One of the most maddening things about having a traumatic brain injury is that everyone is different, meaning there are no specific set of rules that will help you. In reality, there are very little guidelines out there to help you at all. Before you know it, you're screaming at your step father because he put the dishes away too loudly and it felt like someone was scraping a knife on your eardrum (or is that just me?).
Sorry, but the brilliant advice to just "rest" was not enough to keep me from turning into an angry psychopath who hated light, noise and human interaction for a few months.
Here is a list of things you will need to survive this:
1. Sunglasses and heavy duty earplugs. If you're like many TBI patients, everyday noises sound like an orchestra is playing inside your ear canal and normal lights cause you to feel like you're staring straight into the sun. Unscrewing a few lightbulbs and dimming TV, computer and phone screens works wonders too. Even if you don't feel this way, the earplugs will help when someone's talking is pissing you off or when you just cannot fall asleep. Speaking of sleep...
2. Sleepytime tea and melatonin. Trying to fall asleep can be an absolute nightmare for TBI patients, which is unfortunate because sleep is the only time your brain can really heal. Even the crickets outside can cause you to stay wide awake all night, no matter how exhausted you are. Some warm tea and a melatonin supplement saved my life when I just could not sleep. You shouldn't take melatonin everyday, though. I'm not a fan of sleeping pills, but your doctor can prescribe them if you aren't sleeping at all since your accident.
3. Therapist/counselor. Of course it isn't talked about, but depression, anxiety, mood swings and more are a real problem for people after a TBI. It is normal to feel like a completely different person after your accident - your brain chemicals are all thrown off and you just aren't functioning like you normally would. As soon as you feel the symptoms of mood problems starting, it is very important to talk to someone right away. It will only get worse with time, even if your brain is getting better.
4. A new/old hobby. After the injury, you might lose the ability to do most or all of the activities you would normally do for pleasure. However, there might be a way around it. When I was in really bad shape, I could not watch TV, write or read without getting TBI symptoms, but I did find that I could paint without getting symptoms. This is a time to appreciate the things you can do, not the things you can't (because we all know there are quite a lot of things you can't do right now, and that is depression).
5. Someone to confide in about everything. I know it's tempting to push everyone away because nobody really understands what you're going through, but you need one person, at least one person, to talk to. I had it in my head that no one cared about me, but the truth is, they just don't know what to do to help. So talk to one person about what you're going through everyday and tell them how they can help. Trust me, you don't want to lose everyone because of this TBI. It might seem like no one is there for you, but the people who really love you are nearby and waiting to help as soon as you ask for it.
6. Massage therapist/physical therapist. Depending on the severity of your injury, a physical therapist might be needed. My injury wasn't too severe, but I went months without getting proper treatment for my neck. I regret this because no, it didn't "heal on its own." Your doctor can decide if you need a physical therapist, but almost any blow to the head should require some kind of treatment. A trip to a massage therapist may save you many sleepless nights.
Don't Give Up!
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