Do you have a filing cabinet in your home office or work? What would you do if the drawers started jamming, files were misplaced, or God forbid that the lock was rusted shut?
You walk by a filing cabinet and on first glance it looks fine. It is only when you start rattling and rummaging through the drawers that things appear out of sorts.
I have come up with an analogy that my brain is currently like a filing cabinet. The information is there, somewhere in the depths, but sometimes I just can’t find the exact file I need.
Welcome to my brain – a brain that was formerly solid and reliable. A brain that could quickly retrieve facts, information, or that just right word. Now it’s like it is all trapped behind a firewall, which occasionally grants access, fickle in nature. Unnerving, exasperating and irritating.
A physiatrist I recently saw for my concussion explained that a concussion effects the software of your brain. With medical support, I hope that this software updates.
In the interim, don’t mind me standing beside my filing cabinet, rattling the drawers.
Wordsmithing 
Well, two things! First, good luck with your recovery. I can only imagine the frustrating times you have waiting for your concussed brain to catch up! Second, I totally agree that our brains are like file cabinets. I always told my class that were were opening new folders and putting information in, getting them ready for more! But you add a new thought, the notion of the filing cabinet getting stuck. Hmmm, I’m not struggling with a concussion and I know what you mean! Great post.
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Oh, how I can relate to this. My wife also has this same problem.
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Concussions are no joke and recovery can be long and unpredictable. I appreciate the humor that you are able to find in those more frustrating moments….I hope the locks unhinge and you are able to retrieve the files once again.
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This is a great analogy, and I do hope you get better and the software updates. I struggle with remembering things without having sustained a concussion, so I can’t imagine what you are experiencing. I love the different ways you connect to the cabinet. Last night while waiting to fall asleep, I came up with a great line to start a story, but it is stuck in the cabinet (I think). I hope it is in there somewhere.
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Thank you for shari g such personal information w/ us this morning. You’ve crafted the perfect analogy for the effects of your concussion, and it seems to me you’ve chosen and found all the right words. Give yourself grace and time. You will heal. Peace.
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What a perfect analogy of rattling the drawers to remember things. I have always thought of our brains as a file cabinet too and we need to be able to make connections to pull out the right file when needed. Those connections are so important. I hope you are patience with your recovery.
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I imagine pulling and yanking at a rusty filing cabinet and could relate to everything you said, until you mentioned the part about your concussion. Yikes! That type of filing cabinet is so not like the one I imagined. Great analogy. I hope your recovery goes well. Your body will tell you what it needs.
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So sorry about your condition. Great writing about it though!
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What a gracious and lovely post about this difficult chapter in your life. Like Glenda said, you definitely found the right words for this post. It is very effective writing. Thank you for sharing with your good sense of humor regarding rattling the drawers. By the way, it was nice to see you this morning at the meet up. I’m sorry we couldn’t talk more!
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I second all the sympathy and good wishes of the other commenters. Meanwhile, not bad writing here! Great analogy and fantastic ending- standing by the cabinet rattling the drawers. I can imagine a therapist using your image and many finding comfort in it. (Even some of us who have no particular physical reason to be struggling.)
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