Hi all,

Unfortunately after having a good year with a decent amount of progress and without much in the way of setbacks, I have officially had a major setback.

I was doing really well this summer, working about 30 hours a week and going out with friends and traveling on the weekends. I was still experiencing some symptoms (fatigue and dizziness) but was determined to just push through and live my life like I used to before my TBI. But I think I must have overdone it because for the past month I have been very very dizzy. It feels like all my vestibular symptoms I had gotten rid of are back and worse than ever. I've been getting bad headaches again, reading/computer time is more challenging, I feel my balance is off and I am disoriented a lot. I've been spending a lot of time just laying down and resting.

I am just trying to keep my head above water and go to school (I'm taking 3 classes this semester, and I have only 3 more to go after that). I had hoped to work part-time as well but that seems out of the question right now. I am definitely going to go back to Vestibular Therapy.

But honestly I'm really depressed. I can't stop crying and I have no appetite or interest in anything. I don't even want to go to school but I know if I leave this semester I'll never go back and get my degree. I feel like I can't be autonomous from my parents because my financial situation is really bad. I'm turning 26 soon and then I won't have any insurance for my therapies. I just want to live a semi-normal life but even if I finish school I don't know how I can manage working full time with the constant dizziness I feel, let alone try to balance a social life on top of that. It all just seems to be too much.

I don't want this to seem like a pity party, I know we're all struggling. But I just don't know what to do anymore. Any advice or kind words would be helpful. Thanks.