Lost & Found: What Brain Injury Survivors Want You to Know

Dear September 2nd, I am a survivor of 21 years and when I am fatigued or stressed, the difficulties from my brain injury are magnified. Sometimes it feels like I am set back 15 years - BUT I know it is temporary and I will function better when I am less stressed. So my question for you is: could this be temporary, has anything changed in your life to cause you more fatigue or stress than normal? Take good care.

Dear August 8th, please look up the Brain Injury Alliance of Oregon or call them at 1-800-544-5243. Take good care.

Hi. I suffered a severe head injury 20 years ago. Damage to the frontal lobe but not sure which side. For the most part, I think I've been okay but recently I've had some real problems. Major confusion and just feeling of being lost. Im supervisor for major drug store and took all eight drawers back to balance them, and totally forgot to count money and secure it. The poor opening manager walked into office with $6,000 laying around and paperwork not printed or anything. Its just by the grace of God that I wasn't fired. The job is very stressful and maybe too much for my mind. I do have an appointment Sept 11th with Neurologist. Is it possible to have problems this long after? I was in coma for 2 months and had a 15% permanent disability. If anything was explained to me I don't remember. I thought I had it beat. I guess I will find out the 11th. This article really does help. Thanks!!

Sometimes I ask myself who has the true brain damage. Those afflicted with it, or does who do not or will not understand such easy concepts like those written by those concerned on this page. Where is human sensitivity and human compassion these days? And I don't mean human compassion, as "having pity on someone". It has nothing to do with pity, but plain and simple human decency. I am not a religious person, nor do I directly involve myself in such matters, but as in any honest and healthy life philosophy, this saying from the Bible says it all: "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you". It is so plain and simple to understand, and yet, there are people who still do not follow this simple teaching. I repeat my statement: who are really the brain damaged ones? When I read each and every sentence posted here, I was wondering what these people must have gone through, in order to feel forced to express something that should be more than obvious, unless of course, one is dumb, or a rock in the desert... I don't know the people who wrote them, but to all, and many more around the world, I can only wish a swift recovery (at their pace, naturally...), and a very happy and prosperous life.

As I am reading this I feel relieved but scared. I have only been recovering from TBI for 5 weeks & am finding it very difficult as I feel guilty & frustrated. I see how my family are suffering by not having their mum/wife back to normal. They do not quite know what to do or say. It is hard to see them struggling not knowing what they can talk to me about, not to cause me stress and not knowing how much I can actually do. This web site will help them understand more. I experience nearly all of symptoms people have explained every day. It’s hard to come to terms with and not knowing how I will be from one day to the next, but I thank God I am alive and that I have my family. Thank you for such an inspirer ling site. J Sparkes England 23/8/2012

Thank you, so much for the information. My sister and I (We) have been looking for "triggers" on what her husband should say and do to not make the agitation part worse. he has no clue and does not know what to do. I have been her support system and am trying to find support on the TBI in the state of Oregon. If anyone knows would you please let us know. Thank you again for your site it hopefully, it will help us understand more.

I had a TBI about 12 years ago. I fell headfirst down a full stairway. My right forhead hit a step which I beleive caused me to flip over as I landed on my back, my pierced earrings were out of my ears and lying on the basement floor, beside my head and postion of my body was on my back with my feet right by the last stair step. I have no memory of any of this, and was taken to ER by ambulance. My first memory was awaking in the middle of the night, in a hospital bed and throwing up. My eyes were swollen shut and within a few days most of my face from nose up was totally black and blue. I was hospitalized for 3-4 days and then home. I had numerous tests and was diagnosed with a traumatic frontal lobe brain injury. Of course I have experienced most of the things, other people on this site, have written about. The thing I am wondering about is emotions. Not that I show too much emotion, but that I show too little. Has anyone experienced this? My life changed a alot after this injury. My life had always been filled with a lot of stress, death of husband (by suicide) at my age 29. Left with 3 childred to raise alone, lots of mistakes made, my own alcholism (now in recovery 30 years) along with what became 2 alcoholic children. My Son died 2 years ago after a pain filled life, emotional and physical. Again, my question on lack of emotion.

I had a stroke 3 years ago, and still have relatives expecting me to do more, more, more! I would like to, but can\'t. I hurt physically. I\'m depressed, I\'m forgetful. I get so confused sometimes. But, no one seems to understand. I would like to share this article on my facebook page and ask my friends and family to please read it. Maybe then they will show a little heart. Thank you for this article. It does give me hope.

Barbara, Many, many years ago, I suffered strokes during several brain surguries, so I KNOW of what YOU are going thru! Please try to connect with me, because, I feel I have so much to offer you: lstuckel@earthlink.net In the begining of my recovery, all that I did was cry, cry and cry, because it was hard for me to understand everything that was going on. I was a very positive person before my medical madness, so I was missing myself. Here was a key for me: I started to SEARCHED for the positives, in the negative time of recovery, and that changed my whole attitude! Good Luck and May God Be With You! Lisa A.Stuckel

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As a 15 year survivor of a severe traumatic brain Injury I am still finding things by the grace of God that help me to cope. This was the most concise description of what I go through. My frontal lobe was damaged and tried for years to fit in to what the world told me that I should be. Now I accept that I am different, but in a positive way. You would never know anything was wrong with me, but it is. It took me forever to accept it. Now I try to find the purpose that God has for my life as He is the one that ordained my survival out of a comatose state. Thank you for posting this. It is exact for me....maybe different for another type of brain injury...Great stuff.

I\'ts 2am and I can not sleep thinking how can I help my son better even during a simple conversation,my son suffers TBI since nov/2010. He is improving but sometimes there are many misunderstandings at home. Thank you for this article,I will read it everyday when coming back home from work so I don\'t forget.

Thank you very much for this article! Here is a poem I wrote . Have you ever had an injury that was Life Changing? I have, Not that I’m bragging. I’ve been concussed for 9 months, or More. Having faith in the doctors, they try to Sneak out the back door. Some are more Heart-felt then others. These gems I’m Blessed to have them as my onlookers. The prescription? Hibernation. The symptoms are as follows: Headache, that you can’t fake, Dizziness, I look like a mess, Ears that ring, worse than white noise, it starts to sing, Confusion, not an illusion, Forgetfulness, we had tests? Vision problems, they are bothersome, Emotional, not like once a month usual. I’d go on, but I can’t remember. That’s pretty good. Some days don’t get any better. The ironic thing is, people Forget, Ignore, or don’t Know. This is a mental injury that I must tow. I try to stay positive keeping my mind off my Limitations. It’s hard to do when you must remind others of the Frustrations. I tend to over analyze things like this. A mental game trying to keep myself Bliss. “When someone breaks their ankle people see them limp. But with me, the only way people see me in pain is if I post it on a blimp!” For this reason teachers, friends, and family treat me the everyday same. But on the inside I want to be Consoled, not to be confused with looking for fame. Many do confuse the injured of wanting as such. We just want to Heal ASAP, to carry on like the rest of the bunch. Being in this state, nothing I can do all day. I am sick of being sick, I Do Say! Being a broken record is the only way to get my point across. I hear stuff as: “it’s amazing how you are holding up, trooper, and you’re boss.” In this time that seems to never End. During these ups and downs I do have few who serve the title of Friend. They say how I’m still enjoyable when I am in such excruciating pain. They help me keep myself sane, while looking out for my brain. I Push myself all the time. Especially when it comes to making these lines rhyme. With this concussion it’s bad that I’m not the person to do it half way. Everything I do is what shouldn’t be done, I must now seriously pay. My Unknown end of my story goes on. Days go by one at a time, sometimes they laugh as I am Withdrawn. My dreams are something I will never give up. My faith keep me in His loving arms drinking of his promising cup. For my hopes I will Wait, Wait, Wait. I Will Have My Promising Dream Of My Own Fate.

Dear ALONE in Texas and anyone who is struggling with depression. There are three things that helped me get through. #1 was to learn that I was going through a grieving process and that it is a process to adjust to one's losses but not a permanent place. #2 was to start a grateful or victory journal, writing down 3 three simple things that made me smile or that felt like progress, at the end of every day. This simple activity shifted my focus to the positive things I could write about every evening and made a tremendous difference in my mood. #3 was to connect with spiritual guidance, whatever that is for you. This can be any group that accepts you as you are and makes you feel good about yourself, as you are. It doesn't have to be organized religion, for me it was the practice of yoga. I hope this is helpful. It won't always be this hard, it does get easier.

Thank you so much for this article. It is a great deal of relief to know that what I'm experiencing is not just "in my head". It is a true phenomenon and so well explained in this article. I haven't been fully able to explain my cognitive issues to family. I will most certainly be passing this on to them and hope they will now understand.

Been dealing with this ALONE and have lost the will to live. Dont have anyone to talk to and isolate myself cause not a soul cares or tries to help. PLEASE, I'm stuck in Odessa,Texas and NEED to move. If theres anyone reading my comment who needes a roomate I'm 31, female can cook,clean and am searching for somewhere to start over. Im honest,loyal and trustworthy. taushaburkholder70@yahoo.com

Thanks so much for putting this into the words that I couldn't. I could never come up with the words to let my family and friends know exactly what I was feeling and going through. Now I am able to share my feelings through this article.

This is a brilliant article, i am going to show it to the staff at my daughters school, i believe it will help them understand her problems much better. She has a brain tumour, and has had 8 neurosurgeries to remove it, which have all had an effect on her as though she has had a brain injury.

My son was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor 20 months ago. After 4 surgeries, 3 rounds of chemo, and 5 weeks of cranial radiation, he is doing well. This article was brought to my attention by the fabulous Children's Brain Tumor Foundation. Describes my son exactly. I've been sharing this article so that people can better understand his situation. Thank you so much for this wonderful piece!

I have dealt with a lot of these issues going back to my first brain tumor and first brain surgery when I was 6 yrs. old in 1984. To some degree the technology wasn\'t really there for what they can do now but starting so young with 2 tumors and 4 brain surgeries later, a brain craniotomy and lumpectomy I was able to compensate with the other side of my brain vs. people who\'s brains are fully developed and go through similar circumstances when they are in their 30\'s and up. I still have a lot of the side effects that I deal with on a regular basis and I know that this will be with me for life There are a lot of people that don\'t understand us and will never unless they go through this or have someone close go through this. The best suggestion I can give to any of you is don\'t let this label decide who you are or let others tell you who you are. surround yourself with a good support system and don\'t waste your time with the losers. They never will understand and karma is a b--ch.

So true, all the points in this list. I have to be alone a lot of the time just to get things done, and am not sure friends understand how even years later, there are still big changes from how I was before the TBI.

Thank you for writing and posting this! I could not have said it better. TBI, mTBI and CTE is so misunderstood so survivors have to not only contend with living and coping with the condition, they also have to deal with insensitivity that often borders on abuse!

Dear May 24th, I'm sorry you don't feel like you have any supportive people around you. I hope you will seek other supports like counseling or call your state brain injury association.

Woops! In my previous comment, the reference to the posting on May 16th should be March 16th! My apologies for any confusion. As you can probably relate, that is what happens when I am tired! Barbara

I love what you wrote. It is 100% applicable to children with autism as well. Joyce Tran, author of "Teaching Your Child with Love and Skill: a Guide for Parents and Other Educators of Children with Autism, including Moderate to Severe Autism" to be published by Jessica Kingsley Pub. in May, 2012 joyceshow.wordpress.com