Aphasia and short term memory loss 1 yr after TBI

My 50 y/o mother had a bad fall about a year ago and sustained a pretty bad concussion, she lost conciousness briefly but was able to recall what happened. In the weeks and months following she started to have mild short-term memory loss, not able to remember having a conversation, or where she had put something etc. Thinking that this was a symptom of menopause, we allowed it to go on for some time. At some point however, we stepped in and suggested she see her GP but he just said that the memory problems were consistent with a TBI and recommended supplements such as Niacin.

However, I have noticed lately that she is also experiencing aphasia, for example, this morning she kept referring to my cup of coffee as pudding, as in "you left your pudding in the living room."

Is this normal even 1 year after the TBI, or should I be concerned? I am thinking we should see a neurologist? Or am I overreacting?

[ggreg]

Oh, I do think it would help to take her to a neurologist, mainly for a CT scan to see if there is an old blood clot in her brain that is doing this.  Naturally, surgery is a rather dramatic solution, but since that's an unlikely way of handling it and may not help, at least the test would perhaps show what's causing this, and if it's old scarring and nothing further, she will likely not get any worse than she is.  But it would be good for her to see this neuro regularly, just to kind of keep a professional eye on her.

I have similar problems to your Mom.  I was in a car accident that broke my back in three places, which is tremendously uncomfortable, and as a consequence, I am more limited in my focus and activity, and I am on disability and haven't been able to work since I was 55 years old.  I also mix up my words, too, I have the same aphasia as your Mom, where I get the word wrong but the category right, but I don't KNOW I'm saying it wrong, which is a little unnerving.  I also find complex activities hard, like fixing breakfast is really confusing!  My husband has taken over a lot of my duties that require a lot of responsibility, like taking the dogs to the vet.  And I am also emotionally fragile, I get upset easily.  As a result, I see a neurologist and a psychiatrist, and I take medicines to help me with all this stuff.  But I do live at home happily, I know I am goofed up somewhat from my car accident, and really not much else can be done.  I am not a candidate for institional living, and I haven't gotten any worse (other than I have bouts of depression), the neuro tested me and I don't have Alzheimer's... I just have limitations.  I think this is sort of the story of your mother.

I hope visiting a neurologist will put your mind at ease, her husband should participate in meeting with the neuro once he comes to conclusions, to better understand what's going on, perhaps she will be in the category of having limitations like me, and if there's anything she needs in the way of accomodating those, you can always ask her if she needs help with this or that, call her and ask her how her week went, just see how she's making out fairly regularly.  And if her husband supports her freely, as mine does, then that is a big plus for your family.