Accident leaves basketball player with no memory

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the phenomenon of memory loss following head injuries, as illustrated by a news story about a basketball player, Kayla Hutcheson, who has lost her memory after an accident. Participants share personal experiences related to memory loss, exploring the nature of their amnesia and the recovery process.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Personal anecdotes
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants recount personal experiences of memory loss due to head injuries, noting varying durations and circumstances of their amnesia.
  • One participant describes a rapid recovery of memory after 24 hours, while another mentions a complete lack of recollection for an entire day following a concussion.
  • Several participants express curiosity about the nature of memory and the experience of "not remembering," questioning whether they have any awareness of their memory loss during the episodes.
  • Another participant reflects on the impact of a high fever and hospitalization on their memory, noting a significant change in cognitive abilities post-recovery.
  • Humor is used by some participants to cope with their experiences, such as joking about alien abduction as a possible explanation for memory loss.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants share similar experiences of memory loss but do not reach a consensus on the mechanisms or implications of these experiences. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the nature of memory recovery and its effects on cognitive abilities.

Contextual Notes

Participants' accounts vary in detail and completeness, with some lacking specific memories of their experiences. The discussion highlights the subjective nature of memory and the potential for differing outcomes following similar incidents.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in psychology, neuroscience, or personal narratives about memory and trauma may find this discussion relevant.

Ivan Seeking
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An interesting local story in the news.

WALLA WALLA, Wash. (AP) - At 18 years old, Kayla Hutcheson is looking forward to her first Christmas in memory.

The more the Walla Walla Community College freshman learns about the traditions, decorations and general holiday hoopla, the more Christmas sounds like something she'll like...
http://www.katu.com/news/local/36581724.html
 
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Fascinating story. Coulda done without that Jesus stuff at the end, though.
I hope there's some follow-up as to her progress.
 
I hit my head once, and lost 2 years of memory, but it came back to me in about 24 hours. Durring this period, I also had instant short term memory loss. I was at the hospital asking why I was there every 30 seconds. After I had regained my memory, I felt very strange and confused, it was a horrible feeling. I hope she gets her memory back.

No one knows how I hit my head, and it ramains a mystery. There were no scrapes, bruises, redmarks or anything of the sort, onle a larger than normal bump behind my ear. I like to think that I was abducted by aliens. LOL
 
jreelawg said:
I like to think that I was abducted by aliens. LOL

It was probably Ivan.
Just out of curiosity... now that you've recovered, do you remember not remembering? I mean, do you have a recollection of the times when you had no memory or do the facts as you know them fill in the blanks?
 
No, I don't remember not remembering, but my family informed me of what I was doing.
I remember putting on the clothes I wore that day, I remember what I was wearing, the next memory was the next day in the car getting the details on what happened. It was all pretty confusing. I kind of have a shaky partial memory of being inside this white tube ( getting cat scan), but I don't really remember anything except the image.

It seams like it all came back at once, at least as best as I can recall. I have had no revelations, or flashbacks after.
 
I had a really bad concussion when I was a kid. I remember none of that day, and every thing I know was what my younger sisters told me. Were skating on a small pond with other kids and I tried to jump a snow bank we had made, shoveling off the ice. I flipped and hit the back of my head on the ice. I got up, went to a log to take off my hockey skates, and change into my boots. My sisters were really mad because they had to leave when I did and they had to change fast, then instead of walking along roads, etc, I made a bee-line across country through woods, swamps etc. I went upstairs to my room and laid down. I don't remember the doctor making a house-call, but he did. The first thing that I remember of that entire day was waking up in the evening and my father was sitting at my bed-side with a new hockey-stick that he had bought me for Christmas. That whole day is gone, except for a few minutes in the evening.
 
When I was 14, I lost three days of memory. I was in the hospital with mononucleosis, I had a fever of 105+F when I was brought in.

My first memory was of my mother sitting at the foot of my hospital bed and she said that if I continued to improve I could go home in a few days, and she knew I was anxious to get out of there. I told her, "but I just got here". She looked at me kind of funny and said "you've been here for three days".

Apparently I was awake and talking the whole three days, but I have absolutely no memory.

The doctors told us that they didn't think that I had suffered brain damage, but before that, I had total recall, a photographic memory, and a formally tested IQ of 185. I noticed that I lost a lot of my "powers" after that incident.