How many of us, TBI survivors, do things or say things only to wonder, minutes later, "Why did I do that?" We go through our day-to-day lives, doing the best we can as we try to "normalize", and we often find ourselves doing these things we think are normal when they aren't at all. It becomes routine to do things without understanding why or thinking anything about them; ... Read On
I Am the Forgotten Man
I am one of the many: a man who has experienced a Traumatic Brain Injury and feels forgotten. I am left wondering where my place is in the world and why I'm so easily cast aside. We survivors, as a group, constantly deal with feelings of "being forgotten" and of being alone and not having a place for ourselves. Is there a way we can learn to live our lives and do something ... Read On
Brain Injury, Mindfulness and an Owl
The first years after my brain injury were a time filled with an incredible amount of confusion and despair. I had suddenly lost my skills and abilities; the stuff that defined me, and had no where to turn. Forty one years ago, when I had my injury, nobody knew anything about brain injury and I felt like a rowboat drifting on the open sea. I realized that I needed some ... Read On
Finding Our Toothpaste Confidence
We are all aware that, in life, many things can be accomplished with the right blend of attitude and skill. Tell that to those of us who have experienced a brain injury; our skills and abilities have been diminished and our confidence takes a huge hit. We just don't think we can anymore. My Struggle One thing I struggled with after my brain injury was the danger of ... Read On
“Stuff” I Have Forgotten Since My TBI
Of course there have been many things - all kinds of things - I have forgotten at some point since my TBI, but I'm not talking here about everyday things. I don't mean it the same way that we TBI survivors have become used to: those memory problems that plague us daily and won't go away. Forgetting in our daily lives is something we are all familiar with. We forget things ... Read On