Hows life been since brain injury?

[keeley24]

How has your life been since your brain injury? Do you feel you are same as before or how have you changed?

I had brain injury in 2012, was in hospital a month and half. Had to have physio to walk again but everyone said I made fast recovery. For me the worst thing about my accident was losing my dog. It was a car accident which we was in luckily I have no memory of the accident. A month after coming home my nan brought me a pup which has helped a lot both getting back to walking outside and coming to terms with the dog I lost. I now feel I'm back to how I was before, but my mum notices differences in me like I get angry faster which I don't agree with. I have been on ESA since the accident now in the work related one which I hope will help me get doing something towards getting a job. At the moment I don't go out much a relationship ended a few month after the accident and I haven't been out doing much to meet new people. I would like to do some admin or computer course both to meet people and help towards a job in future. I joined headway and have been to one medium night a few month back and did go to 1 women's group to talk about how we got head injury but the 2nd session was cancelled as not many could get and then it was cancelled altogether. There has been mention of a computer course and cooking course but no place been booked to have them so not looking like they will go ahead.

[Hidden]

I had my Tbi 53 years ago when I was just in my teens so I can't say whether I changed as a result of my accident but I have always been a person who would rather not socialise with strangers in case I drop a social blooper ( but still got married )

[cat3]

I think it's impossible to avoid some changes after brain injury. Mine was in Dec 2011 and it took around 12 months to realise that certain issues, including short term memory loss, slight mobility problems and heightened impatience weren't temporary, as I'd hoped.

I don't socialise anything like I used to as I become easily overwhelmed by excess stimulus and, to be honest, I've become more insular anyway. But I like to keep as physically & mentally active as possible to keep boredom at bay.

I think a computer or admin course is a great idea. I did a computer course a few years back and it was an amazing boost to self-confidence, plus I met many like-minded people.

Hope you go for it Keeley ; any type of learning is a sure route to a better quality of life. Good luck ! Cat x

[Kavib]

I had one last year in March. I suffered from a SAH. Any impact to the brain can cause a personality difference, just sharper. So I also get angry quickly and can't control it. I had a few therapy sessions that has helped me and I would recommend that.

I had to learn to walk again and it was hard. I have done 3 video blogs to help other people and to raise awareness. Please watch if you have time, they are only 15mins long and share.

youtu.be/7V5ESdgSnrU(Not working as expected?)

[Gaia_rising]

I've just had my first brain-iversary, ruptured aneurysm, leading to subarachnoid haemorrhage 27/2/15.

I've changed, but I've been very careful not to make that mean that my life had to (by which I mean other people's lives, of course, mine's pretty much constant pain, and correcting-first-impuls, to minimise the impact of me on others.)

I'm irritable, I was irritable 'before', but now, I want-to-snap at pretty much everything, my brain injury is frontal lobe, so emotional regulation, and impulsivity are massive issues.

I was 'lucky' to retain most of my functional capability, although I have to remind myself of that when I get out of the bath with the conditioner still in my hair AGAIN. I struggle with the 'simple' stuff, where my brain used to just 'get on with it', took me over an hour to change the bedding a couple of weekends back, because I kept getting 'stuck', and forgetting what I was meant to be doing. I have a weird displaced-anxiety, too, and panic about the most irrational of things, because my liner-logical thought pattern knows there's no point in panicking about the two remaining aneurysms, or the surgery I have scheduled in a couple of weeks...

I've lost about 2st, and all of my muscle-tone (and my BOOBS!), I'm hyper-sensitive to noise, smell, and certain types of light, I still tire more easily, and I still have unpredictable brain fog/fatigue. So, yes, I've changed a lot, but I can deal with it, because I'm the only one who can do it.

[Elenor3]

Hi , welcome my accident was almost six months ago. Lots of changes including personality changes. Trying to keep focused on moving forward is what I do to keep myself going. I'm not a fan of social media, but I've found that people on this forum understand the effects of tbi more than any of my family. Not really seeing 'friends' much - not sure about that whole thing now/socialising. Getting back to work must surely help at some stage. It's a case of weathering the storm. Good luck x

[Candace8]

Morning, it's been 5 years for me since my tbi in my car crash and I really hate tell you this but you really will have an anger issue 😘 it's very normal and most do. I'm happy to say it goes away , slowly but goes. You won't know your doing it so done worry about it, let the others you getting angry with do the worrying. Lol. My life has totally changed I was so severe. My long term boyfriend left 6 years, a couple of months after crash and all my friends did too, I was too much hard work. I was very angry, unable to talk, walk well anything actually. Still I win cause now after 5 years of hard work and constant pain I am back to normal , a limp and little balance and covered in braces, but other than them war wounds I am now a nicer person. I think after a tbi its hard to know when to get help mentally but when I hit the 5 year mark 6 months ago I decided I would now accept help. I now look back at when I first started going and find it hard to see I was in such a state mentally. Very screwed up and angry. Now it's a case of whatever it happened and by god I worked harder than I ever thought I could. I now have my own home, drive a new car and have a fantastic relationship with my dad and older brother now, I didn't before but I really do see things and people really diff now . I don't socialise now, my memorie works on some things but not others and you learn to use that to your advantage 😆. I have one friend and don't want a boyfriend now. One friend is enough xx

[sca2013]

>How has your life been since your brain injury?

Dec 2013 - A constant series of compensating strategies to try and get some level of acceptable (at least from my point of view) functioning. Always have to avoid excess lights, sound and movement to avoid instant physical and mental fatigue. Can't find the words I need. Sometimes can't speak a whole thought without forgetting part of the sentence. Never know from one day to the next if I'll be able to attend an event or do something. Other than this my life is f***ing fantastic. Sarcasm intended. Probably my outrage about the situation.

>Do you feel you are same as before or how have you changed?

No, much less or no patience, work days went from 10-12 hours 5-6 days a week to 4 hours 4 days per week. My executive function, short term memory and some long term memory is greatly reduced. It seems as though I am Just a shell of my former self. I work on adapting to the new me, a pretty difficult thing to accept. Still pretty angry about the loss of my former self.

[keeley24]

Thanks for all replies. I know my mum notices when I'm getting tired more than me and over xmas I went on holiday and played snooker which I'm not very good at best of times but last few shots of last game missed totally which must of been me getting tired. Yet I didn't feel tired. One thing I know I have changed with is drinking alcohol. I've never drank much but after my accident I was told to avoid any alcohol for a year because of risk of seizures. The thought of having a seizure was enough to make me avoid alcohol as I knew 1 seizure would effect me getting back to driving, wasn't worth the slight risk. After the year I did drink bits and don't realise when it's effecting me tho I don't feel that it effects me more than before, but based on my mum noticing more when I've had a drink now than she did before it must effect me more without me realising.

[Flumptious]

I had my accident in 2005. I was in hospital for 6 or 7 months, and off work for 18 months - I was really lucky that they let me go back, in the end!

I am 'blind', but I'd just say I have visual problems - looking straight forward, I see nothing to my right, so if I look in a mirror, I can't see my right eye. So, I can't drive, and I occasionally bump into things, but hey, I get a cheap TV license, cheap trains, and free buses!

I am the same person I used to be, although I think I worry more. My husband kept bringing our toddler into hospital, and he often brought a baby, as well. I didn't know why. I had forgotten a second pregnancy, moving house so we had room for her, and that lovely cute little baby. Those 18 months or so are still missing, but QTKT is now 11 years old, and I love her to pieces.

So, I went back to work, and my life is a lot like it always was. I have some problems (like not be able to drive), but in many ways, things are the same. I often think, well, I was very unlucky to fall off the bike in the first place, but I am very lucky that it didn't kill me, or leave me in a wheelchair*, or make me have to live in a home, or...

I think I worry a lot more, and I am much more tired, yawning all the time. My job, well, in many ways I am not as good as I used to be, but in other ways, I am probably just as good, or even better.

* I still vaguely remember what happened 6 months after the accident (which was in July). Just before Christmas, Mr Flump booked pantomime tickets, for our 4-year-old and the two of us, in a theatre near my rehab hospital. As you walk into town, there is a walkway under the train line, with steps at either end. Mr Flump wheeled me there, in the chair, and then I walked down the steps, and back up. Then he had to force me to get back into the chair. "I don't *need* the wheelchair!" "No, I know, but we thought you did, so we got a disabled ticket for the pantomime, so you have to *pretend*!"

[MXman]

Wow just reading through the posts here and its brought back my accident like it happened yesterday. The feelings and thoughts I was getting reading the posts just reminded me of that.

Hi Keeley my accident was last May in 2015 so very new to all this but the forum here has been an absolute God send for me as I have learnt so much here. The tough thing for me was that I really couldn't remember what happened and because of that It played on my mind to how it happened but know I know how it happened and what the problems were by speaking to those involved. Ha ha the worst part was that I honestly thought I was ok but I really wasn't.

The main change for me was me, the old version Version 1 was gone and a new version was me in early Bi recovery. I was taught on here that there would be more versions to come (thank you Roger) Im never going to be the same as V1 but a mix of the old and new and I have learnt that acceptance is the key along with tolerance, patience and a little love. I feel so much better now and I'm improving day after day.

The one problem I really still suffer from but have learnt to read the signs even thought last week I didn't and carried on and regretted it is Brain Fatigue. It can jump on me quickly but the warning signs will be there. Its a new thing for me since Bi as I never had it before.

So in conclusion we are all works in progress but life is a damb site better now than it was in May. Have a great Sunday evening. XX Nick

[dark-angel-79]

Have a look at your local areas library and adult learning course. If your in reciept of benefits, you may be able to pick up a course in your area.

I myself qualified after TBI as a computer technician (comptia) but I would say go with the level your happy with.

Nowadays, its all 3 yr or so then retake exam, even Microsoft now are phasing out their MCSA - MCSE etc to have new syllabus.

I know this is a few years out of post, but I do hope you got into the job and or training you where looking for.

Please come back and let us all know.

DA79