Some Problems of a TBI

Today I got lost in the mall that I’ve walked nearly every morning for over four years. It wasn’t as frightening as the first time I got lost there. That time I didn’t even know I was in the mall. After a few minutes I realized where I was and what I was doing there. This time I at least knew I was in the mall and why. I just didn’t know where I was in the mall. I figured it out pretty quickly. Not knowing where I am happens once in a while thanks to my TBI. Fortunately I am able to figure it out quickly. But during those few seconds or minutes I am frightened. I just keep moving until I remember (except the first time at the mall.) Another challenge of my TBI is my memory. When I am introduced to someone I forget their name as soon as it is said. If I see a person out of context the person is a complete stranger. My memory, or lack of it, does save money. I can watch the same DVDS over and over before they become familiar. They are whole new shows for me so I don’t need to purchase new ones. An interesting problem is I hear music when none is playing. I can’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve gone to turn off the radio when it wasn’t turned on. I used to hear phones ring but that has thankfully stopped.