This is part of a letter I wrote to an out-of-state vocational resources service. I have been looking for resources in Indiana for the last 29 months, with no success.
...I have found these Indiana sites, and have called and spoken with the head of [an]Indiana Vocational Resources organization, and have not found any programs for brain-injured people.
http://www.adaindiana.org/
http://www.in.gov/fssa/ddrs/2636.htm
http://www.biai.org/
http://www.topindianapolislawyers.com/.../
My own difficulties are a nearly total lack of episodic memory, but with increased ability to recall facts that helps compensate. Journalling has proven to be the most useful way to adapt to lack of episodic memory (which my neuropsychologist calls "sequencing"). I am also plagued by mental fatigue that builds rapidly any time I do any kind of mental "work," that I can feel depleting my mental energy reserve. As I work. I can feel parts of my brain shutting down. Mastery of numbers seems to go first. If I continue, I eventually get slurred speech, and get caught in time-consuming "loops" of repeating steps up to a point that requires me to look something up....then suddenly I feel confused, and start the same task over. These loops can steal hours of my day without my awareness of passage of time. Usually it takes having someone else interrupt me to make me conscious of what I'm doing. I rarely let the confusion get that bad. When I feel the first symptoms coming on, I take a caffeine pill to extend my workable time a little, and I bring my work to a close, with notes to myself about how to continue. Then I go take a nap. My productive cycles average 2 hours, but may take half and hour, or four hours. The nap time required to refresh myself can take as little as ten minutes, but usually takes two to four hours.
If you can help me find Indiana resources that can help, they would be greatly appreciated.
No comments:
Post a Comment
I am developing a prototype resources website at http://bit.ly/resourcesfortbi. Please review my plans and make suggestions.
I welcome comments that can help make this site more helpful to those experiencing similar difficulties, or for those friends, family, and professionals who take care of bicycle injury / brain trauma.victims.
Since I want this site to be helpful to victims, I reserve the right to edit comments if they seem to conflict with that goal.
Helpful comments would include corrections of false information, references to local services that relate to my posts, or comments that help me to keep spelling, grammar, and word-choices appropriate and correct. As a brain injury victim, I depend on others to insure accuracy and to spot the kinds of errors that I may not recognize. Please feel welcome to contribute your expertise to make this site effective!