Short Term Memory

First off I want to thank everyone for all the advice and encouragement that has been offered each time I have posted something. This site is a true blessing to me. My daughter Kennedy continues to improve each week with the help of her wonderful therapists. In the last few weeks her dad and I have noticed that her short term memory has improved. When we first came home from hospital she couldn’t tell you something that had happened an hour ago. While it does seem to be better it is almost like some days it is a lot better and then there may be a few days where it seems where we back up several steps and it is not good again. Just wondering if this is normal and if anyone else has experienced this. Thanks in advance for any helpful comments!

Hi KRD,

One of the people I know has a son who had a LOT (like 1000 a month) seizures. It was really affecting his development and memory. The dad got him an IPad and a lot of age appropriate games and educational things, including books. His son was 4 at the time.

I don't know if there was a correlation, but his son did well. Might be one option to consider to exercise the brain.

Hope this helps.
Ron, KS

Hi Krd. Yes, it was like that for me, too. I would progess and all of a sudden I felt like I would go backwards. Then the next day I would be fine and continue progressing. I noticed that it would depend a lot on how well I slept the night before. If didn’t get a good 8 hours of sleep I noticed a decline. In the beginning, I learned to sleep as long as I wanted. Even a year later, if I don’t get enough sleep, I struggle with my speech (today for instance). I take supplements for my memory but I don’t like to recommend anything because you have to check with your Doctor. Some supplements thin your blood, which can be dangerous. Even now I have to struggle to remember things that I feel aren’t important. But then, I’m over 50, so that isn’t so unusual.

I get this all the time and have just asked the same question on the board. I think the sleep thing is important but i also find that if i do a lot of brain stuff like (shopping) or emotional stuff good or bad, i suffer the next day. I think it is important to rest your body properly and your brain every day. I went for an hour swim the other day and the following day i was like a newly diagnosed stroke victim. It must look very odd to other people and it doesn't feel very nice to the person it is happening to either. Lots of rest body and soul.

My short term memory is much improved but I still have problems. It's very random though. I'll think that I've been doing well and someone will talk about something I had planned or something I had said and I have no recollection of it. If it's something important I have to be sure to put in on my caldendar or add it to the list I keep in my iphone.

It's so nice to hear Kennedy is improving, krd. Thanks so much for updating us. We continue to wish her well!

I've had memory problem as well. I've noticed that the more I read the better it is. I also started taking fish oil pills, it's supposed to help. Good luck.

Hi krd...I have those moments as well. I have days when I feel as though I've made improvements, and then there are days when I feel as though I had regressed. I try to look at it as a part of the journey.
I still have short term memory, but it is not as bad as it was when my AVM bleed occurred and after my procedure. I try to play memory games to exercise my mind.

I'm happy to hear that your daughter, Kennedy, is improving. Wishing her and you the best. I'll be rooting for you both!

I have a short term memory problem too. My bleed was 6 years ago and my memory has continued to get better but the improvement has slowed. When I started going to therapy and was first tested I was in the 4th percentile. After a year or so of therapy I improved to the 42nd percentile, "normal" or average was 40-60th percentile. If I had to guess now I would say it's in the high 40's. Some days are better than others and the biggest factor in having a good day is a good nights sleep. I found sleeping with ear plugs made a huge difference in getting a good nights sleep.

As far as the "it is almost like some days it is a lot better and then there may be a few days where it seems where we back up several steps and it is not good again." I think that's normal, I can remember my therapist saying to measure in weeks or months, not days.

Hopes this helps.