Our family celebrated with much love and friendships during the first annual global picnic day Saturday, June 30, 2012. This was definitely a family affair. Everyone pitched in equally and we enjoyed the day. Rather then write about Saturday I’ll use the pictures to tell the story. Participants included those who understand the invisible injuries more then anyone else. Take a look and enjoy! Read the rest of this entry »
Tag Archives: Brain Injury
Loneliness is the Most Terrible Poverty
Loneliness is the Most Terrible Poverty.
This is a well written article that nearly all TBI, brain dysfunctions, chronic illnesses, and an array of health issues deal with. Most readers will certainly understand this this loneliness. This will also offer insight into FM (fibromyalgia), another frequently misdiagnosed, and misunderstood disease. Take the time to read this and leave your comments.
What’s the monetary value of this injury?
Nearly everyone believes that if they are injured at work their employer will help them. Most people believe this because they are excellent employees and should be backed by their employers. I just had a hearing to process my recent claims of significant physical injuries for the medical findings. Read the rest of this entry »
Laughter as brain injury medicine – Self check-out lanes anyone? Unpredictable days?
This is something many individuals go through with chronic medical issues. You ask the question should I leave the house or should I stay home. One is always believing it will be a good day, so you go about the plans for your day. It turns out this is more of a typical day in the life of all the above mentioned individuals. Please laugh along. You may be able to identify these situations with either yourself or a loved one. I welcome any of your personal “laughter moments”! Read the rest of this entry »
A young man who has touched my life in countless ways
Graduation and party time of year can be a stressful time for many. This year is a significant milestone in the life for a young man who entered into this world after my injury. He does not have any idea of what I was like before he was born. He loves me for who I am and not who I was. He knows nothing different. He gave me hope. Hope for a better tomorrow.
I will highlight ways children can help Read the rest of this entry »
Please stop trying to hurry me along
frustration. (Photo credit: nicole.pierce.photography ♥)
No one understands the frustration that hustle and bustle creates in the minds of brain injury, brain dysfunction, chronic illnesses as well as the aging population. In this fast paced society it makes it more difficult for these individuals to do their daily routine without feeling frazzled. Read the rest of this entry »
Laughter as brain injury medicine – Words with double meanings
Laughter is imperative to recover from brain injury and all other issues that affect your health. If it were not for keeping a sense of humor one does not know how one could survive. There have and continue to be plenty of tears shed in the meantime. They aren’t just your tears, but those closest to one’s situation…that care and love one. They also suffer immensely without education or help.
Jazz Has a Sense of Humor (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Most have learned to laugh with me, but they cry with me too. They probably cry because I make them absolutely miserable at times! Read the rest of this entry »
Laughter as brain injury medicine – Where is he?
So many different things happen with brain injuries and brain dysfunction and as sad as so many things are, it’s really important to laugh daily. Laughter is the best medicine. Research proves that laugher helps heal. With brain issues at the moment the incident occurs there really isn’t anything to laugh about because the person is so frustrated with the ignorant things that happen … it takes awhile to step back at that particular situation and laugh. Read the rest of this entry »
This is a big reason we can’t get health care
I found one of the real reasons why I couldn’t get medical care. Healthcare professionals are not doing their jobs as I have repeatedly written about. Please take a look at the following news clip. I was contacted by someone close to my situation and was advised of news release today. Read the rest of this entry »
Simple tips to help deal with memory problems
Digital Camera Magazine (August 2011) (Photo credit: midlander1231)
Are you having difficulty with your memory and want to know how you can help yourself. Here are some tips to help compensate for memory problems. There are a list of ways to cope with these deficits. The first way you can begin to help yourself is by keeping a journal and documenting. Immediately following an injury or dealing with brain dysfunction you may need a friend, spouse, or significant other to help document in a journal. Have you tried using a camera to record everything in your life? One will give suggestions of how this works. Read the rest of this entry »
Laugher as brain injury medicine – Surprise party?
Laugh with us. Brain injury survivors struggle with difficult times day in and day out. Some of the crazy things that happens appear quite comical in retrospect. The series of Laugher will help others understand that life is very different on a daily basis. Read the rest of this entry »
School-Age Children’s Responses to Parents with Disabilities
This rehabilitation nursing journal article School-Age Children’s Responses to Parents with Disabilities was written and completed just one week prior to the assault of traumatic brain injury. It was not published until 2 years later after having a colleague co-author and help submit the manuscript for publishing. Read the rest of this entry »
General and simple tips for handling and taking medications Part 4 of 4
It is your life and medications can help you with specific problems, but you need to be cautious and know what is working for you and what is not. It is up to you to report exactly how you are feeling.
Keep a medication journal, especially when Read the rest of this entry »
Who Are We
On June 30, 2012 we are asking all those to sign-up to register as a picnic day to bring Awareness of Brain Injury to family and friends. There is an estimated 1 billions people in the world with brain injuries of varying degrees, neurological disorders and brain dysfunction and yet education and understanding is lacking. This is considered the first global picnic.
Click on the link below for the details. Don’t miss out on this opportunity.
General and simple tips for handling and taking medications Part 2 of 4
Allergies-Make a list of all your allergies. The list of allergies should include both medication allergies and food allergies. DO NOT take any medications you are allergic to. Usually the most serious allergic reaction occurs when you take the medication for the second time. This can be life threatening. Read the rest of this entry »
To my last patient…and the last of my patience! Part 1 of 4
This letter was written in 1993, a little over a year after my injury. This letter details not only what was happening to me shortly after brain injury, but what was happening inside the healthcare system. The information is accurate and correct as supported by documentation. It has been retyped, but no other revisions exist. Read the rest of this entry »
Were you lead to believe you have a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury mTBI? Maybe or maybe not?
Too often we hear about the term Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and wonder why it is called “mild” because those struggling with it find it’s not “mild” at all. However, those individuals that are plagued by ongoing symptoms and regardless how hard they try seem unable to overcome them. Is this because they really don’t have mTBI and have the other diagnosis that is linked with mTBI and ongoing symptoms that is not publicized? Would it help if you knew it had a different name and work in a different manner to overcome all the issues at hand? Read the rest of this entry »
Need help? Simple tips: Where do I go? When? How can I ask for help?
So many might think asking for help comes naturally. Millions of individuals never need to ask for help, hence they do not know how. Of all these people life goes on without great difficulty because they easily deal well with daily living…until that event occurs that changes their lives forever. Until that time you probably were independent with everything in your life organized and successful. Most likely, you put others first and everyone seemed to look to you for answers. Unfortunately asking for help following a brain injury sometimes seems impossible simply because all the other consequences of this devastating injury. It’s a travesty that with all the recent media attention so many are struggling with life altering changes that fluctuate from day-to-day and year-to-year without rehabilitation or help. Others simply do not understand.
The first key to getting help is to find someone who listens! After getting someone to listen I have included several different ideas to ask for help and receive it for traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury and other chronic illnesses as well as any life problems to reach your highest level of functioning. Read the rest of this entry »
Healthcare professionals with a traumatic brain injury. Who should know better? 2 of 3
Brain Injury Awareness: Anywhere, Anytime, Anyone. 
Healthcare professionals are not exempt from this devastating traumatic brain injury. Without more education, understanding and research how do you think this could compromise your health? How many healthcare professionals are dealing with current brain injuries? We should start doing pilot or research studies on this, or at the very least surveys.
I functioned without difficulty until this last injury. It’s imperative we educate healthcare workers before this happens to them. It’s always an after thought. The I should’ve, would’ve, could’ve scenario! Stop it from happening to begin with. Prevention is key and they should all know that! When does someone step in to help? When should they return to work? Two weeks after brain surgery? Two months after injury? Where are the guidelines? What and who are protecting patients? Who is helping the healthcare professionals through this difficult time? They are always helping other people at work…but what happens when it is a healthcare professional? That’s the key…when it happens to a healthcare professional then everyone is expected to understand and help. That is not the case. Few understand and fewer care. This is all about brain injury awareness and patient safety and advocacy. You don’t want to be a patient! Read the rest of this entry »
How do you really feel dealing with traumatic brain injury? Video by me!
If you are dealing with brain injury you spend many days just standing at the crossroads in life, and wondering which way to go! It’s not easy when families walk away, friends leave, and your pet(s) stays! Traumatic brain injury affects the entire family system including the animals. Pet therapy and their unconditional love help patients and families cope throughout this difficult journey. It’s priceless. Animals are consistently the most therapeutic in this lengthy rehabilitation process for these special families. This unimaginable journey is affected in every aspect of life: physiologically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually. Families walk away, friends leave, and animals stay.
Poor judgment is only one issue of this complex injury. In this video one can see that even the dog’s health was jeopardized. Read the rest of this entry »
Healthcare professionals with a traumatic brain injury. Who should know better? Part 1 of 3
How confident do you think you would be if a healthcare professional was caring for you and had a recent traumatic brain injury? It’s doubtful you would know unless this were a new injury or obvious problem. Isn’t that what brain injuries are: Invisible Injuries? So who’s policing healthcare professionals when they do not understand traumatic brain injuries? Denial, denial, denial. Errors are not widely publicized and rarely are documented. They are supposed to be documented. When errors are documented they are usually not in your medical records unless it’s a subtle mention so they do not raise red flags. There is a separate incident report created that is not attached to your medical file.
Healthcare is also guilty of pushing their employees back to work. Why don’t healthcare professionals understand TBI or mental/brain dysfunction? They are the least likely people to be compassionate and understanding when an employee is ill (mentally or physically) or injured. Unfortunately, their misgivings may become part of your life threatening injury or illness and affect your health and life forever. I will share only one situation at this time so not to overwhelm anyone with what’s happening inside our healthcare facilities. Read the rest of this entry »
Tips to take control of your health and healthcare needs
You are the most important person on your healthcare team. I have read countless books over the past 20 years from “How to Get Out of the Hospital Alive”, and YOU The Smart Patient. All of them have powerful messages. Everyone could use the simple tips to keep you healthy. I recommend that everyone retrieve a copy of the Handbook or Guide Book for “YOU” The Smart Patient as An Insider’s Handbook for Getting the Best Treatment. In addition, to keep track of the details that you need in your lifetime of medical care there are electronic flash drive medical bracelets.
Read the rest of this entry »
Simple Tips to Cope With The Unmentionables After Brain Injury … Blood, Sweat and Tears with Urine, Sweat & Feces
How can you cope with the unmentionable after traumatic brain injury? It’s blood, sweat and tears with urine, sweat and feces. Oh Crap, or Piss-on-it, or just too much Sweat! Any way you look at it I stink! 
The injury is healed, but now you have so many symptoms to live and cope with. Now, who is there to help you anyway? You are at home…big deal! It is a big deal to be at home, but now you have to figure out your surroundings, your role in life, but most importantly how your body now functions or for that matter does not function. Read the rest of this entry »
The Daily, Most-Controlled, and Least Expensive Therapy following Brain Injury, Spinal Cord Injury, and Chronic Illnesses
Are you searching out affordable, consistent, reliable family therapy to restore life after traumatic brain injury or chronic illness? Do you feel as though no one is listening? No one cares or understands? Where is that unconditional love?
What is the best therapy that works, stands by you through thick and thin, and does not pass judgment? When you and the family feel things have stabilized after your injury or illness it may be time to consider something you have not considered before injury. Read the rest of this entry »
Simple Tips to Manage Fatigue with Brain Injury, Memory Problems, and Chronic Illness to Self Rehabilitate
How can you manage mental and physical fatigue in your daily life? The normal fatigue you feel from brain injury is not like simple feelings of tiredness. It’s far from this. It exhausts all your physical and mental energy and leaves one in a brain fog where you can not think at all or physically accomplish anything. Your limbs feel so weak you just cannot be involved in doing anything until you get rest. Sleep is the only thing that helps you feel better. Read the rest of this entry »
Could this Nightmare with Traumatic Brain Injury be Ending?
I was sure this nightmare with head injury was nearing the end. I guess my expectations were unrealistic. Being well-educated in the field of brain injury and rehabilitation did not prepare me for all that was to come in December 1991. I thought I was better shortly after brain injury but it got worse. Read the rest of this entry »
What do I need? Or where do I go? To relearn my computer or purchase a new computer after brain injury?
My computer is not working like it did before brain injury. I need a computer to help me compensate for my memory and other things. What should I do and where can I go? Read the rest of this entry »
Leaving the Twilight Zone … So I thought! after a closed head injury
If you look okay you are expected to be working!
It was time to get back to work following a closed head injury. I thought everything was going well and my simple concussion was resolved. Oh, if I only knew what was yet to come. So by Monday November 4, 1991 and 5 days later I was ready to return to work. After all a few days have passed since I was hit in the head and certainly there should not be any reason to keep me from working. Read the rest of this entry »
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