Fatigue After TBI and Other Sleep Issues

Fatigue After TBI: Lori Part Twenty Five

As many brain injury survivors, Lori has had some sleep and fatigue after TBI issues.  One that she talks about is a period when she didn’t dream.

Let’s talk a little bit more about fatigue after TBI and sleep. You talked about this period where you didn’t dream.

Mm hmm.

Were you sleeping during that period?

I think so.

Have you had sleep problems and fatigue after TBI over the last 25 years?

I know that I slept a lot early on in my development, redevelopment.  Even when I moved into my parents’ home and when I moved into my apartment and when I moved in with my boyfriend, when I got married and we lived in our house and, and all through work and everything I’ve always, I sleep a lot.  I need sleep a lot.  And I definitely feel refreshed after sleeping a lot and I know that I sleep more than anyone else my age.  Did that answer your question?

Do you get restful sleep?

Mm hmm.  Last night I had very restful sleep.  Very restful sleep.

And your dreams were normal?

Yes.

And you remember your dreams?

 Yes.  If I can, my, my dream that I was pulled out of when my alarm went off this morning, I was with my mother-in-law, who’s been dead for about 15 years, I was shopping and having dinner with my mother-in-law.  It was a very happy dream.  I didn’t want to (wake up.)

What do you think the explanation is for the fatigue?

I think it’s mental exertion.  So in my book, when I was writing my book and reviewing my book and editing my book I could do it for an hour or two hours and I had to take a nap.  And then I just got used to that and I was able to do it and I could finish my book more on time.  And last night until about 10:00 last night I was editing the audio version of my book so I’m sure that’s why I was so tired last night.

Next in Part Twenty Six – Authoring Your Own Story after Severe Brain Injury