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

To everyone who has had a TBI; severe or not. Make sure you see a neuro endocrinologist and have your T1 growth hormones checked. This often becomes a major issue and leads to overwhelming fatigue, confusion, the list goes on and on. Also make sure you see a neuro optometrist as TBI's lead to blue light spectrum issues causing extreme headaches, fatigue, confusion, again the list goes on. I suffered a major TBI in 2012 as result of a car hitting me. 14 broken ribs, broken sternum, broken arm, broken wrist, crushed hand and five broken fingers. Then released from the hospital. Major TBI issues started 7 days after being released from the hospital. Three months of going to dentists, doctors and emergency rooms complaining or loosing my sight, throwing up often, passing out - yea they were seizures and I didn't know it. Add to that the extreme pain my hole body was in along with major headaches and just a feeling that death was creeping up on me. I finally had a stroke and was rushed to the ER in a different county. An intracranial hematoma had ruptured and was the size of a large grapefruit. Then brain surgery. I'm living but I suffer all the time. I'll never be the same again. Please make sure that family members monitor any facility your in for speech and occupational therapy. Most of them suck and have a great deal of nepotism. They tend tend to send large groups on outings so they can get internal training, all at the cost of your time, money and overall effectiveness you're seeking. Anyway I'm working at being positive and making something of a new life. Not sure if I'm making any sense though I wanted to give some advice.

Firstly thank you everyone for sharing their stories, it makes you feel that you are not alone. 

I suffered a TBI resulting in a subdural heamatoma in August 2012. It was a complete freak accident, went to the toilet in a small restaurant on holiday and have no recollection of anything until I woke the next morning in hotel room. 

The hospital care was non existent but when I returned home, I was admitted to hospital in England and escaped surgery but was monitored over six weeks 

I tried to get back to my normal life straight away, went back into work as a motivational speaker in schools. Our family went through a sudden bereavement at the same time so I tried to push it to one side. 

Almost four years on, I still suffer short term memory loss, lack concentration and feel tired. Aside from that life is great but there are times when when my self esteem totally hits rock bottom and I have to put on a brave face and brush it aside.

I am a really positive person, happily married, love my wife and family. I'm a fit, healthy athlete who runs middle distance road races and cross countries and run a business with my wife so on the face of it, things generally go really well on a day to day basis. 

We do lots of personal development by reading inspiration books and watching videos.  Setting goals and travelling plus fitness play a massive part in the feel good factor.  

However, because I am that type of person, nobody seems to understand when things get tough. It is frustrating when I cannot concentrate or forget what someone has just told me. Most people think that the injury is in the past (mainly because I don't let it own me) but it can feel very lonely when it hits back. 

The worst part is when it frustrates my wife and sometimes she doesn't fully understand how I feel. When I try talking about it, I feel stupid and pathetic and that it should all be in the past. 

All that aside, I do feel extremely lucky to be able to deal with it the majority of the time. 

To the person who has got TBI 11 years ago. Hello I don't know if you have any interests to read my comments as I have got TBI about 5 years ago, so it's still much shorter than you. I'm not from an Eng spoken country and my Eng is not great (though my major was Eng at uni) but hope I can express my thoughts correctly here and get through to you. Though everyone is different, I know your feeling and really struggled for a while. I felt disappointed to be awake in the morning, feel "Oh, I lived 1 more day and now have to live 1 more day.". Though I still have pain & abnormal sensation even after healing other physical injuries, I look totally healthy person to other people. They don't see it. People never know what it's like and the problems. Only you know exactly but I leant from experiences that it's always someone else's problem, for other people. Sounds tough but I wanna say just keep going. You are trying and that's great. You are trying really hard. I cry a lot and hate myself & people often, no friends really.....but I just keep going. I'm also fighting everyday with people's eyes. Cant sleep well, used to imagine if I was dead the next morning... Everything seems no valuable. But pls keep going. Do u try to communicate different new people? And try to greet them with a smile. Say thank you and if u help smth u'll b told thank u by someone. Sometimes just tiny conversation will make your feeling lighter. Sometime for sure. You then be more aware and "notice" some plants are growing. You can write down all your thoughts-anger&editors. Sorry it's getting too long(it's one of my issues) but I can listen to your thoughts if you write. Some days I get so tired and no energy but if you don't mind I will be here.

I have many of the same feelings of being terribly annoyed when I actually wake up in the morning. It has been 10 years since my TBI- Motor vehicle accident, 6 weeks in a coma. Good times. I think the first few years were so focused on therapy & healing and there was such progress that it kept me going (not to mention I had 3 young kids I was raising as a single mom). But the past few years I have had serious depression & hatred for life. I often think everyone would have been better off had I died in that accident (like ripping off a bandaid) rather than this slow, hateful, depression my life has become. I constantly feel guilt that my youngest son has gotten this crappy excuse for a mother and my older sons remember the 'old' mom and are constantly mad I haven't just bounced back! I have been in therapy- I have tried several different forms. Yoga, Reiki, anything! But I jus hate myself too much and am not sure why my body has betrayed me. Anyway- I get it. And with there was a fix for it as well. Life sucks. then you DON'T die!  Ugh!!

I was hit on the head so hard by my now x that I did not remember it happening until twenty five years later . I had a flash back of it. I then had two more head injuries. I have found playing solitaire , all of them, helps memory. Play until they are not interesting. Medication from a Parkinson's diagnose had helped a lot. I have more ambition, energy. I wish this medicine had been used on me earlier in my life. I am now 67 my first injury which was hidden by x was when I was 21. My dad noticed I had lost my sense of humor but could not figure why. I learned this later in life and maybe I could not remember him asking me anything. He died in an accident soon after. This article has been so enlightening to me. I do not feel alone now or crazy.

I am 10 years into TBI from a semi rear ending me. I was at a red light on a highway, and he did not brake. My husband took me to Drs but nothing was helping the lack of word recall, dulled experience of life, physical pains, seizures, severe depression and anxiety etc. Until he started taking me to see alternatives. I responded immediately. I trained and love learning about ancient ways of healing, I still experience some affects of long term TBI, but I have the tools to help myself when I get depressed or angry, don't give up!! I have my own clinic in northern bc now and I work with First Nations to move through trauma. My clinic director is another TBI survivor, and we are working with 20+ practitioners to create a reduced rate or free medicine clinic. I love these herbs and remedies: arnica, ashwaganda, chaga mushrooms, green smoothies, probiotics and enzymes, (gaps diet if you have gut issues) (gut and brain are connected, cleansing is amazing) looking for a practitioner? Look for someone that uses a protocol and is guided by muscle testing:) our bodies can do anything!

About 11 years ago I was diagnosed as having a TBI after fracturing my skull during a bicycle accident (18 mph, no helmet, slammed on brakes to avoid a pedestrian, handlebar flip -> landed on the back of my skull). Sense of smell never came back--no big deal--but lately I have lost all joy in life. Outsiders assume I have it made: professional success, no family stress, no apparent ailments. The dark reality is that I fantasize about not waking up in the morning and get really irritated when I realize I am still alive after my alarm goes off. I had considered myself somewhat intelligent up until about 4 months ago, before things started to get really bleak, disjointed and extremely awkward in social situations. I'm trying to do everything right to get my brain stimulated in positive ways: exercise, graduate courses, eating healthy, gardening but the bouts of joy are brief and fleeting. Best case: after 30 minutes of positive emotions I am back to wishing I would just drop dead and be done with this miserable life. Anyone else with similar experiences after having suffered a TBI over a decade ago? I'm very scared this is only going to get worse and I have little to no trust in most medical professionals. 

Recently my mother, age 92, fell and has a TBI.  2 months later she is unable to feed herself and doesn't have a clue who we are or where she is.  We have no idea how this will continue, this may seem strange, but one day we had a mother, the next day she was gone.  Yes, she is still breathing, but living in a nursing home, unable to care for herself , talks but makes no sense at all.  She has no long term or short term memory.  Anyone else experience this?  We have no idea what to expect, other than we have been told she has little chance of recovery.  My brother who lives closest to her is feeling the affects of daily visits that are getting worse.  This all happened 7 days after my 61 year old Developmentally disabled brother died, we are reeling from PAIN.

Veterans with brain injuries/PTSD need more information about their brains so they (we - I've lived with a brain injury for 39 years) can better manage the consequences of our brain injuries instead of just reacting to it. Information about what is going on between our ears after a brain injury is long over due.

The biology of brain injury needs to be better understood if we are going to effectively treat brain injury and the consequences of the limbic system fight or flight response.

Learning about the Sympathetic Nervous System is important because the limbic system is where the fight or flight response and many of the problems (anger, memory, processing, etc.) people with brain injuries are centered.

I have found that long walks (over an hour) help me deal with the consequences of fight or flight and improve my anger, memory and processing issues. The key seems to get the blood flowing and oxygen to my brain. Sometimes just sitting and thinking about problems only makes them worse because once the fight or flight gets triggered it prolongs my body’s ability to regulate the hormones that are part of the limbic system.

Bad memories play a role in this too because the stress triggers the fight or flight response. When we set around hoping things will get better it only gets worse because our muscles remain tense and the glucose that should be going to out brain are diverted to our muscles - Institutelearn.fi.edu/learn/brain/stress.html and

www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2GywoS77qc

The bad memories and problems continue just like a dog chasing its tail. The fight or flight remains in place because of this - we are victims to its consequences.

Exercise and mindfulness-based stress reduction work better than meds because exercise and mindfulness-based stress reduction controls the fight or flight response - meds only treat the symptoms. Becoming more pro-active in our recovery process instead of reacting to the consequences of our brain injury is important. Finding a sense of purpose and meaning is the key to recovery and will lay the foundation for building a new life after brain injury. Having a sense of purpose will also make it easier to get out of bed in the morning. Getting enough rest, worrying less and eating good food also de-rails the fight or flight response. The answers too many of our problems after our brain injury is with controlling stress or we will stay stuck in a life of turmoil and chaos caused by the limbic system fight or flight response.

This was my VISTA Project:

You might want to look into the Uhlhorn Model for people with brain injuries and veterans. This very successful supportive housing model should be replicated throughout America!

http://www.educationviews.org/ken-collins-reflections-recovery-head-injury/

http://www.beyondthemind.com/extras/meditation-the-brain/frontal-lobes-the-limbic-system-meditation-mental-silence/

http://liveanddare.com/negative-emotions/

http://www.genesisprocess.org/understanding-relapse

http://www.metrodirect.net/traumasurvivorssupport/neurochem1.htm

http://lissarankin.com/meditation-as-a-self-healing-tool

http://www.hearingreview.com/2015/06/mindfulness-based-tinnitus-stress-reduction-unraveling-gordian-knot-tinnitus/

http://www.wynmag.com/issue/september-2013/the-limbic-system-and-trauma-2

http://wesa.fm/post/those-traumatic-brain-injuries-yoga-might-provide-some-benefit

http://whenyouputitthatway.com/negativity-bias-brain-hack-reduce-stress/

http://creativepathtogrowth.com/effectively-stabilize-your-emotions-dont-let-your-amygdala-hijack-your-brain/

http://www.effective-mind-control.com/limbic-system.html

http://www.dfwcfids.org/medical/limbcsys.repatterning.htm

http://www.holistichelp.net/limbic-system-retraining.html

http://www.yogajournal.com/uncategorized/healing-power-yoga-brain-injuries/

http://peacefulwarriors.net/neuroscience-student-shows-how-meditation-can-vanquish-mental-HYPERLINK "http://peacefulwarriors.net/neuroscience-student-shows-how-meditation-can-vanquish-mental-disorders/?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=email_this&utm_source=email"disorders/?utm_campaign=shareaholicHYPERLINK "http://peacefulwarriors.net/neuroscience-student-shows-how-meditation-can-vanquish-mental-disorders/?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=email_this&utm_source=email"&HYPERLINK "http://peacefulwarriors.net/neuroscience-student-shows-how-meditation-can-vanquish-mental-disorders/?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=email_this&utm_source=email"utm_medium=email_thisHYPERLINK "http://peacefulwarriors.net/neuroscience-student-shows-how-meditation-can-vanquish-mental-disorders/?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=email_this&utm_source=email"&HYPERLINK "http://peacefulwarriors.net/neuroscience-student-shows-how-meditation-can-vanquish-mental-disorders/?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=email_this&utm_source=email"utm_source=email

http://bigthink.com/ideafeed/this-nifty-infographic-is-a-great-introduction-to-neuroplasticity

http://www.how-psychology-tests-brain-injury.com/emotions-stress-brain-injury.html

http://themighty.com/2015/07/17-offbeat-ways-people-relieve-their-anxiety1/?utm_medium=emailHYPERLINK "http://themighty.com/2015/07/17-offbeat-ways-people-relieve-their-anxiety1/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=themighty&utm_campaign=Email_Share&utm_content=story-header"&HYPERLINK "http://themighty.com/2015/07/17-offbeat-ways-people-relieve-their-anxiety1/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=themighty&utm_campaign=Email_Share&utm_content=story-header"utm_source=themightyHYPERLINK "http://themighty.com/2015/07/17-offbeat-ways-people-relieve-their-anxiety1/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=themighty&utm_campaign=Email_Share&utm_content=story-header"&HYPERLINK "http://themighty.com/2015/07/17-offbeat-ways-people-relieve-their-anxiety1/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=themighty&utm_campaign=Email_Share&utm_content=story-header"utm_campaign=Email_ShareHYPERLINK "http://themighty.com/2015/07/17-offbeat-ways-people-relieve-their-anxiety1/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=themighty&utm_campaign=Email_Share&utm_content=story-header"&HYPERLINK "http://themighty.com/2015/07/17-offbeat-ways-people-relieve-their-anxiety1/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=themighty&utm_campaign=Email_Share&utm_content=story-header"utm_content=story-header

http://liveanddare.com/types-of-meditation/

www.clairemckinneypr.com/rein-in-your-brain-by-HYPERLINK "http://www.clairemckinneypr.com/rein-in-your-brain-by-cynthia-moreno-tuohy/"cynthiaHYPERLINK "http://www.clairemckinneypr.com/rein-in-your-brain-by-cynthia-moreno-tuohy/"-HYPERLINK "http://www.clairemckinneypr.com/rein-in-your-brain-by-cynthia-moreno-tuohy/"morenoHYPERLINK "http://www.clairemckinneypr.com/rein-in-your-brain-by-cynthia-moreno-tuohy/"-HYPERLINK "http://www.clairemckinneypr.com/rein-in-your-brain-by-cynthia-moreno-tuohy/"tuohyHYPERLINK "http://www.clairemckinneypr.com/rein-in-your-brain-by-cynthia-moreno-tuohy/"/

http://wakeup-world.com/2015/08/06/meditation-as-a-self-healing-tool/

Hey, no pity party here.  Have TBI with seizure disorder, hit by a speeding truck 2006.  Completed one full IRONMAM post accident and completed the Wounded Warriors Ride starting in Vimy Ridge, finished in Amsterdam.  Set goals and complete them.  You are all AWESOME BEAUTIFUL BROKEN BRAINS

I am wondering if my mental health issues as a 43 year old that began early adolescence are related to head trauma when I was 7 years old (knocked unconscious with a bat to back of head for less than 30 seconds; I woke up in my father's arms being carried to the car to go to ER; not hospitalized; no fracture); also when 17 years old repeated blows (15-20) to back of head that left me with moderate headaches for weeks afterwards.  As I age I find myself struggling more and more to control my emotions (I feel the physical symptoms of anger all the time but nothing cognitively to cause the anger; like a chemical change in the brain took place), as well as other seemingly meaningless symptoms until I read this article; I have notice the metallic tastes, bumping into things, knocking things over, memory issues (other night I forgot about a movie we had watched the night before and suggested we watch it again.). Sometimes I really just want it to stop....I feel like there will never be peace in my mind.

In 1983 i was in a car accident on november 2. I woke up in john hopkins hospital 2 weeks later. l had no clue were i was or what was going on.l was blind in one eye other eye cut and damaged. Crushed my face on impact, jaw broken in 7 places,nose crushed eye sockets, cheekbones.18 hours on operating table. Woke up blind, jaw wired shut .trake in my neck breathing for me. Doctors re built my face using my driver license and a picture of my sister, and bone pieces from my hips. Doctors drilled a 1/2 inch hole in my forehead ,stuck a couple tubes hooked to testubes with a vacuumed in them.after a second operation to bone graft the hole in my forehead.i started on a new journey.i have very little memory of the accident or my life before.i learned to do almost every thing over .talk eat walk be around people.but i did it. Now 28 years later its haunting me again.memory ,loss vision loss, mood swings,its very possible to live a somewhat normal life.But be prepared and pay attention to any changes to your health, it may come back to haunt you later in life.

Hi, I had a TBI I was ran over by a vw transporter mini bus, I had a subdural heamatoma and had to have a craniotomy and a clip inserted into my brain. I have attention problems and short term memory problems. This is 2 years on and 3 brain ops later and I still have problems. All I can suggest to people in the same or even worse situation is.... Improvise, adapt and overcome! If memory like mine is a problem try leaving alarms or reminders on phones or sticky notes places. Its a pain but it helps especially with appointments :). I wish you all good luck and good healing. Andy :)

I'm looking for any advice or knowledge about severe penetrating tbi to the entire right side of the brain. My mother suffered a gun shot wound to the head. It pierced through four of the major lobes on the right side (temporal, frontal, parietal, and occipital lobes) and I have been looking for any information about what could be expected from this type of wound. Most of the literature I have been able to find on tbi is closed head injury or from an accident that has damaged the outside of one or two lobes. My mom has been in a coma for about 3 wks and just recently opened her eyes. She is definitely aware of my presence whether by sight or sound of my voice, we don't yet know. She cant move, speak, or follow commands. She has emotional responses though. She cries when my brother or I talk to her but doesn't really acknowledged the Drs voice. They can't do an MRI on her bc she still has bullet fragments in her head so the Drs are limited on what they can tell us about the damage. I need help! I figure the only way I'll be able to help her is if I can educate myself on her condition and prepare myself for what I will be up against. I'm 28 yrs old and no way prepared for this but am trying to be. Does anyone on here have anything they can share with me about what they know on this type of tbi? Or what they think I can expect for her as far as recovery goes? She is 50 yrs old and quality of life is so important to me bc it is to her. I need to know if she has any chance of still having any type of quality of life? If she does not then I will have to make some pretty tough decision in the near future. I don't want to make the wrong decision on her behalf. So please be open and honest with your advice. I can't stand being in limbo and the Drs are too careful to say anything. I need real people with real opinions. Please help!

CAN PRESSURE FROM FLYING ON AIRPLANE CAUSE ANEURYSM?

Question: My son,now 26 years old, has a moderate TBI due to a closed head injury, he received at age 12. He broke his skull from his left temple to the nape of neck and the crown of his skull to the nape of neck , basically a pie shape.  

ate TBI. 13 years ago due to closed head injury. He fractured his skull from left temple down past ear to nape of neck/base of skull, and crown of skull to base. ( Basically making a pie shape) The neurosurgeon warned that  commonly with his type of injury aneurysms can develop  later.... he is flying to California from Michigan next week. The last and only time he flew before ( about 7 years ago) he experienced such pain he blacked out, to this day states he was in such pain he really doesn't remember, just remembers PAIN... was extremely sick for three days and lost his hearing for a few weeks, but three months later his ears "popped" and he was like; " Mom I can hear again, my ears popped" ( He didn't realize he couldn't hear well until he could.) He doesn't swim underwater either due to pressure??? Should I worry about him flying again???

He states that the problems he experienced could have nothing to do with his injury - which is true - but I am praying that he will be fine.  

HISTORY:
My son, now 26 years old, received  a closed head injury at age 12. He fractured his skull from his left temple to the base of his skull ( nape of his neck/ spinal cord area) and from the crown of his skull to the base. like a slice of pie. he lost hearing in his left ear temporarly due to bleeding. after med flight n neurosugeons etc...  Dr. Garton -  thank you lord - got him to respond, and the access panel surgery to release pressure was not performed. He was diagnosed with an epurduarl hematobin, due to the skull fractures, ... which were too large to disipitate on their own and would need to be medically removed. They did disapear on their own and no medical intervention happened, which was unheard of. The doctor stated that later - 25-30 years old he should have an mri or mra or whatever checks for anyuresms. As they were common later down the road with his type of injury.

WORRIED MOM

juliannbuckland@gmail.com

The last paragraph in the narrative above describing "Traumatic Brain Injury" is a description I have not seen before. It nails the dichotomy of Head Injury like nothing I've read before.

Change is good, is all I heard growing up, post TBI. Thirty-five plus years TBI an I now see the playing field as it was meant to be.

TBI rocks your world like nothing before. It is all there for you to see and build from. I've written countless times before expressing these same sentiments.

Your life's mission has just been laid at your feet. A job, 24/7, every day of your life lies before thee...patience is the pre-cursor to all attainment...this lesson can only be learned by the individual dealing with Head Injury.

Patience and Effort.... strive, strive, strive...and light, light, light, awaits at the door of reciprocating flavors, yes, it is true...a penny for a pound of sweat or a penny for a melodious moment will create the same results in a different way...either/or, the term to guide oneself remains, JUST RIGHT...follow its path and effortless is the light!!! AC

My name is Robert , i Suffered a tbi to my frontal lobe in 2005 , it changed my life completely . i have had tremors in my hands since and they have got worse . for the past two years i have developed tracers in my vision when i go from a dark room with a t.v. on or just a lamp and i move my head the light will follow and if i move my hands in from of my face they will leave severe tracers as well , then when i go back in to a regular lit room it takes time for them to go away but they do . its so bad i cant go to the movie theater cause i'll get dizzy and completely out of it , i've heard this could be due to low dopamine levels and im going to see a neurologist from it concerns me because i have been told it could be an early symptom of Parkinson ..if anyone has any thing i mean anything to help me figure out what could be causing it get back to me . thank you

This was a very good read….thank you so much….I'm a brain injury Survivor

To person who wrote in on 11-14-15 @ 7:11PM who is 32 now, sustaining TBI at 15, enjoyed your perspective. As I've written previously, TBI only improves as time goes by.  You understand the equation of sustenance. You've glommed on to the situation and understand the parameters. Nothing is given to you but nothing is taken. Working with what is at your disposal is the means to attaining a certain serenity. It is all there to be retrieved......................................patience rules the day, inner calmness guides oneself, it can be done for as one thing is taken, something else replaces the condition that is no more as result of TBI. You can and will gravitate toward the simplicity of finding the replacement by living each day as a new horizon an thus you will find on your doorstep an answer to all your seeming problems. Remember patience and perspective is the path that leads to higher grounds in the journey embarked on seventeen years ago. Personalize and ye shall attain what one seeks. Just right, just right, just right......................................what falls into your field of vision daily is to be learned from an accepted the same way TBI has been accepted. You are a warrior, a warrior with a mission laid out for you. You have truly accepted this fact and your journey is limitless. You possess the spirit of a warrior.......no more needs to be said. Go forth as one.......................................!!!AC

I suffer from a TBI. Can't find the the right words. Ringing in my ear's . it's like a electric current in my head. Waking up streaming.. No sense of smell.. Blurred vision bad since of direction and on top ptd.. On a positive iv taken my army experience to take me to Uni and becomes the best teacher I can be. That's one thing my TBI can't change..my choice's to be the best I can be...

After a severe subdural hematoma at age 15 my sense of self was lost. I struggled with remembering who I was. After years of looking for myself I decided to rebuild and move on. Like others have said, I was reincarnated. It was a chance for a new life. Some times I have insight into my old life; this can be warming or saddening, but I keep moving forward. I don't frequently speak of my struggle with finding words, my lack of control in holding back my tears, or my sadness because I've learned that I'm lucky to have been given another chance. I hope that others with TBI can find peace.

My sister had a TBI 8yrs ago. She fell down the stairs my father called me and told me to get on a plane as they were not sure she was going to live. I live in the USA she in England. She was in a coma for a month on a ventilator and had two major bleeds in her head followed by a stroke. She did not respond to pain and made no movement on her own it was an awful time. She progressed and was sent to a rehabilitation centre   where she learned to walk and relearn how to take care of herself. 1yr later a plate was made for her head as the loss of bone was huge about a third of her skull. She is not the same person she was no longer able to work lost her partner of many years as he could not adjust to the new person. She is verbally abusive gained a lot of weight which she obsessives about and suffers short term memory loss long term is very distorted. Panic attacks are frequent plus headaches. Jump ahead 5yrs and she started to have seizures they were able to control with medication. I skype here most days and try not to engage when she wants to fight. She is currently living alone (has a dog) but in the last three weeks or so her speech is getting very difficult for her to pronounce get out and stuttering. She made an appointment to see the doctor my other sister will go with her and I pray their is something that can be done to help. If the need arises I will return to England to care for her if she will let me. My parents live in another country and are aging she hates our father so and would refuse to go their. To all of you that have suffered this awful injury my heart goes out to you. One day at a time is all you can do maybe even one hour. I wish you all the best.     

Stuck on 124 comments...? I've sent a few insightful writings recently...no one else writing? Hard to believe, but it is what it is, I assume. That's all...short and sweet, kind of like a tweet...!!!AC

On 11/15/01 I suffered a TBI due to a drunk driver vs. pedestrian accident. It is now 2015 and I still have some lasting effects from my TBI. For example, I find myself calling people the wrong name. I will go call out every name I know while I am looking at the persons whose attention I am trying to get. But, my family and friends have learned that this "word finding skill" problems is a small part of who I am now and they accept it. Also, my short term memory is not good at all. So, I find myself with a pen and paper or my phone to write or type things down. When I listen to people talk, I get confused because I  am concrete, but others are not. I have concluded that often people don't mean what they say which can be frustrating for me. My sense of smell and taste were restored. Because I go to church and regularly attend church functions, I am rarely lonely. God has continued to put people in my life who have worse memories than I do which helps me not feel sad about mine. I have learned to love the new me. I yon have one life. Whether or not I have a TBI is not important. What IS important is what I decide to do with the rest of my life. I intend to live my life with purpose. I find that when I get busy, I get happy. Even if you have a TBI, you can have a great life. You can decide to make yourself happy. Stay positive and keep busy.  

Wow people! I am so glad I came across this. 

I had a TBI in the early 90's. I was in my early 20's. I was jumped by 3 assailants and literally turned upside down they drove my head into the concrete. I was unconscious for I don't know how long. I remember waking up and people where looking at me like I had passed out drunk. I didn't remember at the time what happened but I remember feeling embarrassed and jumping up and running to the barracks (I was in the Navy. Hadn't been there a week and didn't know anyone). They woke me up the next day and sent me to medical where I was diagnosed with a concussion and had to be watch for awhile. I had trouble with forgetting, concentration, and ANGER, but had no idea that I was suffering any conditions associated with that injury due to the fact that things gradually got worse throughout the years and didn't realize until looking back in recent years. Married when I was 34 or 35 for 6-7 years (divorced 2013). Wife convinced me to quit my job of 18 years, which I was scared to do, but thought my job was creating all my problems. She went with me on a few Dr. appointments (asked one Dr. why I was so stupid. That shattered me). In 2011 I had surgery on right wrist and shoulder at the same time (I figured I wouldn't miss so much work that way). Well, that really screwed me up. I awoke into a panic attack in the recovery room. Anxiety, which I had never had, turned into panic attacks. I couldn't drive to work anymore (X and I had the same hours, so she started driving). I struggle almost daily with suicide because I can't figure out what when and why I can't figure out. I have been told by a Dr. that was doing an evaluation for social security administration that, while under anesthesia, I could have or it was comparitable to having a stroke and all those things that been in hiding had finally came to a head, or something like that. I am finally supposed to be going to the TBI clinic with the Veterans Administration but still waiting on the phone call. Still holding on to little hope and someday understanding. I relate to the friendship, romance, time, patience, and probably all the above. Very lonely and if my X didn't want to be patient, who will? I have never been abusive just frustrated