Traumatic Brain Injury: Come introduce yourself

@lisalucier so I actually started off my Mayo group routine by reading messages oldest to newest and reading “icydecember’s” storry and that they were able to go back to work a few short weeks later was astounding to me and it gave me soooo much hope and complete turned my heart around and triggered me to put on attitude of gratefulness. So just goes to show how we each affect those we come into contact with why not try to be the light in someone’s darkness? Better yet try my best to be my own light at the same time if I’m feeling:( ehh yucky so that’s how it came about

Dear @johannawest
Up up a point… I’m not there but moving higher everyday. Some broken in my head/brain of what I did. Like Christmas time when my kids. Can’t remember. On my job is gone. And others.
Thx,
Greg D. @gregd1956

@headrockingmomma - I think that the attitude of gratefulness will get you far. I ended up in cognitive behavioral therapy years ago when I didn't know anything about it, and I truly found that ruminating on negative thoughts all day (e.g., I'm no good) will just wreck you after awhile.

Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect, and I'm grateful you are still breathing, as you mentioned, and that you are taking your medications and using tools that will help you function optimally despite your injury. You are indeed among "your people" here.

What turned you around from grieving and mourning (which are normal, by the way), to focus on what you wanted to celebrate and be grateful for?

Hey everyone! I’ve really appreciated everyone sharing and even those who haven’t chose to or been able to just yet I am thankful to be able to hear each individual story. It’s difficult for me to grasp how vastly different each injury and recovery are in regards to brains. I was feeling quite hopeless about all the abrupt changes to my memory, processing,and vision well everything really and I was kinda mourning the old me being so far in the past and comparing the deficits between the pre injury Me vs Post injury Me that I forgot to celebrate the fact that I’m still breathing and each tiny hurdle that is being overcome or well let’s say adapted to so I started out this morning with a great cup of coffee and showing up for our support group then before planning the day in my apps I thought I’d share a gratitude list from the new me one, not sure if I should but grateful I’m off work lol while I attempt at recovery two I’m super Grateful for the “reminders” app and my “calendar “ & alarm clock app three I’m extra super grateful for the speech therapist who taught me how to use them to suit my specific needs four I’m so grateful my cats love me no matter how slow clumsy angry or forgetful I am! And last but not least I’m grateful for the relief my medication gives from time to time from symptom burden does not cure or fix the injury but makes it a bit more tolerable for functioning inside my own skin ( bad anxiety made 10x worse PCS so yes I’m grateful to all “my People “ that’s kinda nice too I never had “a People” before now so to my new People I’m so grateful You’re still breathing too!

@gregd1956
I am hopeful that you have been building new memories and learning new things. That is my goal, it is hard but I am working towards it like a snail. LOL.

@dollyjaneprenzel
2.5 years from a TBI; its 14 years for me and I’ve lost 80% of my memory. I’m glad for your brain is way better than others. .
Thx,
Greg D. @greg1956

Hi. I am a 77 year old healthcare aid and one month ago had an injury stemming from a backwards fall and hitting my head behind my left ear. Follow up with ER 16 hours later revealed a brain bleed that took about a month to resolve, but daily headaches, speech and especially balance issues persist along with eye floaters and more advanced far-sightedness. Fatigue after little effort. Needless to say, I can’t go back to work and need to reinvent myself. I’m glad I found this group to relate my experience with others.

@ray55
Thanks Ray! Great tip. One year in. I have lost (for now?) my old “brain” as a successful professional with many strong attributes. I am finding my new self. Doing what I can to refire-relearn. Appreciate the tip.

@garyr443 Yes, now I am a convert. At present I am in contact with a eavestrough installer. I'll watch from below and have coffee ready. Martin.

@martinvandyk I've never trusted ladders! Now I don't trust bicyclists, either, and especially these escooter riders!