Restoring the Balance

[Dorsetcharlie]

Latest blog from: hopegoesupanddown.blogspot.com - a record of the hope, terror and unknown future faced when the one you love most in the world suffers a brain injury.

I realise I may have been a tad absent...four months can be described as a 'tad', right? There are many reasons for this, but mainly just getting on with life.

A few things have happened in the last month that has made me think it may be time to share again. The first was a conversation with a friend. Well, I say a conversation. It was more of a whine on my part, a whine about how people were making all sorts of assumptions about what our lives were like now and some irritatingly flippant comments about how cushy it is. The friend pointed out that as I only ever post the good stuff on Facebook and have stopped writing the blog, its impossible for anyone to see the balance and understand the reality.

The second is possibly the most shocking demonstration of malice and cruelty I have ever witnessed. From very early on in our brain injury journey I connected with a fabulous young man on Twitter. He was on his own journey to recovery and his willingness to share and endless positivity kept me sane in some very dark times. Over the last few days there have been increasingly worrying updates from his family, culminating in the horrific news that he passed away the night before last. I was heartbroken. This meant so many different things in the context of our own journey that I felt so much more than grief for my friend. I felt a suffocating mix of shock, grief, an aching empathy for his family and gut wrenching fear for my Jake. How could someone who had been so strong and done so well suddenly get a new bleed and die? What did this mean for Jake?

The answer? He didn't. His twitter account was hacked and someone with no heart or conscience, but a great deal of time on their hands who had painstakingly gone through his old tweets to construct a completely believable, fact laden fabrication. I am at a complete loss as to why someone would do this? What on earth could be their objective? What sick need can this have fed? Can you imagine his family's confusion and then horror when they finally regained control of the account today and read the hundreds of messages of condolence and support? Yesterday I cried, today I REALLY want to hurt someone!

What this has given me (aside from a strong homicidal urge) is a bit of a kick up the arse generally. My amazing Twitter friend is still alive and well (hurrah) and there is SO much good in our life. If I'm going to help others to understand our reality then I really need to stop whining and meet them in the middle; I need to share more of the tough stuff and I need to appreciate the good stuff more.

So, I am going to try to motivate myself to share one of the tough bits and at least one of the good bits each week. Here goes!

Today has been a bit tough because I have felt emotionally battered (and hungover) and really needed Jake to be the sympathetic, supportive grown up. This is not a natural state for someone with frontal lobe damage and he just wanted to remind me that his back hurts and tell me that he was hungry! Probably doesn't sound like much, but it can be totally soul destroying and wholly dissatisfying; it's really hard to indulge in self-pity when you know the other person has no control over their lack of empathy and is actually doing an amazing job in the context of their injury...boo hoo for me!

Today is exciting because four weeks today we will renew our vows in Central Park, New York, where we married 5 years ago. Jake is well enough to make and fully engage with the trip and we have the resources and the support of family and friends to make it truly memorable. Which is good because Jake can't remember the first time and because I get to buy another dress!

Next week will be good because my yoga class starts up again after the Summer break. You've gotta love a bit of down face dog!

[cat3]

Some very, very bad words are circling around in my brain since reading about the Twitter business. This is the work of a complete sh*t-head (putting in mildly) and his mindless, sadistic antics are literally too awful for words. I'm so sorry that your friend, and you, and his loved ones were subjected to such sick and cruel crap ; it is incomprehensible.

I hope your visit to NY next month for the renewal of vows goes really well for you, Jake & family. It's so lovely that you are able now to create new memories and I wish you both all the very best in everything you do.

Cat xx

[Dorsetcharlie in reply to cat3]

Thanks Cat. I'm outraged and delighted in equal measure! They have the Twitter Police on the case, so hopefully the arse hat in question will get theirs.

[cat3 in reply to Dorsetcharlie]

Oh, I didn't realise it was possible to trace these people. I hope they find the bast*rd but his penalty will never be adequate to atone for his wickedness. I've always tried to argue that no one is inherently wicked but changed my mind tonight.

[Dorsetcharlie in reply to cat3]

The police visited the family yesterday and should be able to track where the tweets were sent from, so fingers crossed!

[RogerCMerriman in reply to cat3]

By the nature of how the internet for want of a better word, was designed it's very hard not to be traced.

And posting via a hacked Twitter account should be reasonably easy.

Trolls have been around for decades but their behaviour was different, and audience.

[Danslatete]

I would like to say that I can't believe someone could be that cruel but unfortunately I know there are some terrible people out there.

It's good to hear from you and Jake.

I do like a bit of downward dog myself I'm not too hot on the warrior positions as my knees cry and scream at me if I stand like that for too long. Yoga did an awful lot for my balance and my state of mind as well as my strength.

Jetting of to America must seem like a dream when you look back on how far you have both come. I hope you both have a wonderful time renewing your vows and rebuilding Jakes memories.

I hope you'll find time to pop back and share your trip with us, I like a good wedding

[Dorsetcharlie in reply to Danslatete]

I will definitely share when we get back

[RogerCMerriman]

Buying another dress is good!

Just now and then understandably so my wife gets fed up that I'm not who I once was, I'm remarkably close but actually the same. The other day I'd done a fair bit of gardening, and was disappointed that I crashed the next day.

[Nutkin33]

Shame. What a journey you have had. I want to wish you all the best in renewing your marriage vows. That sounds such a wonderful event! Good luck and may you have a blessed event