I think for us to start off on the right foot, it is important to be upfront and honest. Sometimes as professionals and therapists we tend to sugarcoat things, but that was for the hospital. Now you’re home and things just got real.
Here is the hard truth: having a brain injury is a lifetime diagnosis.
I tell my patients all the time: if only hurting your brain was the same as breaking a bone. You know when the bone is healed, you put a cast on it, rest it, sit on the couch for a few weeks eating Cheetos and then magically the doctor says “It’s better!” The cast comes off and suddenly no one would ever know that you had anything wrong in the first place.
But brain injury just isn’t the same.
Now, let’s take a minute and really think about what the brain is responsible for.
The answer is: EVERYTHING.
Seriously, everything – sensations, movements, thoughts, basic bodily functions – none of that could happen without your brain.
After considering what a ‘healthy’ brain is responsible for, it starts making sense why there will always be new obstacles to face after an injury and the importance of learning to respect the sheer magnitude of what it means to be living with a brain injury.
It’s ok to still be facing challenges. Returning to your previous life can be hard when who you are now is so different. As therapists, we have the advantage of only knowing you and your family after the injury, but you know what it was like before (who you were, what you were good at) and you are constantly reminded that it will never be the same again.
That’s why we’re here. You don’t have to know all the answers, you just have to be willing to ask:
“what can I do to keep moving forward?”
Dealing with Life Beyond Rehab is about finding ways to still make life work while trying to reconcile how it was before with how it is now. It doesn’t necessarily mean you CAN’T do something, it means learning to do it differently.
As we all know, humans love change (said no one ever). We hate it! But that doesn’t make it bad. Changing expectations and keeping your heart open to life being different is the first step to staying successful. If your brain can’t do something by itself anymore, what can you do to compensate for it? Write stuff down, use a calendar, set alarms, take short breaks during the day – all simple ways to accommodate for the changes you are experiencing since your brain injury.
We want to post what you care about. Take the time to visit our website:
www.lifebeyondrehab.com
scroll to the bottom and let us know what topics are most important to you by filling out our “Contact Us” form.
If you or your caregiver need help navigating life after brain injury through education, support or individualized strategies, don’t hesitate to pick up the phone and give us a call at
480-881-1487
for your free 15 minute consultation – we’re here to help guide you through
LIFE BEYOND REHAB.
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