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

My cousin was hit by a rock in the head when she was five and subsequently needed to be operated on to remove rock fragments from her brain. Her mother was a mental patient her entire life, her step-father verbally and sometimes physically abusive. She swears she thinks her brain was injured. She has had a terrible life, the details of which I will not go into here (not in the mood to write a book). But the recurring theme I've noticed throughout her life is a total lack of common sense. Can a brain injury do this but have no other obvious effects? What do you think? She's quite intelligence otherwise. Thank you for whatever help you can give.

Don't give up, keep pushing forward, I am actually dealing with my fiance that is in rehab currently and has been for the last 4 weeks, spent 3 weeks in icu due to a motorcycle accident, he is refusing therapy but the hardest part is not being able to be there with him. He has frontal lobe damage and CM thinks he may not possibly ever be able to make his own decisions, I'd like some feed back and to know what is possible.

Its ok. How old were you when this happened? I am 34 years old right now. I was 31 when this happened to me. I was on my way to work on friday january 13th when this happened? I was involved in a horrible car accident that almost killed me when some woman tried to pass 2 cars and hit me on a farm to market road. What I'm trying to get at is the good better best rule. Good better best, never let it rest until the good is better and the better becomes best. Try to remember something that happened throughout the day and write it down so you can have help remembering it. Then later try to remember it. If you cant then you have something to go back and look at that will jog your memory. Do that every day until that becomes a habit.

Rick, I was thrown thru the windshield of an 18 wheeler - head first - in 1992 when I was 25 years old. I wasn't wearing my seatbelt. I fractured T1 & T2 of my spine as well. A helicopter came out, landed in the median & rushed me to the hospital. THAT ONE EVENT, the chopper picking me up, is why I can walk, talk & LIVE today. When a head injury occurs - you have just MINUTES to get the patient to a hospital or to a physician before permanent severe damage or even death happens. I have been seeing one of the FINEST Neurologists in the world for over a decade in Atlanta, GA. I brought up the subject of severe migraines to him directly several years ago. His reply was "they will NEVER go away - and may even worsen." When I asked what I could do - he simply recommended keeping Advil on hand. I will tell you this, from someone raised on strict nutrition regimes, low sodium in your body will only contribute to migraines. As an added frustration - my anti seizure meds absorb the sodium out of my body as an unavoidable side effect of the drug. So. I take the small 10 mg Allergy Relief sinus tablets twice a day. One in morning and one in evening. They TRULY help decrease my migraines. Also, try to maintain an above average consumption of salt in your diet - unless you have other health issues that would be endangered due to increased sodium. Trust me. This regime will decrease your migraines. Has worked for me for over 10 years. Do I still get a migraine here or there? Absolutely .... but I simply try to blame my girlfriend for that. *smile* Just so you know, I have SEVERE short term memory (which will never be cured and I have learned to deal with). I am always exhausted and tired. I am your "model" TBI survivor. Better known as "The Walking Wounded" ....... In a mall or at a ballgame - no one knows I am permanently disabled .....

One case study in 2012 documented a 27-year old man who had one of the two Taser darts penetrate his skull (frontal lobe) and 2 mm into the brain itself. In his case, the long-term effects (6+ months) were anxiety, strong frontal headaches during physical activity, as well as unease with the number of people who were looking at his forehead, due to the scar from the operation. There were no signs of physical damage (apart from the skull penetration), though it should be noted that tests were done with a CT scanner, not an MRI. A CT is faster (used for emergency situations like this) but not nearly as precise. It would have been nice to see follow-up MRI's or fMRI's.

Of course, like any TBI, no two cases are the same. Age, health, prior neurological conditions, where the barbs hit, and a hundred other things can all affect the outcome. Target position is also a big factor; if you get zapped, fall and hit your head, that may cause more brain damage than the shock itself (though the brain has protections to minimize/negate damage from lighter impact, such as a simple fall to the ground). As the cited case sounds like it is one of the more extreme (with regards to the brain), it seems that the risk of brain injury from being tased is probably very low.

doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2012.03.027

Not sure if those of you who are caregivers have noticed that this site has an entire section for caregivers -- https://www.brainline.org/caregivers.
Don't sell yourself short. Caregiving is a very difficult thing and some people who had a TBI are just impossible. One lady I know of ended up breaking off the relationship with her fiancee because his behavior was impossible for her to cope with. He lied, started smoking again and smoked in her house even though she asked him not too. He drank a lot and also have anger and irritability problems among many other things. If you are having overwhelming trouble dealing with your partner and you have tried everything and decide to give up, please don't feel guilty. You have every right to a safe and enjoyable life. Your partner is going to be dealing with his/her problems whether you are there or not... take care of and love yourself. You deserve that.

I completely understand how you feel as I struggle with the same thing! My husband was injured in a car accident 30 years ago which left him in a coma for over a month. Once he left the hospital, he NEVER returned to a doctor for care. Our relationship has been falling apart because he refused to see a doctor about his increasing symptoms (nearly EVERY ONE on this list). I am beyond exhausted and stressed from constantly picking up the slack. Today, he FINALLY went to see someone and was told he may have fluid building up on his brain as a result of the accident and increasing with age. I can't help but wonder if things would have gotten so bad if he'd taken some responsibility for himself at some point all those years ago while I encouraged him to see a specialist.

Dear Mrs. Turner,
I just started reading Living With Brain Injury, a guide for families by Richard Senelick, MD & Karla Dougherty. This book may help if you don't already have it. Praying for you,
Sincerely, A Barnes

HI,
I am currently going through TBI recovery. Everything was downplayed because it was a Worker's Comp. I had two 6 foot by 5 foot cabinets, fully stocked fall on me. I don't remember it happening. I was rushed to the hospital where I also received 20 stitches. Thankfully, despite the WC not helping, my wonderful boss has helped me immensely. I still have horrible headaches, dizziness, nausea. I am on emotional rollercoaster and going through all kinds of the listed symptoms. However, my point is; my boss has paid for me to go to a specialty clinic called Turning Point Medical Center. Excellent, top notch treatment and staff. I live in CO Springs, and I am fortunate to have 2 clinics nearby. However, I know they treat people from all over the world. You can look into this specialty rehab. Hope this helps. Yah Bless you!

I have trouble getting started on tasks, ect. But over time I have learned to make a list of what I have to do, and the beginning steps of the task. I can't remember , if I have done it at the end of the day, so I cross off the tasks as i'am working on them.

My prayers are with you...
Debbie Hunt

Thank you Chris for your candid post. A TBI is something I would not wish upon my worst enemy. I’ve been fighting to be “ME” again since my TBI in January 2019. My husband, kids, friends, coworkers extended family can’t seem to understand what I’m going through. To look at me one would never guess my daily struggles. Everyone sees me as the person I use to be and expects me to act as such. However, as you and anyone who has incurred a TBI knows we are NOT the person we were before the accident, even though we look as if nothing has happened. Don’t you wish that you could wear a cast?? People always want to help people in a leg cast. No body seems to be capable to understand this type of injury. It’s the most frustrating, lonely, depressing , anxiety ridden part for me. Reading your post and many others for the first time makes me feel normal. At least as normal as a person with a TBI can feel. Thank you for that!