For the last forty three years, since my car crash and month long coma, I have essentially been performing one big balancing act. Over this time I have learned what it takes to maintain my balance on the brain injury high wire; balancing what I used to be, what I was becoming, what I thought I was and my new reality in order to build a life that works. I will be ... Read On
“Strategies” Are Important, but We Need Solutions
After we experience a brain injury we want answers to some important questions: when will I be my old self again, and how do I get myself back? Unfortunately, there are no answers. We learn quickly that, much to our dismay, there is no roadmap for life after brain injury. There is no schedule. There is no "approved method" for living. The best we can do is listen to ... Read On
How I Dealt with Abuse Following A Chronic Injury/Illness
Those of us who have experienced a chronic injury or who have a chronic illness are used to being treated poorly by others. You would think people would be more understanding, but apparently, that's not the way it works. Our Reality We all have war stories. We can all testify to the number of times we have been insulted, demeaned, overlooked, made fun of, criticized or ... Read On
Finding Our Toothpaste Confidence
We are all aware that, in life, many things can be accomplished with the right blend of attitude and skill. Tell that to those of us who have experienced a brain injury; our skills and abilities have been diminished and our confidence takes a huge hit. We just don't think we can anymore. My Struggle One thing I struggled with after my brain injury was the danger of ... Read On
“Stuff” I Have Forgotten Since My TBI
Of course there have been many things - all kinds of things - I have forgotten at some point since my TBI, but I'm not talking here about everyday things. I don't mean it the same way that we TBI survivors have become used to: those memory problems that plague us daily and won't go away. Forgetting in our daily lives is something we are all familiar with. We forget things ... Read On