helpful Archives - Jumbledbrain

Organise yourself tool. Idea for busy brain injury survivors.

Michelle #jumbledbrain — Wed, 29 Mar 2017 14:13:51 +0000

Those of us who struggle with memory issues can find everyday life difficult to organise. I’ve written before how things that I would have easily accomplished previously, have become a challenge now. Whether it’s because I confuse dates, or do things in the wrong order it always ends with added stress I don’t need. Stress when you have a brain injury can end in disaster.

Help was offered.

Many of you will know I post my articles on Twitter, Facebook and other social media platforms. One day I got a direct message from Serg, the Founder of an app called Q-card. He explained he had been following me for a while as he too is a brain injury survivor and enjoyed my articles and how I attempt to help others. He had been in computer programming and web development since University. So he put his skills to use in developing an app to help people stay organised. He had tried diaries and appointment devices before, but found they didn’t help him the way he needed. So by having a better understanding of what it is like to suddenly be cognitively impaired he developed Q-card.

Serg offered me free access to it in hope it might support my recovery. I have no doubt that as I have vowed to share anything I find that helps me with my readers, he was hoping I would write about Q-card. But he never specifically asked me to, and I haven’t been paid.

How Q-card helps me organise my medication.

I take a number of pills. Most of which I organise myself into a organised pill box and just take them first thing in the morning. I like this because I can quickly see if I have taken today’s. As it holds a month, I know when to order my repeat prescription. However I need to take multiple iron tablets through the day as well. This is harder to organise because they shouldn’t be taken with other tablets or tea. Iron is difficult to absorb, and it if attaches itself to other drugs, it can stop them from being absorbed properly too. Also as tea is a diuretic it should be not consumed close to when you are having your iron tablets as it can decrease its absorption rate further.

I have started to use Q-card to remind me about my iron tablets. I use the “Quick reminder” tab to schedule a time later in the day reminding me to take them. This can be set to alert me every day so I don’t have to keep wondering if I have remembered to take them.

Q-card handles my appointments.

In Frustratingly dreadful with dates, thanks brain injury I explained how I can turn up to appointments days early, or miss them altogether. It is because just putting it in my diary isn’t good enough. I get confused about today’s date, so then trying to think ahead is tough. But now when I set an appointment in the “Appointments” tab I can set a reminder a few days before too. That helps me plan ahead. This is particularly helpful seeing as I have to travel 3 hours for my dads appointments and sometimes stay over. So it gives my time to consider things like, has the car got enough petrol or is there something I need to bring for him? When it comes to my Doctors appointments,it can be as simple as a reminder when I need to leave the house to avoid being late.

Everyday tasks can have simple steps recorded.

People who haven’t suffered a brain injury don’t always understand why we find “simple” activities a struggle. Today is the first time a managed to add salt to the dishwasher unsupervised! Previously I had tried to put it in where the rinse aid should go. James spent ages trying to undo my mess.

But this time I created a “Guided Task” on Q-card to remind me what I was doing. I included details like where in the salt intake is in the dishwasher. Knowing how long it takes to complete a cycle, so I scheduled it for when it would finish the load it had. I would able to pack those items away and start with an empty machine. You do have to give every step a expected time taken, the minimum being 5 mins. It doesn’t take me 5 mins to unscrew the intake or the other steps. But it’s not a big deal that it thinks in total it takes me 20 mins. I have added it to my favourites so it’s I can find it again when I next need it.

Tasks can be shared with caregivers.

As James works so hard and is as busy as Mother Nature, I don’t use this with him. But I understand you can share your schedules with another person who uses Q-card. As you can either ask it to repeat the reminder/step of the task/appointment or confirm you have completed it. They can rest easy knowing you have completed those activities. I imagine that helps reduce the burden on them. They don’t have to keep trying to think of what they need to remind you of. Or you can set tasks and reminders for each other. Now that’s what I call delegation!

How to get it.

Currently it is available for iPhone users, but an Android version is on the way. It is priced at $5.99 (US dollars) as a one off lifetime purchase. Yes that means you can use it forever without it costing you another dime. If you go to their website www.qcard.ca you can get a 14 day free trial which for those who would have to pay can try it out first. Some of you lucky people in America and Canada can get it free through your healthcare provider:

Serg tells me “Insurance companies (automobile and workers compensation) cover the cost of a lifetime version. Some health plans also cover the cost under rehabilitative or assistive devices. Very true in Canada, but also applies in the USA… currently things are a little uncertain in the US when it comes to Obamacare – waiting to see what happens. But usually, as long as it is recommended by an Occupational Therapist or Healthcare Professional, it usually gets covered by insurance.”

If you want more information visit www.qcard.ca

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the product mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Are there tools that help to organise you? Would you be happy to pay $5.99 for a service like this?

The post Organise yourself tool. Idea for busy brain injury survivors. appeared first on Jumbledbrain.

Mindfulness in 5 easy steps. Regain balance after a brain injury.

Michelle #jumbledbrain — Fri, 26 Aug 2016 13:13:52 +0000

There were times where my mind would run at a thousand miles an hour following my brain injury, and it was exhausting. I think after my trauma I was trying to look out for danger everywhere and attempting to control everything. I remember walking down an aisle in Sainsbury’s supermarket and feeling the to need to read every sign and product name. Of course that’s ridiculous and impossible unless you’re there all day. But that was the first sign I needed mindfulness in my life. I just didn’t know it yet.

The information was too much and it was such an overload, and I don’t know even what I was trying to achieve. But that was my approach to everything whether I liked it or not.

I was attending a group for brain injury survivors run by Headway. Jo, an OT there, started to teach us about mindfulness meditation. A couple of times in the past I’d tried sitting cross legged like a Buddha. But I never felt I was doing it right so I thought I probably wouldn’t do much better with this. But I was wrong.

Jo was ready for the preconceived ideas we had about meditation and explained how mindfulness is different. You don’t need to be spiritual to feel the benefits.

Anyone can do mindfulness meditation and you don’t have to spend a long time doing it either.

Firstly you just need to sit comfortably in a chair with your feet flat to the floor and sit upright with your back supported. So much easier than doing it on the floor! And with my weak left leg I probably wouldn’t have managed to get up once I was down there. So this was a good start.

I’d always thought you have to try to clear your mind thus why I thought I always failed. But Jo explained your mind is supposed to think so let it, just don’t be judgemental. Notice the thoughts that come, don’t categorise them as good or bad, right or wrong. Just notice them and let them move on. I know what your thinking, “this sounds impossible, how do I not judge things?” But it’s easier than you think.

Mark Williams, professor of clinical psychology at the Oxford Mindfulness Centre, part of Oxford University’s department of psychiatry, calls a “direct knowing of what is going on inside and outside ourselves, moment by moment”.

I found this really helped me feel less anxious and more calm. Also it’s good for improving your cognitive abilities and concentration levels. Great for everyone, but especially for those with a brain injury. So give it a go, here it is in 5 easy steps:

Sit comfortably upright in a chair with your feet flat on the floor
Tune in to your breathing. Follow the breath as the air comes in through the nose and down your chest, and its journey back out. Is it warmer coming out?
Notice thoughts, acknowledge them and return your focus to your breathing.
Don’t judge yourself for being distracted, but go back to noticing your breathing.
You can start with just 10 minutes a day. We all have busy lives but give yourself that, you deserve it.

What this does is make you feel more present in the moment. So for those of us who worry our selves half to death, it’s just what we need. Worrying is trying to predict what hasn’t happened yet. But seeing as the future hasn’t been written yet, it’s a fruitless exercise. The best thing for you to do is to make sure your mind and body are as ready as possible for whatever is around the corner. So just like taking a bath helps relax you body, mindfulness meditation does the same for your mind.

If you’re finding a racing mind is stopping you from drifting off to sleep, read Sleep after TBI: unlock 11 endorsed steps.

Have a go and let me know how you get on. Does it work for you?

The post Mindfulness in 5 easy steps. Regain balance after a brain injury. appeared first on Jumbledbrain.