10 Things People with a Brain Injury Would Like to Hear...

I'm so glad these comments are here. My son suffered from TBI, it's been 8 years and he's still trying to find ways to live a normal life day by day

Okay first of all I have TBI supposedly.  I was in a car accident in a coma for 2 1/2  I had to learn everything over again but I do so much for everyone and when they can't find someone I find the for them I don't even live with someone and I make a suggestion and it's there I can do everything I did before my accident so why do they treat everyone with TBI the same it's getting really old I feel like I'm a kid again and what I want to look up there's nothing about what I want to look up is that because they don't know anything or everything about TBI I think it varies from person to person and also I think the person ask the way that you treated if they get treated like a kid they act like a kid to get treated like they have responsibilities they act like they have it so I think they better do a little more research on the subject case close

You are doing great! I admire your strength and courage, please help me to understand what you need me to do to help you.

Just an FYI for caregivers-watch for loops-being caught in a cycle of repetition that leads nowhere. This is extremely frustrating and would be nice to have this pointed out, because most times we don't see it.

https://vimeo.com/channels/novavision/41094802

I disagree with number nine. Because we have changed and that's the problem! Everyone wants the old you back, but that's not possible.

At the time of my injury I was a Level III Trauma Emergency Room Nurse.  Now I sit at home and have never been called by my supervisors or my Manager, it is coming on 2 months,  I was in the ICU unit of the hospital, I was there for 3 days until I was downgraded.   I have only been called by 2 nurses I work with and other nurses are telling them to ask me what I need.  If the nurses really cared they would put out an effort to talk to me and assess for themselves what I need, I sometimes cannot express what i need and also call some of my conversations, word vomit, and when I hear another you told me that yesterday I actually repeat it again every 30 minutes until i get my point across that yes I will excuse your rude behavior but that that person will have to put up with what I call "my therapy" until I feel their ignorance has been handled or in other words "reeducated".  I am proud to say I spent seven years taking care of patients in the emergency phase of their care and being their voice and their advocate to their families very sad I may not do this again,  I am a medical professional with training in this area and it is still very hard for me everyone is not alone

I have a brain injury and people try to do everything for me and do my thinking and just drive me nuts if I do things on my own then they come and baby talk me then say I do a super job and then critique what I do. Then do my house cleaning or laundry

This July will be 19 years  suffering from TBI.. And  only 5 years ago  I finally found a doctor  to help me with my issues.. The memory is the worst  part of  my life  like remembering  to take my meds remembering things  my wife ask me to do  and just dealing with everyday things... The  biggest  and dumbest thing  I have ever heard is ......"there isn't anything wrong with you" and "Your just as normal as  anyone else you dont have any issues."

When I was six months old I suffered from a TBI. I'm now twenty one and many things have been said to me and the worst one ever said to me was " your first real steps were your last real steps". That one gets me the most. It's hard for people to understand what we have gone through but that's no reason to be rude and hurtful to us.  

My husband always tells me he just wants to help me have the best life I can. It is very comforting. It is not easy to be a carer or to be understanding at all times. When he is frustrated or cranky with me I remind myself that he does truly care and has been an incredible support for the past 12 years since my brain stem stroke and surgery.

If you take longer, can't do something as well, or need a certain thing:

"It's OK."

and

"What would you like to do today?"  

I'm over 14yrs post severe TBI. The WORST thing said to me is "you are living in a NORMAL world, you HAVE to be NORMAL!"

In addition to most all of these things, I would appreciate not being preyed upon.  Don't steal my inheritance, because it would be "wasted" on me or take my home, because you think people with disabilities don't deserve dignity, respect, nice things or a life.  Don't assault me, because you can get away with it, because the police will just lie, and say it never happened when it did, and then don't cause me more brain injury as revenge.  I have a brain injury, and even though I may not be able to organize my thoughts, I do remember clearly without hallucination or conflation.