Held back by muscle weakness from brain injury

Michelle #jumbledbrain — Wed, 29 Nov 2017 17:15:53 +0000

Regular readers will know that I have muscle weakness from my brain injury which affects my left side. As I’m right handed, it usually is more of an issue for my leg than it is my arm. (I can’t run at all, but now most people don’t notice that I limp when I walk.) I have weakness on my right too, but as that was my naturally stronger side it coped better than my left. Initially when my accident happened I had foot drop in my right, so there clearly was some damage. But since I haven’t given it much thought or attention, until we got a new front door….

It’s a door. I mean how difficult can it be to use?

I was excited to get a new door as I’d never liked our white plastic PVC one. In my opinion it was ugly, and I had been locked out by it a few times. The locking system was playing up and sometimes even with the key you couldn’t unlock it. So my partner James and I decided it was time to invest in a new one.

James was keen on one where you didn’t need to turn a handle to open the door, just the key. Otherwise when you’re carrying shopping you feel like you are running out of hands. So we went with a 5 point locking system where you don’t have a handle. Under the lock is a lip for you to pull the door shut when closing it, but opening you just unlock and push. Sounds like it fits the bill, right….

My weakness resulted in me being trapped in my own home!

We were warned that as the frame and surround was well insulted it would take a few days for everything the settle. Basically that meant the door would be stiff for a while. That’s when I found out how weak my right hand really is. Previously using a handle gave me more leverage and so I had no problem. But with just a small knob to grip and turn, I couldn’t get out of the house! I was a prisoner in my own home!

They said that often women would find it a little more challenging than men whilst it settled, but this was ridiculous. I should be able to answer my own front door. There was a stage where if the postman needed to give me a parcel, I had to open a window for him to pass it to me. I must have looked like I was a bit crazy or something. (Alright, I am a bit crazy, but I don’t need other things masquerading as my issues.) Although it might have been a little tighter than necessary, it wasn’t really their fault, it was just that I’m unusually weak. I could open it from the outside with the key, but twisting the knob and pulling the door towards me when I was inside, was neigh on impossible.

I’m pleased to say that as it has settled now I am able to open the door by myself. But this episode reminded me how I am more limited than I had accounted for. It was so embarrassing that it highlighted how abnormally weak I am. Particularly when you don’t want to explain to someone you have only just met that it’s your brain, not really the muscles. However at least now I can escape the house (even though I look like a slow motion replay.)

For more about some of the physical affects to brain injury visit Headway’s article on it.

How has muscles weakness affected your daily life? Have you discovered any tactics or gadgets which help overcome it?

The post Held back by muscle weakness from brain injury appeared first on Jumbledbrain.

Inability to regulate body temperature due to brain injury

Michelle #jumbledbrain — Wed, 18 Jan 2017 15:08:04 +0000

Immediately after my brain injury I was constantly freezing, as I explained in Physical symptoms . It didn’t matter what the temperature actually was, or how many layers I wore. Resembling the Mitchelin man I piled on clothes, had the thickest socks and still felt like I was in an industrial freezer.

Fast forward two years, and that has moved on. I’m no longer a walking ice cube. But instead I can very easily overheat. I can tell the air temperature isn’t abnormal, it’s just me. My face will flush and sweat runs down my face and neck. I’ve got to be honest with you, it’s not the most attractive look. Before anyone asks, yes I’m female but I’m only 34, so this isn’t the menopause. My brain is just re-calibrating to decide what is the accurate response.

The hypothalamus

We need to keep our body temperature around 37 C or 99 F. A part of the brain called the hypothalamus sends instructions to the skin via the nervous system to keep things in order. If it thinks we are cold the hairs on our skin stand up. This traps air next to our bodies, offering some extra insulation. Or if we are hot, the sweat glands produce liquid so the evaporation process will cool us down.

All very clever. But if your internal thermometer isn’t working right all of this can be an overreaction.

It can be pretty embarrassing

Having a flushed, sweating face can make it look like you are nervous. Liars when questioned can typically have this involuntary response. The police are trained to look out for this when they are interviewing suspects. So I would hate to think that people got this impression of me.

Just to be clear, it isn’t anxiousness or nervousness that is doing this to me. I can be at home and it happens. I think it’s more an overreaction to slight changes. Light exercise can cause it, tiredness, almost anything. And then when I start taking layers off, or go out in the cold to cool down, suddenly I’m freezing. Maybe that’s when my brain has realised it made a mistake and wants me to reverse my actions.

Everything takes planning when you know this could happen

So we all have stood there looking at our clothes thinking “what should I wear today?” You consider the weather, and occasion you might be attending and try to decide what is going to best suit those factors. But when you have to take account of you could be freezing and boiling on the same day you need to put extra thought into it. I’m always having to think about layers which can quickly be removed, whilst thinking if the layer underneath will be creased, or I’ll just look fat.

I know in the grand scheme of recovering from a brain injury this is a minor grumble. But it’s still irritating nonetheless and adds to life’s complications.

embarrassing Archives - Jumbledbrain