Here in Britain it has got really quite warm with very little rain. I know that as it is July, and therefore summertime, I shouldn’t be surprised. But the seasons for this little island are not that predictable. So actually to have weather that could be described as summer, is almost unusual. But whilst this is lovely, it is playing havoc with my brain injury symptoms.

How summer is a blessing and a curse for me now.

My biggest problem is the heat. Rather than a shearing heat, it’s very muggy. Even in shorts and T-shirt I feel like I’m being wrapped up in a blanket all the time. I explained before in Irritating temperature struggles after brain injury, how my body is much more fussy about what is a comfortable temperature. So at the moment I am sweating like crazy. (It’s a shame sweat has salt in it, or I could help top up the local reservoir. We haven’t had a hose pipe ban yet, but I’m sure it’s coming.)

But the most frustrating part is how that impacts my cognitive symptoms. It’s probably a combination of dehydration, and the extra work my nervous system is in going though. Together it leaves me in supper slow mode. Even though I have learned from previous summers (Pathetic holiday catastrophe, brain injury fail) I’m still finding it hard.

Oh what’s it called…. the thingy.

I know many survivors, like me, find aphasia a problem. Usually I can style it out these days, so most people wouldn’t think anything of it. Yes I will forget a word, but so does everyone, so as long as I don’t focus on it, nor do they.  But in this heat I can barely make a sentence at times. Or begin to describe the thing so they can help me with the missing word.  Seeing as most of my conversations are with my partner James, we just laugh at it. But I am avoiding speaking on the phone as much as possible at the moment. Otherwise the person on the other end thinks there’s a fault with the line. If you want to read more about aphasia go to Aphasia from brain injury.