What Impact Will Moderate or Severe TBI Have on a Person's Life?

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Please remember, we are not able to give medical or legal advice. If you have medical concerns, please consult your doctor. All posted comments are the views and opinions of the poster only.

Abby replied on

I am a collage student as well, and suffered a TBI two years ago from a motor vehicle accident. You're not alone in feeling this way, though I won't say I've found the "cure", but what's helped ME, is I record my lectures (even though half the time I don't listen to them, more of just a "safety net"), write or type any information that's important to remember-whether it's notes from class or outside of school on my phone as "things to do" or any important dates of birthdays or appointments, due dates for homework, ect-otherwise I'll forget! I've also suffered from insomnia, anxiety, and concentration/memory problems (hence the writing stuff down) from this injury, and I'm taking medications for those issues. Although they don't always work, hence why I'm awake now. But, best of luck to you. I hope you accomplish whatever you're in school for!

Pete Simpkin replied on

The effects of a TBI (Concussion) on my personal life were quite significant.
As a teenager I was involved in a bike accident ,in collision with a car, in
Which I was Knocked Unconscious for 40 minutes, only waking up again in
Hospital. A lot of the common symptoms associated with such a concussion
Were apparent definitely and ive mentioned these in other articles on this
Website.
With leg injuries which have left me partially Disabled in my right leg for the
rest of my life from the accident and Sometimes in pain, and sometimes
needing a walking stick, and having been Knocked off my bike and being
Knocked Out and left lying Unconscious in a very busy main road in the
middle of “Rush Hour” an apology from the driver of the car would have
been nice when I was better at home. I have never received an apology
by any means which seemed rather insensitive. Just financial compensation.
This created psychological stress in my life after the accident.
The strain on my supportive family began to show as they needed to take
Time off work to tend to my needs and take me to hospital appointments etc.
The stress of the aftermath of the accident is often transferred to your close
Ones.
At work, once back after a long rehabilitation, I was in an apprenticeship which
I needed to complete to be able to qualify for future employment. I started
Working a night shift to make up for some of the time lost by the accident , this
in itself Pressured me somewhat. The accident made me feel guilty of messing
my worklife up and I was trying too hard to make up for it
My relationship with my then workmates suffered I think but we were innocent
teenagers before the accident. They could see I had changed and we all grew
up a little I think.
My social life suffered as well. I became moody, tired and disinterested for
Some months after the accident. I was nervous about travelling in a car unless
At low speed and feared another accident. For up to 6 weeks after the
Accident my mobility was badly restricted by my injuries and I just didn’t want
To go out much. I had a busy physiotherapy programme to keep up.
I became a bit withdrawn.
As time went by I moved jobs within my workplace and made new friends and
Started going out more again and started new interests.
Psychologically the accident affected me deeply more than the physical
Symptoms but having family support was crucial in the 3 to 4 months after the
Accident.
I have balance problems from my head injury and coupled with my Partially
disabled right leg I have to be careful ,downstairs for instance, as my Leg
can give way, and if I fell I might bang my head and sustain another concussion.
Yes I will always be partially disabled in my right leg but you’ve got to believe
That life’s worth living and not be completely overwhelmed by the accident
And its aftermath.
This was absolutely paramount to my recovery. I wish you all luck.

Jon replied on

i sufferered a head injury when i was 4 yrs old, it destroyed my life due to seperating right from wrong. along with other trauma, became a social pariah. back in the seventies no cat scans. moral of the story pay attention to any change in your childs behavoir!

Jeremy h replied on

Hello everyone,
I'm a 31-year-old male that was in an awful rollover where I luckily survived with just temporal and occipital bruising. I had no open wounds, luckily. I walked away with loss of consciousness for minutes. I woke up upside down unbuckled and climbed out through the broken glass.

My CT and MRI show no bleeding or hemorrhage. But did show a congenital effect cerebellar tonsillar ectopic. My symptoms according to how they happened:

Starting on July 3rd for the first week I had insomnia. Didn't sleep well the first week. It got worse every day of every week. I was told only time will heal this. Into my first month, I started having headache, nausea, fatigue, problems with speech, dizziness probably due to Zoloft. Mood swings, smell and taste jacked up. Anxiety, some depression, broken thought processes such as weird words and intrinsic thought processes like afraid to hurt myself from the wreck or anything that could possibly harm me. I'm very guarded due to the mindset after a TBI. Left side weakness, confusion, agitation, perseveration sometimes. Slurred speech and sometimes talk slowly. I've suffered from a decrease and increase of sexual arousal which was weird. As a licensed nurse it has definitely changed my way of life. But through different trials with my doctor counseling, being big in the church and keeping a whole circle of communication.

I'm at 90 DAYS still struggling daily with mental confusion and thought processes. I deleted Facebook to keep my mind free of garbage.

If your asking for advice find a good neurologist to follow your symptoms. Take one day at a time and know that each day will get worse before it gets better. I will see my neurologist for the first time in 90 days. I'm hoping for a quicker recovery because 90 days of this is rough.

Anybody's advice would help but I now know where TBI injuries stand. My doctor tried me on trazedone but doesn't seem to help but with sleep. I wish the best for anyone that deals with this.

Brian Hurren replied on

I have difficulty sleeping, I keep waking after about 4 hours..if you have a similar problem try going biphasic sleep pattern instated. ive been trying 2 four hour sleep cycles about 12 hours apart..it seams to help. just a thought, its worth a crack.

catarina replied on

Hi I'm writing a book and a character suffers a concussion, leading to tbi (right side of brain). I'd like to know if everyone suffers from at least 1 thing in each "category" above shown

Caroline McBride replied on

Hi, my name is Caroline and I am a TBI survivor from 1982. I was involved in an automobile accident. I am probably a "high-functioning" TBI survivor. I have two college degrees, but I think when you talk to me for a while you realize that something is wrong. My memory is poor, and I have numbness on my left side. (resulting from a right hemisphere brain injury) I work part-time. I recovered some, but not completely. My taste in food changed. I am less serious. It is like when we wake from your coma you are a different person. Good luck.

Evelyn Bumbalough replied on

I suffer from probably 80 % to 90% of everything listed. I was in a terrible car accident when I was 5 years old, which my mom was killed in the crash. I am 37 and was only made aware I actually had a brain I injury last week. I been asking doctors for several years to figure out while I'm always fatigued ,nausea and severe memory loss. I had no answer until recently. I'm glad the puzzle was finally solved for me. Thank God!! Hopefully I will be able to start some rehabilitation in the near future. Keep me in your prayers

Juliette replied on

In Dec 4th 2005 I suffered a severe traumatic brain injury, with right frontal lobe damage.
I’m working 30-35 hrs per week in administration but do still suffer from the following-

Insomnia- why I’m writing this at 4am
Fatigue
Mood swings
OCD
Slower than peers at Processing information
Irrational behaviour
Palsy on my left side
Slurred speech when tired
Difficulty keeping relationships
Anxiety
Depression
Social anxiety
Short term memory loss

Having said all of this with therapy I have learned and found strategies to manage this. Once I came to terms with having a disability 6 years post.

I gave up drinking, smoking and even Facebook completely and read more which improves my vocabulary. All of those 3 things have definitely improved my anxiety and depression.

It’s taken my family a long time to accept the changes yet some will never believe or understand that they are actually true. You see on the outside I come across more than capable and confident but that’s been my aim since day one.

I have a great therapist, I’ve been through a few but the one I have now has changed my life.

There is so many changes but once you accept and learn about your disability it is only then you can grow.

Tim replied on

I also had a TBI 4 years back. I was on blood pressure medication and on a hot day I fainted hitting my head on the pavement in my garage. Luckily my neighbor across the street heard my fall and called 911. I woke up in an ambulance on the way to the hospital.

I ended up loosing my sense of smell. I also cannot sleep at night, have ringing in my left ear and occasionally either numbness or tremors in my left hand. I realize that without a sense of smell my memory is not that good. It also takes my longer to process things in my head. I do get depressed and have lost a lot of my social life. Most people think I have been drinking but I don’t drink. I also have been told that I don’t understand what you are talking about and sometimes can’t follow my train of thought.

Rick Day replied on

Your pursuit for proper health care sounds daunting. Adding to the frustration of such an injury.
How can one tell a good neurologist from a fool?
I've recently come to the realization that the symptoms, that have been there for years, just might be a result of my 1980 accident.
Reading your post has convinced me to seek some, long past due, help.
It does get better... right?

Tyson replied on

My wife a slip and fall and suffered concussion. She is having lots of these symptoms, I came across your comment while trying to see how long she will have to go though this.
Headache, fatigue, vision problems, disorientation, confusion, Vertigo, unable to read and comprehend. It sad because she was high functioning executive and now she like another person.

Beth replied on

I fell down stairs onto cement ... 4 months ago .... same symptoms.... has your wife found relief in any way ? Thanks

Wife looking fo... replied on

My husband was hit by a car when he was 14, he was in a coma for a week, and I am told that he had to relearn how to do everything. He has always had anger and depression issues along with suicidal tendencies. He is very emotional and gets headaches and feels dizzy often. He is 55 now and has recently been exhibiting some inappropriate behavior, such as saying inappropriate sexual things to people. He also has a terrible short term memory. Could this be related to the old injury and how do I get him hel?

Angela replied on

I was 12, got a TBI after a car accident. I was in a coma for a week, also had to relearn walking, speaking, eating, etc. My brain seemed to heal within months after the injury. They threw me back into life. And I failed at high school but I figured out how to navigate through college and seemed to be fully healed. 20 years after the accident. A colleague and friend gave me a great paper describing the long term effects of a TBI. I had so many of these symptoms. I had no idea. I suggest you find some way to present visual copy of this material to him and allow him to realize he needs some help.

Stargazing1951@... replied on

Yes. I was involved in a severe traffic accident and diagnosed with a severe concussion, back and neck problems forty-five years ago (1973) on the autobahn in Germany. I am, and have been, experiencing headaches, memory problems, tinnitus, sleep apnea and other sleep problems, disinhibition, depression, dizziness, balance problems, and numbness and tingling in the arms ever since. I am also easy to anger, etc. I believe that all of these are linked to the traumatic brain injury I received.

Estychic replied on

After my concussion from a slip and fall, I too am experiencing the symptoms you mentioned.

Annoymous replied on

I want to thank everyone for sharing, reading has calmed my anxiety. I had an accident that was my first TBI last year and never went to the doctors. I’m not sure if I should go because I have been multiple times in the past few months and went for migraines in March. My doctor asked if I had any head trauma and tested me. I forgot about my incident and told him I hadn’t been injured. Still not sure my head was injured.

I was at the gym squatting an incredibly dumb amount of weight. It was 405Ibs and when I reached the floor luckily their were safety stoppers. Unfortunately they were too low and I managed to lift the weight up my neck and wasn’t too sure if I hit my head or not. My head wasn’t opened and I felt fine afterwards. An employee even came over and had me squat a couple more sets to show me a more effective way of squatting.

I was 18 and fairly dumb so I ignored the fact that I could have died. I get headaches a year later and have mood swings. It appears all my damage is mental and that my motor physical functions are fine. I assume it’s because my althetism the thing that caused my TBI in the first place.

Since it’s been more than a year I assume I’ve healed up well but reading comments here have me concerned. I worry that in the future my conditions could advance and get worse. I’m able to concentrate still fairly well but things are less sharp. I really wonder if I even hurt myself, I never passed out or had the worst symptoms longer than the month after.

I just want to say too the brain is truest remarkeble that it can take such trauma. People here talk about car accidents where their skull opened. They seem to have a decreased quality of life but are able to function and be happy occasionally. It gives me hope in my journey through this. I hope the best to whoever is reading this too in their journey.

Holly replied on

Go to the Dr! Treatment in the first 3 years can make a difference in your life 10 years down the road. I had no idea how much it would affect my entire life. It's a struggle to survive without a team of people in your life helping. My team is gone and building a new one isn't automatic. All the things that make you you can change. Get help ASAP.

Tamara Trent replied on

My 18 yr. old granddaughter was just run over by a car Friday night. This is new to all of us. 2 skull fractures, subural hematoma, subarachnoid hemorrhage, traumatic temporal bone fracture. We are very scared for her. We believe she does not realize the severity of this. So what I’m reading that symptoms as well as now can as well resurface yrs. later. If someone can fill us in real terms that we can understand. Her TBI is a CHI. closed head injury. We could really us some words of wisdom, as the true facts on what to expect now. Thanks

Abbe replied on

Hello, I was in a roll-over MVA in 2001. I had a severe TBI, closed head injury, temporal and occipital injuries including subdural and subarachnoid hemorrhage. I had multiple skull fractures including Basal plate, as well as facial fractures, partial spinal cord severing at C5, with C5-C7 having to be replaced. What I will say 17 years later is that I didn't realize how severely I was injured. I also didn't realize how much my functioning was effected. That being said, I went on to earn my MSW, am a respected clinical social worker, and have learned to compensate for all my strange idiosyncrasies left from my TBI and spinal cord injury. Mostly I had to learn patience with myself, that functioning differently doesn't mean broken or bad, and that recognizing my limitations is a strength. I hope your granddaughter is well on her road to recovery 2 months later.

Justin replied on

I was in a motorcycle accident one year ago. I had multiple brain bleeds, broken right temple, broke all three bones in my right ear, I had a midline shift. I was in intensive care for a month-and-a-half.

For the most part, I am normal, but I don't feel like myself. My memory isn't always the best, sometimes I have emotional issues, ringing in my ears, a light sensitivity which causes blurred vision. I have permanent brain damage on my frontal parietal and temporal lobe.

For the most part, if you look at me, you won't be able to tell, but my friends say speaking to me and watching me they can tell.

Jennifer replied on

I was hit by a truck at 11 years old and had CHI in 3 spots of my skull with severe TBI.
It was a long recovery process. But I am alive today, with a husband and 3 boys.
It does effect your life tremendously. I don't have much memory of anything before I was 11. I spent years after feeling as if I was in a dream... A bad dream. Even now sometimes I feel the same way. I have chronic migraines and my body is often sore for no reason. I'm 28 now, and still have emotional breakdowns and feel like my depression becomes debilitating.
Your granddaughter will not understand the severity of this, until she is living with it everyday, and that is ok.
My advice to you, make sure family and loved ones close to her know the long term symptoms of a TBI. Chances are, you will catch the symptoms before she does. Support her emotionally, even if she makes it very difficult to do so. There are things out there to help. I take a low dose medication everyday for chronic pain and migraines that allow those things to not take over my life. THIS IS SO IMPORTANT...Find her a doctor that she can really communicate with and make sure they know all the details of her TBI. I went though years of suffering through depression because I didn't have the support I needed. That is however, nobody's fault. My family did the very best and worked with what they knew!
While it will be a long journey, she can still have the life she wants. I still graduated college and started a family. It may have took more trial and errors to do so then it would have before a TBI, but it still happened.
I will be praying for your family and am hoping for the best. ❤

Karen replied on

Love, patience and games. My son almost died at 15 from a dirt bike accident. I played games with him, to trigger his recall abilities. Name 3 things that are red, tell me about 2 people you know, and more. Be open, listen, reassure...all the things you already know so well. Sending you good thoughts and prayers.

terri replied on

im now in my 50 it started with my hand shaking on movement then went on to my other hand then my legs then on to tonic seizures i take aolt of meds . but this is from an injury as child from skull fructure i got was in coma for two weeks , when i woke up i didnt know anything and ahd to re learn it all over again . even with meds i shake all the time not asking for anything just to let you know .

Diana replied on

I hit the back of my head falling off a step in 2010. Eighteen months later I had put on a lot of weight even though I wasn't eating any more than previously. I was debilitatingly tired, especially in the afternoons, and was experiencing muscle weakness especially in my legs. I went to an endocrinologist who did a complete work up of my blood. The results showed that over the 18-month period my pituitary gland and hypothalamus had stopped functioning normally and I wasn't absorbing minerals and vitamins. The doctor put me on daily injections of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), thyroid medication, DHEA, and vitamin and mineral supplements. I stopped taking the DHEA fairly early on because of the side effects but the other medications have stabilised me. However, after a very long day, such as travelling, I am wiped out the whole of the following day. Every day at about 16:00, I have to rest for an hour or so. It's come part of my life now as has the weak muscle tone in my legs. But I'm convinced the medication is keeping me stable.

Erik replied on

I’m almost 6 years into my recovery from a Severe TBI.
Some of my issues, 24/7 headaches, I get Botox now but it does help much, extreme fatigue, having no patience, say what I think..no filter at all, i’m not motivated, high anxiety and depression, I speak to none of my previous friends and family. I also cannot smell or taste.
The severity and locations of the injured areas, is the most determining factor of injury. The tips can help, but if you have a lot of symptoms / damage try to learn to accept them.

Peter Rose replied on

All of the problems you mention I still have after 15 years since my brain tumor op and is increasingly getting worse hardest part is that nobody understands because I look normal I haven't worked for 6 years life is very frustrating

william replied on

i suffered an extremly severe tramatic brain injury with severe nerve damage on my whole right side and severe damage to my whole body. ive made alot of mistakes after my accident but worked my ass off re learned everything over again. nutrition reading self developement books. working out 6 days a week now sleeping disorders for almost 5 yearsi got on medicinal marijuana works amazing. i got t boned on the highway on my side if the vehichle with both vehichle speeds i took an impact of 190km on my door

Mary Laforet replied on

I would agree with you to a point. Recovery will be different for each individual depending on how bad the survivor wants to get well and what he is willing to try. I suffered severe TBI at 15. Now at 57 I can finally realize some relief of the nagging spasticity by working out correctly.The solution was grit , an inversion table and forcing my limbs into certain yoga poses.

All my recovery is something you guys should take note of and repeat. It is SO SIMPLE

DamnYankee replied on

Glad your recovery is going well !

Recovery is not simple for everybody. Wish it was.

I too had a Severe TBI at 15 years old and I'm now getting close to 57.

Tonya replied on

I believe that to imply recovery from a tbi is “SO SIMPLE” is not very compassionate. I applaud your attitude as it has a great impact. However I too have a severe tbi and have tried many therapies with limited success.
I do believe we are all trying to improve and with great effort.
I am glad you recovery has gone so well. But along with sharing your successes you may consider recovery is not as simple for all of us.

David Nelsen replied on

I was recently diagnosed with TBI from accident where I was run over by a truck forty years ago. I really wasn't aware of any TBI symptoms until about three years ago. I now feel dizzy all the time and have difficulty with being motivated. I also experience difficulty with sleeping and have night terrors. Has any one else experienced TBI symptoms years later?

Andre replied on

It can last a lifetime. I have insomnia, PTSD, ADHD, rapid mood swings, and have been suffering from depression and anxiety problems for years and I would have night terrors every night. It sucks tbh.. but it can get better with the proper medication and therapy.

Lana bivens replied on

I had a car accident in Sept 94. Traumatic closed head injury. Got to come home from rehab and live a normal life. never had trouble I couldn't work around. Maybe a little forgetful if I don't eat or off balance if I don't sleep well. then in Jan of this year, I started having really bad episodes that I found out are focal partial seizures. Now I have to under go all these tests and they are going to take my license away. I am also having night terrors but seizure meds. make me NEED sleep. It's crazy, I thought all this stuff was behind me. You should look up different types of seizures and talk to your Dr. I had always had these episodes but was told by doctors before that I was dehydrated or had a bit of anxiety.I know when I have one now, it kicks my butt for the rest of the day. I can't hardly stand or think after. Good luck to you:)

Rosie replied on

I am wondering the same thing. I had a head injury as a child and then another about 16 years ago....recently I think I slammed it again when I fell of a ladder.....since that time my emotions are so completely out of whack ….as I have been wrongly put on anti depression meds (it was menopause at a early age) and used them twice after the death of my father (2002) and my son (2005) local Drs just think I need them again. No dammit this was triggered by the last fall!!

Stacy replied on

I suffered a TBI when I was 15. I was thrown from a car. I was flown to a trauma center. Spent 5 days in a coma. I had a massive concussion and two skull fractures.

I am now 48. A few months ago I was at a nail salon. I started feeling dizzy. I asked for some water. The next thing I know there is a couple of people looking down at me. They said I passed out but my eyes remained open the entire time. They said I was like that for about 5 minutes. I left feeling very confused and upset. When I got up, I realized I had peed all over myself. This same thing happened to me a couple of years ago. I ended up going to a neurologist, had an MRI and an EEG. Everything came back normal.

I've always felt like I'm kind of odd since having my accident. I use to get horrible migranes, which actually stopped after being pregnant. I have a terrible memory and am easily frustrated. Very emotional and can easily become depressed. I forget words all of the time. I don't think that anyone truly understands. I'm so glad that I found this site. It's nice to know that I'm not alone. I'm so afraid of one day losing my mind and not remembering my children.

Zoë replied on

20/05/18 I had a fall of 30 odd metres and following an airlift to a specialist trauma hospital 80 miles away from the accident location. Doctors call my multiple injuries the blanket term of poly trauma. I had broken in multiple places: L1.L2,L3,L4 of my back; 3 ribs ; both hips; my pelvis; both thighs; completely destroyed one knee joint; the other knee was just fractured; both bones in both calves, both ankles, both feet and nine of my toes. Multiple surgeries were carried out once I arrived in hospital and was my punctured lungs were stabilised. Unfortunately I was in a coma from the moment I impacted the ground for a total of 111 days so can’t really detail each surgery because I don’t know myself. So they’ve stabilised many fractures with metal work plus one replacement knee and both hips replaced. I had external fixation on both legs plus a brace to keep my pelvis aligned. Following the bleeds on my brain increasing the pressure between my brain and skull each time I was laid flat in preparation for surgery to repair my broken vertebrae, this surgery was carried out 5 days post accident whereas everything else was done in the first 42 hours in multiple sessions by multiple surgeons.
I awoke on day 111 and wasn’t able to talk or chew food. Intensive bedside therapies then began and I was taught how to swallow again and soon after I was communicating with everyone. It took the bones in my right leg a little longer to heel compared to the left side.
Once it was confirmed as heeled the physio started ... firstly I was taught how to sit on the side of the bed then once I had the green light to weightbare I began to learn how to walk again. Firstly with the aid of Zimmer frame then eventually using two crutches which I still use 18 months on although I’m trying to get down to using just the one crutch with the eventual aim of walking unaided. The traumatic brain injury has left me without a sense of smell , random shakes in my left limbs , no use or sensation in my left foot, urinary incontinent and requiring a permanent catheter , poor vision and complete lack of balance

Beautii replied on

I have had a TBI since I was 2 years old and I am 31 now and married with 3 children. I do not know the real reason on how the TBI it happed however this is HORRIBLE!! IDK WHAT TO DO!! PLEASE HELP!! THANKS!!

Paige replied on

I feel your pain. I can't tell you how much I relate. I need help. I'm so lost in my life at 40. I was in a car accident in 1994 and in a coma for quite sometime. The brain injury left me without myself.
your friend, Paige

jeremy replied on

yes i experience symptoms years later and here i am on this site discovering pcs for the first time. i have seen doctor after doctor in the last five years especially this last year and not one doctor has brought pcs up. i literally start out the conversation stating that in 2007 i was hit in the head and now have three titanium plates in my skull. i have always suffered with balance after the accident but i was fine until about 2012. or at least thats when the symptoms really started to show them selves. it has been a struggle like never before since then losing everything in my life. best of luck to you

Alexis replied on

I feel your pain David. Back in 2014 I had a really bad head injury of a brain concussion and right head contusion. It's not until now that I'm recovering my life experiencing low motivation and pain that arises on the right side of my head. I hope your headaches go away and life goes great for you. My experience with post injury has been so hard.

Tommie Taylor replied on

What about nutrition to help the TBI patient?

Anonymous replied on

I was in a car accident at the of 12 and had one seizure right after my TBI. I was seizure meds. A few but never had any I’ve been seizure free for almost a decade and then at the of of 22 I start having terrible migraines and pressure around my metal plate and that lasted a whole week with vomiting as welll. Then a as it hit a full week with my headaches and vomiting I was starting to have seizures and was admitted to the hospital. Why would this happen if I have been fine and normal for the past 9-10 years since my accident?

James replied on

I would love to see a brain scan on myself.

* When I was about 2 a kid threw a rock and hit me in the forehead -- I had to have stitches.
* When I was 4 I feel out of a tree from about 8-10 feet up and landed on my head. I thought I was going to die. My parents never took me to the doctor.
* When I was about 5-6- or 7 playing back yard base ball I was at least once hit in the face with the ball - hit in the head at least once with the bat ( no helmet ).
* When I was in 2nd grade I was walking home and got into a fight with kids and was hit smack in the face with a base ball sized rock got a bloody nose.
* When I was in 4th grade I feel out of a hay loft ( approx 12-15 feet ) landed hands and head first on concrete - broke both arms and had a concussion -- I was unconscious for at least 30 seconds to maybe 2 minutes.

I am a terrible student and do terrible on tests yet when ever I talk to people they always think I am so smart in conversation.

WOULD A BRAIN SCAN AT MY AGE NOW OF 53 SHOW ANYTHING FROM MY PAST ?

John replied on

Yes it would. I had a bad car accident in 1997 and recently had an MRI where it showed I had damage. It answered a lot of questions about the last 21 years and the decisions I've made. It also explains my memory loss and behavioral changes. If you have damage, there will be evidence.

Kat replied on

45 yo Severe TBI ca. 1987 from MVA. Early childhood concussions. Social isolation, depression, irritability, memory problems, difficulty with nutrition and self care, keeping up with personal and professional life, trouble keeping jobs BUT my parents always say that since I made it through college (BS Chemistry and Doctorate in Pharmacy) that I am fine. They never understand the isolation, difficulty managing tasks or situations where I’m acutely aware that people poke fun at me for being “spaced out” or easily ridiculed at work because I have to make lists and I get really OCD about proper procedures.

I had to work with tutors and cut out a lot of bonding with friends to keep up in school. My family was always very hard on me and I didn’t get any help with relearning daily tasks. I came from a middle class emotionally abusive home. It is still hard there is so much criticism, so I hung out with other families growing up who seemed to understand. Had a really sweet neighbor who tutored me in math for years after that accident. She was there for me and I am so thankful. I would help any of you if I could or any young person needing a friend. Tried to get involved with a local TBI non profit, but never heard back. Wanting to connect with others locally - maybe just start another one!

Your life stories and tips are comforting to hear. Feel so alone and it’s painful sometimes, so thank you all for your perspective.

When I had the accident they only had CAT scans. Think I deserve an MRI so I can validate the frustration and tumultuous life I’ve led so far. My family ignores that this has had a effect on me. They seem to think my depression, frustration and isolation is simply a character flaw. My brother is the worst at putting me down but it may be because he did not go through college.

Thank you all again. I have wanted to get involved in caring for those like us for years. Now that the NFL has shed more light on the long term effects, out suffering is recognized. Not that it lessens the pain, but maybe we have more of a voice.

Best wishes to All on this forum.

john sinclair replied on

I was employed with Dept. Education as a TA. In 2017 I fell back striking my head at work. I was off for almost 2 years before trying to go back which I quickly realized was a pointless endeavor .... I was cranky, constantly exhausted, unable to carry out daily activities or remember simple chores, not a trace of my former self. My life has changed in so many ways ... it was difficult to find anything concrete in the rehabilitation process words like "possibly", "should be able to" but "in the event of " etc. etc . which I understood there were far too many grey eras and the complications of such misfortune, fortified with the minutest care from compensation they're inability to understand or possess compassion on the related subject became the very hallmark of confusion and self-doubt that have become my identity today .... So please for the love of God no matter how insignificant it may seem at the time never ignore any kind of head trauma and know the signs and protocol of concussion ...

John Dettman replied on

I completely agree with this statement I myself suffered a severe concussion in 2017 on the job. I went saw a doctor and was pretty much in the office for five minutes and kicked out the door. Never got a head scan just some stupid motor function cognitive test he said I had a concussion was told to take a week off work and Id be better with some side effects that will go away in time.

Fast forward later I lose my job my apartment my car my family thinks I'm just some lazy bum. Nobody understands that my head is constantly feels like I have bubbles in it and I just cant remember anything that I should like what year it is or how old I am heck the ability to judge time would be nice.

Anyhow if any reads this if you suffer a tbi take it seriously or you may end up like me..

Tracey replied on

My Father had a TBI ten years ago. He recovered the best he could and it is amazing how much he has recovered. My question is that he is now in his mid 60's I have noticed that he is almost regressing back in his abilities and behaviour. Is this normal and will it continue?

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