How to survive TBI

The thing about TBI is there are so many degrees and variables. Some recent information I have found suggests that the degree of recovery and lasting effects may be directly related to the amount of social and psychological support the person has.

... At 12 I was pretty screwed. While I had a lot better support than many people in the world, and I love and appreciate my parents, they had pretty screwed up thinking patterns and psychology from their own traumatic life experiences so it was not exactly in line with what a person needs when recovering from TBI.


Maybe that is why I really liked this article I found:


https://www.brainline.org/article/lost-found-what-brain-injury-survivors-want-you-know#comment-44708


I especially wish my parents had understood this one about me when I was a teen:

"We need cheerleaders now, as we start over, just like children do when they are growing up. Please help me and encourage all efforts. Please don’t be negative or critical. I am doing the best I can."

[I was really screwed on that one because Negative and Critical are my parents' middle names]




That and the stuff about sleeping. I got raked over the coals a lot about sleeping too much and being lazy.

...which is really stupid now that I think about it because in high school I was on the cross country, track and swim teams. Regularly placing, #1 for girls in distance running -holding at least 3 school records. I was on the yearbook staff, I was active in my church activities, I participated in student counsels, I was in the honor society and usually held at least one job.

...sigh... reprocessing


maybe I am not so worthless. ...although I was battling serious depression, mood stability and suicidal thoughts then.

some reliving there.

...But I have made huge progress. I do have much more ground now than I did then.

.... and yet so much less at the same time as my life and prospects grow ever shorter and ever stranger.


40 is possibly my weirdest year yet.

and for some strange reason I find this encouraging.