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What Happens to Life When TBI Moves In

In the past ten years, I found myself laughing when I thought of Hugh’s pre-injury days—those glorious days when I thought I was so busy and hectic. Once the dreaded accident phone call came and I rushed to the emergency room, I discovered what busy was all about.

We Can Do Hard Things

Brain injury has been a type of boot camp for our family, a crash course in thickening our skins and tackling struggle head-on. And although none of us signed up for it willingly, I think we can all agree it’s been strenuous and valuable preparation for whatever challenges lie ahead.

NeuroStorm of the Century, Part 2 of 3: All Forms of Communication

As weeks and then months went by, the monitors were gradually removed and it became more important for family and friends to communicate with nursing staff regarding Josh's neurostorms.

Compassion with a Catch

Immediately following a brain injury, outsiders often reiterate to survivors how grateful they are for that person’s survival and how accepting they plan to b. But when put to the test in everyday life, we quickly discover it’s tough to respond with unwavering compassion.

Spaces

As a survivor, I distinctly define the before and after. Everything was profoundly different in the before, and now we exist in the after. I can almost see the marker in my mind. This is what the after looked like a few nights ago...

Caregivers Speak Out: Caregiver Challenges

Caregivers play a vital role in helping veterans recover from TBI and post-traumatic stress. In this article, four military caregivers describe the first major challenge they faced as they began taking on the role of caregiver.

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It's Okay Not to Be Okay

Four years later, as some of the dismal fog lifts, I can see that out of fear of letting anyone down, there have been many times that I’d proudly adorned the “I’m fine” mask. The truth is, there is no way to be the same Mom, wife, daughter, sister, aunt, friend or anything after every fiber of your being has suffered radical rewiring.

How Can We Help Each Other Going Forward?

I know this is a hard truth, one that many doctors and insurance companies will scoff at, one that many people might think is unrealistic, but caring for the caregiver in tandem with the person who has a brain injury is vitally important. TBI caregivers need to be educated about brain injury and what it entails.

Self-Care

Make time for yourself, so you can make time for other people and other things. Put yourself last, and you will begin to fail miserably at the roles and responsibilities you aim to fulfill.

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When Caregivers Respond

Here’s a question well worth exploring for caregivers: Am I reacting to daily events as if in crisis mode or am I responding? After the chaos of the first days and weeks of TBI, there’s much to be done; and a lot can be at stake if things are not properly handled as time goes by.

No Such Thing as Fair

In the world of brain injury, the closest we will ever get to fairness is achieving balance. Some days you get what you need and other days you don’t.

Embrace the Suck

This is the darker side of brain injury, and luckily not every family has these dark moments. However, many do.

The Afterlife

It can take years to accept a loved one’s afterlife, and it may take a decade. I’m not talking about life after death; I’m talking about life after a family member’s brain injury.

The Magic of Moments

The interesting thing about brain injury is being left with a before and after—lifetimes separated by that one moment that changed everything. Last week Nicole and her family set out on an old, but once again new, adventure...

Invincible

I’m glad I can still remember when my dad was invincible. It’s all I kept thinking, over and over again. Is this as terrible as it sounds? Should I cry? What do we do? How did we get here?

A New Kind of Optimism

“This isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon.” We needed to slow down because this thing was going to be with us for a while. The quote reminded our family to conserve our strength, energy, and abilities to stay the course...

One More Day

What just happened? Can I handle this? And the one question many TBI spouses ask themselves: Will my husband ever be the same? Will I ever be the same?

A Delicate Pendulum

As TC and I prepare for the upcoming birth of our second child, my head is filled with all the anticipation and questions you’d expect from any new parent. But it’s also filled with the unique worries that can only accompany the experience of expanding your family in the aftermath of brain injury.

An Unexpected Miracle

I was finally able to do something that I’ve not been able to in several years. And I was able to do it with new hope.

Shout-out to All the Superheroes

Since his injury, my husband and I have come to agree on one point: we will never fully understand each other’s struggle in this mess. And while we can never hope to fully appreciate the depth or complexity of each other’s experiences, we do our best to stay constantly respectful of the hard work that keeps us going.