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Can anyone suggest helpful types of therapy?


Teresa

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My son had an SAH 8 months ago and has made a remarkable recovery in many areas, but as a young man is frustrated at not being able to think about applying for full time work as his short term memory, concentration and fatigue issues are making life very hard. 

 

He was working abroad when it happened, so he has no job to go back to.

He is doing all that he can to learn coping mechanisms and to give himself time and rest etc, but I wondered whether anyone has  found some private therapy/ help with training the memory again helpful?  

 

 If you have any suggestions I would be very grateful.

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Hi Teresa,

 

Short term memory problems are common with SAH.  There is no easy way except there are ways of dealing with it. The problem is that there are different degrees of memory loss and it affects different people in different ways.

 

I don't know of therapies, as such, but the following have helped me:

 

1) Keep a notebook/diary of things you want to remember.  Keep looking at it on a regular basis and make notes regularly (you cannot be lazy about this).

 

2) Keep repeating things in your head until he eventually learns it and in effect, it enters long term memory and is no longer a problem.

 

3) Use calendar function/set reminders with notes on mobile phone or laptops. The only thing you need to remember then is to look at it every morning and through the day and it tells you what is required.  (You will strike a balance of how much to write)

 

4) Word association. By this the associated word acts as a trigger for what you want to remember. I generally find that I have remembered what I wanted to remember when I have the  right trigger for the required memory.

 

At the beginning, not only could I not remember things, I couldn't remember having the conversation about the matter in hand, but over time, although still not perfect, I have got better.  I find that for the things you can't remember, you have to identify the problem (what it is you can't remember), and then it is like anything else in life, you have to try and give it more attention until it sticks.   That is not a criticism, just a fact.  It can be incredibly frustrating at times.

 

You just have to find ways of coping and the above methods have all worked for me to varying degrees at varying times.  Making notes and looking at them every single morning, though, is a habit he should get into and then it becomes second nature.  I still do it now.  It's just an edited way of doing what he always did, it's just that now he needs to do it more often (for instance when revising for exams at school).

 

Hope this helps!

 

Macca

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Hello Teresa

 

Welcome to BTG.  So glad you found out about the site. You will find so much information here to help you in your understanding of what recovery might mean for your son.

 

Eight months on, you have already been coming to terms with the emotional struggles as you try and be there for your son. SAH, has changed his life dramatically, and he will be finding out the limitations resulting from the bleed.

I do hope you are all coping well as a family.

 

You specifically mention his memory.... recently there were some interesting comments from various members on the subject of `memory`   I hope you find the link helpful

 

Please keep in touch and don`t hesitate to share your concerns

 

Subs

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Singing helps me, remembering words to songs and new songs helped me.

 

Do not help him,  unless he is stressed, when he forgets as it will come to him later.

 

My Hubby put our address on wall,  so I was reminded that I never lived in the old house.

Also what was sad I forgot my Dad had died and used to say to my Sisters "Tell Dad I'll be up when I feel better" I

forgot he died. in 1999

 

It comes back eventually but it will do it at its own pace so get him to learn a new song.   One he doesn't remember from past lol xx

Good Luck both

WinB143 Poems also helped me but will Son want to recite  lol xxx Keep smiling both xx No Stress hence my singing

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Hi Teresa

 

I'm pleased you have found us. I have just brought my partner back from a rehab unit.

 

I found that a clinical psychologist helped my partner and I believe that if you can contact the surgeon's secretary and ask if the surgeon could forwards a request to a neurologist for onwards help for cognitive therapy and a clinical psychologist who may help your son.

 

As many will say memory is profoundly affected more so short term. The referral is part of the recovery so ask, even talk to the occupational therapist.  They should also be able to gain the access you need and I believe they can supply the key for your son and help him move forwards.

 

Just because he was working overseas it doesn't exclude him from getting the help to recover. You can help him by contacting the job centre and signing him off sick long term and depending on the severity, think about claiming PIP which will ease the financial problems, as I think this may be part of his problems. You can always send me a private message on here and if I can help I will,  good luck Paul.     

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