Hi everyone, I was just wondering if any members have applied for one and if so have they found them useful? I ask because as you all know you appear 'normal' to the outside world but when I am asked to do various tasks or favours ,if I decline I am asked why or snubbed because I am perceived as lazy or cannot be bothered when in reality the fatigue and anxiety is killing me!
I have just got my card today and thought it may be a good idea just to show it to the uninformed if such situations arise again which is something I would have been aghast to even think about a few years ago! but now more awareness of mental health and TBI has taken the stigma and shame away( I think)
Anyway I was just hoping some of you lovely folks out there might have had cause to use or consider getting the card.
I will update again eventually to let you know about my experiences of using it - I believe the main use is to present it to Police etc but sure it can be used generally to avoid us TBI's being peer pressured when unable to do so?
What's your thought's ??
Health and happiness to you all!!
Davie
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davietich
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I received one after I had the pipeline stent and the 17 coils placed . I think it was given to protect me if anything happens . I applied for a disabled parking card which I did get apart from that —nothing 🤗🏴
I have a card Davie and it has proved a get out of jail free card when I have impulsively made a purchase that does not seem such a good idea the next day.
Yes ,I can see it would be useful in these circumstances as well as many others as we all have different symptoms and shortcomings after a TBI .
I have tried in the past explaining to people about my condition but the skeptical looks I got I felt I wasn't being believed , it will be a lot easier and discreet just to show the card if the occasion requires.
Hi Beck, it is available through Headway website, you need to provide medical proof of BI , like a Doctor's letter confirming the diagnosis etc. but the application takes you through the process easily ! Try the following link or Google ' Headway brain injury card'
Well, they're well worth carrying. My balance is'nt always great, a dozy copper could misread and think I'm under the influence and that could cause problems, the card would negate the reaction. Also I have executive function problems and can say or do crazy things on impulse, if needed the card explains why.
Last week I got stopped by security coming out of Tesco apparently the alarm was going, I hasten to say not through anything I had done. The heavy handed security teams request for me to stop caused me to adversley react. I knew I had my receipt, I had paid, so surely it couldn't be me they wanted to stop. I'm a fit strong ex sportsman with a TBI so I let them have it, threatened to deck them if they came one step closer, etc, etc.
A few days later I went back and showed my card to help explain why I acted such, I had a brain injury and can be unpredictable. (Not as an apology, as I can't apologise for having a TBI).............
Yes I think that is mainly what it is intended for as we all know with a TBI we can become angry and frustrated over very little and the card will certainly help enormously in many situations.
Wishing you the best of luck, this TBI really sucks - if only we could turn the clock back and take a different path to the one we did on the day!! - Wishful thinking!!
Hi I got my husband one.He loves to wear it when we are out.He doesn't go out alone but if I turn my back for a minute he could wander off.I added my mobile number to the back too.As you say he looks normal but can sometimes come out with something inappropriate.He wears his on a lanyard round his neck so people can see it.x
Similarly to one of the respondents above my balance is awful and I'm very uncoordinated. A lady who saw me picking my daughter up and getting into my car obviously thought I had been drinking and reported me. Next thing I knew the police turned up at my house. But when I explained about my BI and showed my card they were very understanding. On the whole the public are very ignorant about BI though.
I have one had mine around 3 years now I was on the trial cards before made public but at moment no one will take notice if it if I show it had to prove if had a brain injury but all I had to show was letters from hospital who operated on me
I possess one and have it with me in my wallet in case I ever need it. Thankfully, I haven’t yet. I also heavily recommend the M/cr Airport hidden disability, coloured landyard which enables you to get through the airport with far less trouble.
I don't have one and perhaps I should for the worse case scenario (I hit someone). And at least I wouldn't be waiting for a solicitor for my defense to begin.
I'm struggling to think where else I could use it, certainly someone knowing I have a TBI doesn't solve the hidden bit.
I’ve got mine and use it as ID for all kinds of things.. the look on people’s face when they look at it and spend time examining it because they haven’t seen one before haha.. it great the way it list your main symptoms and when you’ve shown it somebody they seem to accept it
Now I have a coping strategy which avoids the key trigger.
Before my bi I used to be good at mental arithmetic and would have money ready at the till.
After my bi I would get to the till, struggle getting money out and then argue that I had been short changed (almost to the point of being arrested on several occasions). The Headway card made such a difference and people actually started to count my change out to me adding it up as they went along.
My coping strategy now is :
Get a fixed amount out of the bank and write it down.
Do the shopping.
Get home and put the shopping away.
After a rest add up all the receipts and subtract from the amount I started with.
Hi I have been planing to get an ID card for a year now. As I forget everything(no exaggeration) I have a note on my whiteboard to remind me. Problem is my photo. I have been to the one shop in my area (rural) which has a photo booth many times and either it is too complicated for me to go to the cash machine and get change or as usual I stroll past the machine and forget this is why I have come to this particular shop. However I am determined to do this and come hell or high water I will but goodness knows when. Next plan is to get my daughter to remind me, help me, and/or go with me and get the deed done - if I remember!!! Wish me luck.
Hello, do you have a local Headway group as I am sure they would arrange to assist you with the necessary steps.
Best wishes and hope all goes ok for you , I believe the card would be an enormous boon for you,even having it on your person gives a feeling of assurance.
I have the older card, for myself bar possibly any dealings with police etc, I don’t really seem to have a need for it, so I did start but decided against it, i just don’t have the energy/time to sort it really. Most of the time I’m quite human like, it’s only when I’m very tired that it is more obvious.
Got my photo today after getting a little more focus after the message yesterday so just got to fill in the form. Many thanks for your encouragement and support - it worked! Clare
Well done Clare, very pleased for you - that was a big step forward! Yes this is a great group for encouragement and support, please let us know in future how you get on. ie if you have had the chance to use it.
Hello @davietich. Sorry if this is a cross post but only just seen this post so apologies for late reply. Health and happiness to you too!
The Department for Transport (DfT) had a consultation a while back on their Accessibility Plan and lots of other connected projects. They incorporate responses into their policy and I've noticed cards like this are mentioned a lot and by a lot of people. If you are able to it's worth keeping an eye on their consultations pages. I will post a separate post perhaps with the details...
I would they could be a way to pass the comments on here directly to them as I've noticed this topic pop up from time to time but sometimes there's so much useful information to wade through it helps to have it all in one place. I learn so much here by accident and I wish I could point people *who run things* to really useful threads sometimes as the comments are gold!
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