1. < Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Adult Life after a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Posted by Dawn Pereda @dawnpereda, Sep 27, 2017

Hi, My name is Dawn and I am an RN. Just over two years ago I received a work related injury. This injury has left me with a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Even though two years have passed, I still suffer with lingering tbi symptoms. I have some issues with memory. Some things I remember with no problems, other things I just don't remember and I can't explain why... I also suffer with issues related to mood dis-regulation. I can be angry at times and not understand why or end up having explosive outbursts. This has greatly impacted my life. I still work but no longer with patients. Also, this has been a huge turn around for my family. I'm no longer the mom who has everything under control. I used to work full time, manage my kids' schedules, pay household bills, and keep my house clean. Now I struggle to remember to brush my hair before leaving for work. My husband pays the bills and my kids write their schedules on a large calendar (that hangs in our dining room) so I can visually be reminded where they are and what they are doing. I am a "new" me and I never would have imagined this journey for myself.

I know there are things out there for youth that suffer from concussion/tbi, but I don't always find a lot of discussion/support for adults, like myself. I get up every day and work to live my life to its fullest. If you would like to know more about my life and journey, you can listen to a podcast that I did with my family. Its called "Terrible, Thanks For Asking". We're season 1, episode 5. Its brutally honest. If any of this rings true to your life please join this discussion with me. Thanks for your time!

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Support Group.

ujeeniack | @ujeeniack | Nov 9, 2017
In reply to @dawnpereda "Thanks for checking us out and reading the posts! I appreciate your input. I can only..." + (show)
@dawnpereda

Thanks for checking us out and reading the posts! I appreciate your input. I can only speak for myself, but I'm sure others have also, and can say that I have spent a lot of time talking with my doctors. The hard part is that we all heal differently and no one is guaranteed a predictable outcome. I journal everyday and this has helped me to see what progress I have made. I started journaling as a way to "remember" my life. I have seen some healing and progress but am still saddened by how affected by my tbi I remain. Some days are better than others. If I write things down it helps me to remember and keeps me on track during my day. I am the poster child for sticky notes, calendars, and journals!! Thanks again for sharing your thoughts!

Jump to this post

I wonder if any of you have tried LLT, with red light.

REPLY
Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Jan 30, 2018

Hi @dawnpereda
I was thinking about you today and wondering how you are doing. It's a cold day with fresh fallen snow where I am today. I'm thankful for the brilliant sunshine and my wool sweater. How are you?

REPLY
Dawn Pereda | @dawnpereda | Jan 30, 2018

Thank you for thinking of me. I continue to live the dream of a person with a brain injury (my snarky reply for the day). Actually, I'm struggling a great deal with PTSD issues and its really affecting my family life. I've been looking at treatment plans but finding it to be a daunting task. The intensive therapy program that I think would suit me best costs about $5,000 and is located 10 hours from my home. I feel I need to do something because my children and husband describe me as a very angry person. Not how I want to be remembered, but trying to figure out how I can pay for this as my health insurance would not cover it. I live right in Rochester, home of the Mayo Clinic, but find treatment options horribly limited here because I'm not a vet or a youth with a sports injury. Would anyone have any advice or recommendations?

REPLY
1 reply
ujeeniack | @ujeeniack | Jan 30, 2018
In reply to @dawnpereda "Thank you for thinking of me. I continue to live the dream of a person with..." + (show)
@dawnpereda

Thank you for thinking of me. I continue to live the dream of a person with a brain injury (my snarky reply for the day). Actually, I'm struggling a great deal with PTSD issues and its really affecting my family life. I've been looking at treatment plans but finding it to be a daunting task. The intensive therapy program that I think would suit me best costs about $5,000 and is located 10 hours from my home. I feel I need to do something because my children and husband describe me as a very angry person. Not how I want to be remembered, but trying to figure out how I can pay for this as my health insurance would not cover it. I live right in Rochester, home of the Mayo Clinic, but find treatment options horribly limited here because I'm not a vet or a youth with a sports injury. Would anyone have any advice or recommendations?

Jump to this post

i CAN ONLY THINK OF LLT,RED LIGHT LASER THERAPY AS A POSSIBILITY.

REPLY
1 reply
kobeelya | @kobeelya | Feb 10, 2018

Hullo Dawn

I totally empathise with your experience. I had a similar experience my self and my symptoms were loss of short term memory, loss of balance, eyes that found it a major effort to open... and muddled speech. My brain often felt very foggy. I also had to give up my career.

What I found - 14 years after the RTA when I was knocked back to the kerb and the base of my skull and top of my neck hit the edge of the kerb like a "karate chop" - was Hyperbaric Oxygen which is oxygen under pressure. It was developed as a therapy for deep sea divers and after many years has helped people with M.S and head injuries. Perhaps the Mayo Clinic will have some experience of this therapy.

What is helping me - is writing it all down for my family - so that they understand exactly how I felt straight after the car accident and how I have felt through the years.

One set of symptoms that I have not read about anywhere - is that when I was floating between being unconscious and "coming to" was that I had absolutely no pain or sensation of my body even though I also had a broken leg and shoulder-blade . I also had no active movement so could not open my eyes BUT the strange symptom that I also had was that I COULD HEAR now and again! I heard people talking and heard..... "Someone get her a blanket she must be freezing cold " and " Don't lift her like that she might have a broken neck".... which I did have though luckily only a hairline fracture. I heard someone saying " You've been knocked down by a car " but was not taking this information into my brain as I thought I was still in my bed!!! The only feeling I had was of the soft bed I was lying in!!!

I am looking into nutritional support for my brain . it is much easier to deal with a broken arm or leg!!
Over time it is amazing how some parts of the injured brain heal... otherwise I could not write this post as I now find learning new skills very difficult.

I HOPE THIS HELPS

cLAIRE

REPLY
5 replies
lakelifelady | @lakelifelady | Feb 10, 2018
In reply to @kobeelya "Hullo Dawn I totally empathise with your experience. I had a similar experience my self and..." + (show)
@kobeelya

Hullo Dawn

I totally empathise with your experience. I had a similar experience my self and my symptoms were loss of short term memory, loss of balance, eyes that found it a major effort to open... and muddled speech. My brain often felt very foggy. I also had to give up my career.

What I found - 14 years after the RTA when I was knocked back to the kerb and the base of my skull and top of my neck hit the edge of the kerb like a "karate chop" - was Hyperbaric Oxygen which is oxygen under pressure. It was developed as a therapy for deep sea divers and after many years has helped people with M.S and head injuries. Perhaps the Mayo Clinic will have some experience of this therapy.

What is helping me - is writing it all down for my family - so that they understand exactly how I felt straight after the car accident and how I have felt through the years.

One set of symptoms that I have not read about anywhere - is that when I was floating between being unconscious and "coming to" was that I had absolutely no pain or sensation of my body even though I also had a broken leg and shoulder-blade . I also had no active movement so could not open my eyes BUT the strange symptom that I also had was that I COULD HEAR now and again! I heard people talking and heard..... "Someone get her a blanket she must be freezing cold " and " Don't lift her like that she might have a broken neck".... which I did have though luckily only a hairline fracture. I heard someone saying " You've been knocked down by a car " but was not taking this information into my brain as I thought I was still in my bed!!! The only feeling I had was of the soft bed I was lying in!!!

I am looking into nutritional support for my brain . it is much easier to deal with a broken arm or leg!!
Over time it is amazing how some parts of the injured brain heal... otherwise I could not write this post as I now find learning new skills very difficult.

I HOPE THIS HELPS

cLAIRE

Jump to this post

Every time I read about the experiences of others who "know and understand" TBI gives me courage and validation.. I still need to find a way to help myself walk wiwthout balance problems, tightness and pain in my shoulders, a foggy brain, dizziness and fatigue as a start. Add to that the gap that never has healed together in my broken neck and the resulting muscle fatigue in my shoulders and arms when sitting in a chair holding music or a book brings on much pain and just writing all of this here ( which is therapeutic in itself) brings on tearfulness and sometimes even a flash back of horror of the accident. So, keep writing dear friends....I will keep trying myself.

REPLY
ujeeniack | @ujeeniack | Feb 10, 2018
In reply to @kobeelya "Hullo Dawn I totally empathise with your experience. I had a similar experience my self and..." + (show)
@kobeelya

Hullo Dawn

I totally empathise with your experience. I had a similar experience my self and my symptoms were loss of short term memory, loss of balance, eyes that found it a major effort to open... and muddled speech. My brain often felt very foggy. I also had to give up my career.

What I found - 14 years after the RTA when I was knocked back to the kerb and the base of my skull and top of my neck hit the edge of the kerb like a "karate chop" - was Hyperbaric Oxygen which is oxygen under pressure. It was developed as a therapy for deep sea divers and after many years has helped people with M.S and head injuries. Perhaps the Mayo Clinic will have some experience of this therapy.

What is helping me - is writing it all down for my family - so that they understand exactly how I felt straight after the car accident and how I have felt through the years.

One set of symptoms that I have not read about anywhere - is that when I was floating between being unconscious and "coming to" was that I had absolutely no pain or sensation of my body even though I also had a broken leg and shoulder-blade . I also had no active movement so could not open my eyes BUT the strange symptom that I also had was that I COULD HEAR now and again! I heard people talking and heard..... "Someone get her a blanket she must be freezing cold " and " Don't lift her like that she might have a broken neck".... which I did have though luckily only a hairline fracture. I heard someone saying " You've been knocked down by a car " but was not taking this information into my brain as I thought I was still in my bed!!! The only feeling I had was of the soft bed I was lying in!!!

I am looking into nutritional support for my brain . it is much easier to deal with a broken arm or leg!!
Over time it is amazing how some parts of the injured brain heal... otherwise I could not write this post as I now find learning new skills very difficult.

I HOPE THIS HELPS

cLAIRE

Jump to this post

1. water therapy:pools

2. LLT: red light therapy for TBI>

REPLY
kobeelya | @kobeelya | Feb 10, 2018
In reply to @kobeelya "Hullo Dawn I totally empathise with your experience. I had a similar experience my self and..." + (show)
@kobeelya

Hullo Dawn

I totally empathise with your experience. I had a similar experience my self and my symptoms were loss of short term memory, loss of balance, eyes that found it a major effort to open... and muddled speech. My brain often felt very foggy. I also had to give up my career.

What I found - 14 years after the RTA when I was knocked back to the kerb and the base of my skull and top of my neck hit the edge of the kerb like a "karate chop" - was Hyperbaric Oxygen which is oxygen under pressure. It was developed as a therapy for deep sea divers and after many years has helped people with M.S and head injuries. Perhaps the Mayo Clinic will have some experience of this therapy.

What is helping me - is writing it all down for my family - so that they understand exactly how I felt straight after the car accident and how I have felt through the years.

One set of symptoms that I have not read about anywhere - is that when I was floating between being unconscious and "coming to" was that I had absolutely no pain or sensation of my body even though I also had a broken leg and shoulder-blade . I also had no active movement so could not open my eyes BUT the strange symptom that I also had was that I COULD HEAR now and again! I heard people talking and heard..... "Someone get her a blanket she must be freezing cold " and " Don't lift her like that she might have a broken neck".... which I did have though luckily only a hairline fracture. I heard someone saying " You've been knocked down by a car " but was not taking this information into my brain as I thought I was still in my bed!!! The only feeling I had was of the soft bed I was lying in!!!

I am looking into nutritional support for my brain . it is much easier to deal with a broken arm or leg!!
Over time it is amazing how some parts of the injured brain heal... otherwise I could not write this post as I now find learning new skills very difficult.

I HOPE THIS HELPS

cLAIRE

Jump to this post

Dear Lakelifelady what a lovely healing name.

I feel for you and the symptoms you are having.

When I was knocked down I was already interested in alternative therapies and a lady who lived nearby suggested I trey some homeopathic remedies for the shock, and then suggested I read through the Homeopathic " bible " reading the description of the remedy and considering if any part of the description of the remedy described how I felt or reacted in day to day happenings or people or the weather... or anything and I ploughed thro the book very slowly as my energy was very poor... then I decided it was definately interesting so I found a very experienced homeopath and went to have a two hour interview.... and he prescribed a few remedies.

So my first suggestion if you think it is of any interest is to find a well known and highly respected homeopath near where you live.

I agree with ujeeniack warm water therapy and red light therapy ( is this Far Infrared ? )

Gentle supportive therapies

and collecting a rainbow of coloured "things " pottery, paintings, stones, cryatals painting sof blue seas and coloured fruit colour also helps

and deep gentle breathing and visualising a healthy "you" walking in the colours... especially the blue water!

Be well

Kobeelya

REPLY
lakelifelady | @lakelifelady | Feb 11, 2018
In reply to @kobeelya "Hullo Dawn I totally empathise with your experience. I had a similar experience my self and..." + (show)
@kobeelya

Hullo Dawn

I totally empathise with your experience. I had a similar experience my self and my symptoms were loss of short term memory, loss of balance, eyes that found it a major effort to open... and muddled speech. My brain often felt very foggy. I also had to give up my career.

What I found - 14 years after the RTA when I was knocked back to the kerb and the base of my skull and top of my neck hit the edge of the kerb like a "karate chop" - was Hyperbaric Oxygen which is oxygen under pressure. It was developed as a therapy for deep sea divers and after many years has helped people with M.S and head injuries. Perhaps the Mayo Clinic will have some experience of this therapy.

What is helping me - is writing it all down for my family - so that they understand exactly how I felt straight after the car accident and how I have felt through the years.

One set of symptoms that I have not read about anywhere - is that when I was floating between being unconscious and "coming to" was that I had absolutely no pain or sensation of my body even though I also had a broken leg and shoulder-blade . I also had no active movement so could not open my eyes BUT the strange symptom that I also had was that I COULD HEAR now and again! I heard people talking and heard..... "Someone get her a blanket she must be freezing cold " and " Don't lift her like that she might have a broken neck".... which I did have though luckily only a hairline fracture. I heard someone saying " You've been knocked down by a car " but was not taking this information into my brain as I thought I was still in my bed!!! The only feeling I had was of the soft bed I was lying in!!!

I am looking into nutritional support for my brain . it is much easier to deal with a broken arm or leg!!
Over time it is amazing how some parts of the injured brain heal... otherwise I could not write this post as I now find learning new skills very difficult.

I HOPE THIS HELPS

cLAIRE

Jump to this post

Kobeelya, Since I do water colors the part of visualizing the colors is wonderful. We live in a retirement community in the winter which has warm pools everywhere....I will look into your other ideas also. I good friend is now taking training in Rikki and other homeopathic venues and she has offered to help me as her training subject....which I am certain can do no harm. Thank you.

REPLY
kobeelya | @kobeelya | Feb 11, 2018

Dear Take-Life-Lady

Good news - we never know what will help until we have an open mind and try it!

Amethyst crystals are thought to be very healing and when people say that crystals have no energy one has to remember that the starter motor uses a clear quartz crystal!

and just remembered the orange Carnelian is good for energy - I used to keep one in each pocket of my trousers and always remembered to take them out of my pockets before the trousers went into the washing machine...

I found Reiki really helpful and trained at the 1st Level - and then worked on my own energy centres.

I'll be very interested to hear - when you find the right Homeopath - how Homeopathy helps too
I used to paint as well - single flowers.... a great therapy.
A friend suggested that I surround my energy field with roses then imagine all my negative energy and negative memories and pain floating out of the body and into the roses then blowing them up - gently - phoooooffff and away goes he energy you dont wish to hold any more Bye for now.

REPLY
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.