Yesterday, for the vast majority of the day, I was completely addled: my brain just would not function properly; I could not think straight, coherently. Everything I tried to read I misread due to temporary dyslexia. Similarly everything I heard I misheard due to a kind of aural dyslexia. Incoming messages were all misconstrued, twisted. Even when I recognised that something was wrong, I could not work out what exactly it was. Apart from not being able to talk or read, I could not concentrate sufficiently to watch television or listen to the radio; even viewing a familiar DVD left me flummoxed - I was incapable of following what was going on, as large chunks of the narrative seemed to have been lost, and I was left floundering in befuddlement. Obviously, using social media was totally out of the question, which meant no social contact for me whatsoever, as at the moment I am residing alone and without social services assistance.
Oddly - as many days I do actually forget to do so - I remembered to put on my pendant-alarm. This is for when I fall, a frequent event, in case I need to call for assistance. I was recommended it after an accident in which I fell backwards hitting my head on a door-jamb and leaving me confused on the floor for a wee while.
[Image description: blurry image of grey granite floor]
Back to yesterday: I was suffering from brain-fog (you may have come across the term as ME-fog or fibro-fog or mental fog or several other terms). Well, until I started writing this post, I did not know that conventional medicine terms brain-fog as “clouding of consciousness”. This is where:
The sufferer experiences a subjective sensation of mental clouding described as feeling "foggy".
Dr. Abhijit Chaudhuri, a consultant neurologist, on Action for M.E. (AfME)’s site, describes the condition as a “functional somatic symptom” that is confirmed in brain-scans and is NOT all in the mind (as some might have sufferers of M.E. believe). AfME’s link is worth reading for a broad range of perspectives and suggestions on potential causes and possible treatments (don’t get your hopes up!).
Today the mists have cleared - but for how long!
UPDATED (11.20)
Have been attempting to catch up with SM and came across Tom Kindlon's post with an infographic loaned from ME Awareness: Words & Pictures - a great resource for ME information:
Spooky that brain-fogged mind's think alike!!! Well it is ME Awareness Week and ME Awareness Month. %)
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