fingers don't always coordinate themselves with my mind.  I often skip words or use a word that doesn't make sense in a sentence.  When talking, even though I know what I want to say, it doesn't always come out right.  Sometimes I just use the wrong word for the topic at hand  (for example, if I'm looking at a car and someone asks me what time it is, I might say "I don't know, I don't have a car" instead of "I don't know, I don't have a watch").  Other times, I respond totally off topic (for example, someone asks me what time it is, and I say "You know, I'm really tired today").  It's kind of like my mind gets off track. 

I'm hoping this will get better with time, but it seems like the more post-op I become, the bigger the problem is.  I don't remember having this issue in the first few weeks after surgery, but lately it's really starting to annoy me. 

Does anyone know if it normally gets better with time?

Jan

[Janet]

I had trouble finding words prior to surgery. Sometimes I would just stop talking mid sentence. I also would come up with the wrong word. I knew something was wrong but ignored it. I improved since surgery. It is the one thing that actually got better. My speech is faster and I don't have trouble finding the right word since surgery. Don't ask me to remember a number. For some reason, I have trouble with numbers. The brain is so strange!

[Lorenzo]

Numbers? I used to have a phone book in my brain. Thank goodness that has been zapped along with the AN. I now have to use an actual phone book to look up the numbers I need to remember. Great, less junk in limited brain space.

Using wrong words? Oh yes, all the time. 'Nice weather!' 'Yes, looks really cold' He? I was thinking of my cold feet for some reason, in sweltering heat. or, 'where did you put the keys / bag / grocery list / etc' It could be replied by any number of things like 'it's 11.00' or 'sure, later' or 'where?' Makes for a more interesting life I think. Never a dull moment!

Typing: well, it has improved actually. Even my hand writing has improved. I was making fun of the word transposing effect, but it too is getting better for me. Not doing it as much. I'm loosing a fond party trick!

Hello, Lorenzo

[leapyrtwins]

Makes for a more interesting life I think. Never a dull moment!

Lorenzo -

what a great way to look at it!  I just tend to see it as a nuisance, but as you say, it does make life more interesting.

Jan

[yardtick]

Lorenzo,

I still have a telephone phone book in my brain.  I can remember account numbers from a bank I worked at 10 yrs ago.  I remember peoples names just like that.  I cannot remember a grocery list any more if my life depended on it or appointments.  I have to write all of that down now.  I was thinking maybe it was just that 40's something, thing happening

Anne Marie

[Lorenzo]

Oh yes, forgot about the shopping lists and the zillion post its all over the place. Now I wonder how I forgot to mention those...  It must be the 40 something thing. getting older, ya, that's it, getting older. I'm sure of it. I just recently got a bigger diary, for all the extra stuff i need to write into it. the idea being i can get rid of the yellow confetti here. of course, I forget to write stuff into it...

no way out is there; darn.

Ciao, Lorenzo 

[Mary 117]

Hi. I brought memory issues up in my guppy post. It seems to be a common problem. Here is a link to some info. that was posted a while ago. It is interesting on vestibular nerve issues and memory. I found it helpful.

http://www.backgroundfacts.com/menieres/COGDIS.htm

Bets Wishes.
Mary
2cm AN, Middle Fossa, HEI, Dr. Brackmann, 05-24-05

[kippy6]

Thanks for the link - I'll check it out too.

I'd like to find out what part of the brain is responsible for Short term memory, and what part is responsible for speaking what you are thinking. The latter almost sounds like a processing problem...I don't know. For some reason, I thought memory was in the frontal lobes of the brain, but I could be way off.

I have a friend who was in a car accident, and he still has PTSD now years later. He suffered some brain damage that was not tested/realized until almost a year later.  Even though he appears normal and talks normal, it's like this --- Normal people connect the dots from A-B-C-D-E; but he is connecting the dots in the wrong order He is connecting them A-B-D-C-E, or A-C-B-E.  Sometimes it is worse than others.

[Pembo]

I have problems like these as well. I too was a human phone book and now have been known to blank on my own phone number. I don't like being put on the spot that seems to be when my mind goes blank. I don't think most people understand what it is like to completely not have ANY ideas.

Lots of notes, lists and post-it's here too........

kippy I noticed in your sig that you have 4 kids, I have 3 and that doesn't help the brain either.

[yardtick]

I have 4 sons also.  They get ticked when I go down the list.  My dad use to do that to me.  I was the youngest of 5, with a 22 yrs between oldest and me, the baby.  My dad did not have AN.  I still think its a 40's something thing!!