TBI S-O-S! Restoring a Sense-Of-Self after Brain Injury and Concussion
Days of pushing, days of rest
When I need to rest… I rest.
I’m taking it easy today. I rode my bike this morning, but I didn’t do any weight lifting. I’m still sore. Plus, I swam last evening after work, and I was still feeling it this morning.
So, I let myself rest.
I’ve made the mistake in the past to not get enough recovery time.
I paid for that.
I know better now – more importantly, I’m doing better now.
I am a long-term multiple (mild) Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI or TBI) survivor who experienced assaults, falls, car accidents, sports-related injuries in the 1960s, '70s, '80s, and '90s. My last mild TBI was in 2004, but it was definitely the worst of the lot.
I never received medical treatment for my injuries, some of which were sports injuries (and you have to get back in the game!), but I have been living very successfully with cognitive/behavioral (social, emotional, functional) symptoms and complications since I was a young kid. I’ve done it so well, in fact, that virtually nobody knows that I sustained those injuries… and the folks who do know, haven’t fully realized just how it’s impacted my life.
It has impacted my life, however. In serious and debilitating ways. I’m coming out from behind the shields I’ve put up, in hopes of successfully addressing my own (invisible) challenges and helping others to see that sustaining a TBI is not the end of the world, and they can, in fact, live happy, fulfilled, productive lives in spite of it all.
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2 thoughts on “Days of pushing, days of rest”
Just saying hello. Happy December.
Tonight we are heading to a seminar on handling the holidays with TBI.
My daughter found the opportunity, so I cleared the calendar to make it happen.
XC is over. She’s been doing speed work now, as she wants to pass the time trials to make the track team. (If it could be based on will alone, she’d do it–but overcoming previous muscle atrophy from other leg injuries takes time along with the consistent effort.) She’s also been exposing herself to oncoming car lights at night more often now–wants to overcome that challenge. Goals are good. Rest is awesome too after pushing it a bit.
Sounds like your daughter has found her vein of courage that she can tap. Most excellent. Dedication and hard work — along with plenty of rest — is a great way to go.
Exposure therapy is very unpleasant, but it can work. I can now get in my car and turn on the ignition without buckling the seat belt first, and I don’t feel like my head is going to explode from the beeping of the seat belt alert buzzer.
Broken Brain - Brilliant Mind 
Just saying hello. Happy December.
Tonight we are heading to a seminar on handling the holidays with TBI.
My daughter found the opportunity, so I cleared the calendar to make it happen.
XC is over. She’s been doing speed work now, as she wants to pass the time trials to make the track team. (If it could be based on will alone, she’d do it–but overcoming previous muscle atrophy from other leg injuries takes time along with the consistent effort.) She’s also been exposing herself to oncoming car lights at night more often now–wants to overcome that challenge. Goals are good. Rest is awesome too after pushing it a bit.
Take care!
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Happy December to you, as well.
Sounds like your daughter has found her vein of courage that she can tap. Most excellent. Dedication and hard work — along with plenty of rest — is a great way to go.
Exposure therapy is very unpleasant, but it can work. I can now get in my car and turn on the ignition without buckling the seat belt first, and I don’t feel like my head is going to explode from the beeping of the seat belt alert buzzer.
Onward… together.
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