What is Cognitive Rehabilitation...

[RavenousWolf]

Even though I have read so much about this awful disease, I was unaware that "Cognitive Rehabilitation" even existed. I knew that neuropsychologists administer tests but I never knew what these tests consisted of or that there was a way to "rehabilitate" the cognitive faculties of the mind.

Perhaps people who have taken these tests and have gone through "Cognitive Rehabilitation" can share their experiences.

And the reason that this is so urgent for me is because I just got fired from my job. The underlying current to this dismissal is that I didn't know what I was doing; like a lack of experience. But I have years of experience but I do agree that I at times have a scrambled mind.

I also agree with my former employer's course of action because if someone cannot perform their assigned task, then they should not be there. The type of work I do is very complex and highly skilled. And if cognitive rehabilitation is possible, then I want to know more about it.

[Redwings]

Hi Wolf:
If you do more research about cognitive rehab, you might find that it's something a bit different that what you think it is. Although part of the process involves trying to restore mental functions that were lost because of a brain injury, cognitive rehab doesn't "put things back" the way they were. The other part of the process is learning new strategies to work around functions that were lost. Visual rehab (which is my background) and some physical rehab work the same way.

How well cognitive rehab helps is, of course, individual. But to expect it to "unscramble" someone's mind is expecting too much. It's more realistic to expect that it will help someone to learn to live with a scrambled mind, to minimize the impact of the lost functions. Sometimes that means that someone can go back to doing their previous job, sometimes it doesn't.

The other thing that's important to recognize is that rehab works best after an injury -- a single event, like a stroke or traumatic brain injury, that heals to some extent and becomes stable. The functions that return or are learned can "hold." But MS doesn't work that way. MS is an ongoing process of small brain injuries. So cognitive rehab might help someone to keep up with new onsets of lost mental function, but it isn't likely to restore brain function to what it was before the disease took hold.

[jagahawk]

STILL SCRAMBLING

I understand exactly what ur talking about Wolf. I took a leave of absence because I new I couldnt keep up. I dont care what I've tried I organize day and do my duties. I manage others but its not working because I have no clarity. I cant explain this craziness the my disability people because there like u can work. I so trying to get myself together. I say crazy things that I dont mean. I forget what Im trying to say in mid sentence. I worked with this company for 16 years and I know what my responsibilities are but I just cant do them right now. Im going to do the cognitive testing monday the 9th. I want to have more control even if Im not able to go back to that job. It was too stressful anyway and my quality of life is more important that job. God Bless YOU. If there are typos are confusing info, blame it on the MS, I do.

[kellygrn]

Each on - teach one

I had to learn by myself how to remember. I have to have an alarm clock on my computer. It rings & I have to see what it is telling me to do. Meds, eat, nap, Tai Chai class & on & on.

I have erasable boards next to my bed, on refrig & next to sink in bathroom. A thought or need my "pass" thru my brain at any time. If I don't write it down, it won't get done.

I read my neuropysch results last week. Boy that was hard to read after 10 years even.

Maybe we should help each other by telling what we accomplish & how we did it.

Wolf, if disability says you can still work, ask them for retraining. Then someone will see what is happening & may do something about it.

KK

[RavenousWolf]

I so trying to get myself together. I say crazy things that I don't mean. I forget what I'm trying to say in mid sentence. I worked with this company for 16 years and I know what my responsibilities are but I just cant do them right now.

Jagahawk, keep us updated on how your cognitive testing turns out. Before I got the axe from my job, it was a type of work I have been doing for 17 years for different outfits in different capacities. I have been steadily rising in my career but it means that each step up requires more complexity.

I don't mind lateral movements as long as I can continue moving up down the road. I have come a long way in all that time, from a humble beginning of a temporary non-exempt hourly job that only paid eight clams an hour to a gargantuan exempt salary with lots of benefits.

I don't mind going down but I want to excel when I still have the capability to excel. That is why I am interesting in finding out more about those who can still progress or at least tread water.

[RavenousWolf]

Although part of the process involves trying to restore mental functions that were lost because of a brain injury, cognitive rehab doesn't "put things back" the way they were. The other part of the process is learning new strategies to work around functions that were lost. Visual rehab (which is my background) and some physical rehab work the same way.

I am unaware what has been lost and to what degree. My profession is highly technical and complex so I very much want to know how I fare in such cognitive testing. Also, my wife knows that my cognitive abilities have slipped so I know that I must learn "strategies to work around" what has deteriorated.

In essence, so much is at stake (and much that I once took for granted); career, parenthood, marriage, etc.

My neuro's practice has a highly experienced neuropsychologist so I need to see where I stand. In addition, my PCP has been adamant in me seeing a specialized professional because of my disease. I had an awful experience with a psychologist that I randomly selected and my PCP explained that I cannot use a "shrink in the box" to ascertain what cognitive state I am in.

I now very much agree that I have to use a specialist in that field and find out what is available to me.