Adult Life after a Traumatic Brain Injury

I have to say "WOW", I have found someone I can truly relate to without someone calling me crazy. My experience started 2 1/2 years ago. I was helping my husband and friend unload a trailer full of split wood, and my husband threw one and I raised up at the same time, and the wood hit my right temple.
Now I get angry over stupid things, and I have no energy to do anything. My family would say I have done or said things that I truly don't remember, so now I sit in my own corner, and only try to speak when needed because I'm scared of the outburst of anger and not knowing the cause.
I went to counseling and they put me on medicine, but all the medicine did was make my symptoms worse, so I told the doctors I was taking any more of them. I'm trying to go back to school, (online) to see if staying to one thing while others here at home take care of everything will help. My husband tells me he understands why I'm ignoring everything and everyone and he wishes he could help, but he also has issues also with a shunt in his head that is changing his personality, which doctors tell us it's all in our heads and nothing is wrong with us and we all just want to have something to complain about.
So I stopped talking to the doctors, and pray every night for my symptoms to get better, as well for my husband to get the help he deserves.

Thank you again for this post, I know it wasn't easy for you to post this. It helped me and left me to know I'm not alone.

Grief for what you have lost is a very good point, @treyaj. I'm sure that others share that feeling.

We have a discussion group on Connect titled, Grief and Loss: How Are You Doing? While the majority of the people in that group are discussing losses due to death I think your comment about loss that comes from health challenges is also significant.

Here is the link to that discussion, https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/loss-and-grief-how-are-you-doing/. If you are comfortable doing so, please post about this loss. I'm sure others will do so as well.

I'm glad that you said that "but I am grateful to have enough life to figure this new life out. I suffer the loss of my "previous" brain, but find some joy and good energy in the challenge of the "new." This is important for everyone who has experienced a loss of some type.

Thank you so much.

I was touched by your comment that you struggle everyday with the thought of what you used to be like. I do the same. It is like the loss of a good friend. I can feel myself moving thru a process of loss and grieving. And even still disbelief. I work with intention to let go of that attachment to my lost self, the best reminder is when I can just feel the geatfulness of being still alive. I don't know why I am here, but I am greatful to have enough life to figure this new life out. I suffer the loss of my "previous" brain, but find some joy and good energy in the challenge of the "new." That is the past me. I was ALWAYS like that. Insatiably curious. I appreciate all of you so much.

I have had this same experience, @lakelifelady.

No problem when I read books, but when I'm working with numbers and glancing back and forth between a checkbook register and a computer screen inputting numbers, the dizziness begins followed by the nausea. I have to take frequent breaks in order to clear my head.

Vestibular therapy can be really good for these symptoms. I probably need to call my neurologist for a referral.

Hello @lakelifelady and @treyaj

As both have found value in music as a healing art, I thought I would direct you to some Connect discussions on music and art. You will find like-minded Members in these groups,
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/what-music-does-to-our-body/
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/music-helps-me/
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/art-for-healing/
Please feel free to share your own experiences in these groups!

Yes, hope is very important to recovery, @treyaj
Will you post again and update me on how you are doing?

When I first started back to playing and singing I noticed how hard it was to properly focus my eyes to follow the notes. My concentration would lapse and I would fall behind. As I kept on, over time things got better. Still, getting the words in to a fast moving song requires practice and concentration. Concentrating intently is very tiring. Rehearsals and painting sessions often exhaust me. Following media or reading posts on line cause dizziness and nausea for me and must take on line time in short bits or I literally lurch and weave away from my device. Reading newspapers brings on same ....I think because of moving my eyes up and down and back and forth on the page. Books do not cause dizziness most often because one's head stays stable,

Thank you very much for these resources. I feel renewed hope. Hope matters!

Hello @treyaj

I believe that speech therapy would be most helpful to you and I encourage you to seek out a speech therapist with experience in your area of a TBI. I am glad to hear that singing helps you as it has with me as well.

Here is a link to an article about the effect of music on brain injured individuals, https://www.brainline.org/article/how-music-helps-heal-injured-brain

Here is another article about how singing is used to help people with brain injuries caused by strokes, https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2011/12/26/144152193/singing-therapy-helps-stroke-patients-speak-again

This interesting video was shared by one of our mentors, Martin, @predictable.
https://www.facebook.com/ScienceNaturePage/videos/1284891671643088/
I would also suggest that you subscribe to a free subscription to Brain&Life, https://www.brainandlife.org/?originalURL=https://journals.lww.com/neurologynow/pages/articleviewer.aspx&year=2017&issue=13040&article=00009&type=FullText
There are many good articles there about the brain and healing.

Here is an example of singing in a medical environment. I think you will enjoy it😊
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/what-music-does-to-our-body/?utm_campaign=search