Nobody expects a brain injury

One thing that has struck me since the accident is nobody EVER thinks that they will get a brain injury. I’ll be honest before I had a brain injury I knew absolutely nothing about them! My whole life I’ve worried I may get cancer, dementia, heart disease or have a stroke, but what I never considered was a brain injury. I don’t think anyone does. This is one thing I’ve taken from my injury, I want to create awareness about brain injuries! I want to make that my goal, to take what I’ve experienced and help others understand brain injury.

[Hidden]

Good for you, Ourlar!

You are right - brain injury is not something you think would ever happen to you or your family so when it does, the shock and disbelief can be overwhelming. As you say, you think you might be more prone to genetic diseases such as arthritis or something not uncommon such as cancer or dementia. Never in a million years would I have thought my daughter would suffer a brain injury - I still find it difficult to comprehend 3 years later. I think it is because it is completely life changing and unlike a lot of other illness where full recovery is possible, in my experience and what I’ve read from others on this site, I don’t think you ever fully recover from a brain injury. I think there is a lack of awareness surrounding this and some might think you have brain injury, recover and then everything is back to normal when in fact nothing is ever ‘normal’ again!

[Pairofboots]

The thing is, all the illnesses you mention about being worried about, all are implicit in brain injury, or a contributing factor. Not all injuries are traumatic.

In your admirable quest to promote awareness, please be aware of all brain injury.

[Nafnaf87]

Best of luck with your quest to raise awareness and give something back. I had the same idea 23 years ago after my severe (Glasgow scale 8) TBI and am sure today my story could help many others.

Truth is nobody is interested: not the GP, not the community mental health team, not the local brain injury service and certainly not the Benefits Agency.

I despair but will continue trying in the hope somebody somewhere will help.

[Hopefull22 in reply to Nafnaf87]

I so agree with you. As our son of 32 had a TBI March 2020. He has lost his ability to read. Which was one of his passions also no longer able to drive, as to peripheral damage. Still waiting on proper rehabilitation, any progress made has been since we got him home. As for NHS (medical and crises teams), I think they just do ticking the boxes exercises. My son (like his dad and sister all in practice within nhs, obviously my son isn’t now because of his injuries. So if this is how they treat a colleague but chance had joe public got? Any rehabilitation he’s received we’ve had to pay for it. This makes my blood boil. This accident would never have happened if the so called “consultant” had listened to us. I hold her responsible. So wish you success for in trying,wish there were more like you. I certainly would not like any other family to go through what we are going through.

[lcd8]

Good for you. I think this is something society desperately needs. Everyone is aware of cancer, heart attack etc. But head injuries can be just as debilitating - and cause many different symptoms.

[ksws]

I don't have a brain injury, but my husband does. Our lives were and are turned upside down...and personally, I feel whatever the cause/reason for a brain injury...the resulting difficulties are always traumatic!! Just saying 🤔.

[escocia]

It's pretty obvious once you consider it that someone as fragile and complex as your brain might be physically injured but it's such a misunderstood condition caused by any number of obscure issues with different names that nobody much thinks of it. Head injury, acquired brain injury, concussion, brain damage etc all mean the same thing but we never thing too hard about what it means until we are faced with it.

[lloydyuk]

It’s true. I never knew or thought anything about brain injury….until I had one!