My diagnosis after two Neurocognitive tests. This is a way to measure brain function non-invasively. It uses paper-and-pencil tests or computerized tests to assess important aspects of cognition: attention, memory, language, reaction time, perception, and so on. One test was administered in UT Health in Houston TX, in 2019. The length of the testing appointment six (6 hours), this is a grueling day of testing. The repeat testing was done in Christiana Care, DE in June 2022. The only difference was that I was alert and wanted the results and explanation right afterward; making my day an eight-hour testing day.
I wrote a post entitled “normal” back in May of 2019 talking about unraveling my journey and finding how sickle cell and a coma changed my life.
So, for 6-8 hours this is what my Neuropsychological Testing and Assessment included evaluation test to measure how well a person’s brain is working. The abilities tested include reading, language usage, attention, learning, processing speed, reasoning, remembering, problem-solving, mood and personality, and more
I have not written a post about what is currently happening right now but in my post “The day I went to sleep” is the beginning of finding my way back to normal.
I am stubborn by personality and character. My blessing and my curse, but if I am told “you will never” my determination is to prove to you that I can and I will. Like with everything in life, there are exceptions. The first test results were filled with things I am unable to do. Did I listen? Noooo! Not me, I kept pushing myself to do everything I was instructed not to do. I ignored everything I was told to be referred to. These results were the biggest exception to my journey.
Symptoms: based on the Mayo Clinic
I have been living the past 7 years feeling these symptoms only to finally get some results.
Your brain, like the rest of your body, changes as you grow older. Many people notice gradually increasing forgetfulness as they age. It may take longer to think of a word or to recall a person’s name.
But consistent or increasing concern about your mental performance may suggest mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Cognitive issues may go beyond what’s expected and indicate possible MCI if you experience any or all of the following:
You forget things more often.
You forget important events such as appointments or social engagements.
You lose your train of thought or the thread of conversations, books or movies.
You feel increasingly overwhelmed by making decisions, planning steps to accomplish a task or understanding instructions.
You start to have trouble finding your way around familiar environments.
You become more impulsive or show increasingly poor judgment.
Your family and friends notice any of these changes.
If you have MCI, you may also experience:
Depression
Irritability and aggression
Anxiety
Apathy
The educational journey continues….. stay tuned. More events, more emotions, more on each symptom.
As always live love laugh learn…
Phoenix: Live Love Laugh 