Lessons learned from living with all these injuries to the brain:

Whatever I'm feeling at any given time will change for better or worse at the drop of a hat. I'm used to this.

I have the power to make my overall quality of life better, even when I feel like crud.

When new symptoms sneak in, it is not "all in my head". Because I'm so accustomed to the multiple odd sensations that go with TBI, I must not assume that these new symptoms are just my brain playing tricks. Case in point: Newly discovered vitamin deficiencies mimic and exacerbate my TBI symptoms. Other medical issues are under examination as well.

A solid primary care physician is one of my biggest assets. I finally have one on my case, and he has saved me from much confusion with his expertise.

Fatigue, confusion and memory disorders are the most persistent symptoms I experience. When I need rest, I take it. When I'm beset by confusion, I get myself into an environment where the risk of sensory overload is minimised, and then find one good focal point (usually breathing) and stay with that. Short-term memory challenges are a constant. If I don't write it down, it's gonna slip away. Abbreviated notes work best for me.

Isolationism is the enemy. I'm not alone in this, even when I feel like I am. I am a unique person, as is everyone...but I'm not that unique. Therefore I must stay in touch with a variety of people and keep talking.

New ways of doing things are always worthy of investigation. It's all too easy to slip into the familiar ways of minimising and/or hiding from these challenges that these injuries have presented.

Whatever I set out to do, I must always allow lots of extra time. I'll need that time to process sensory input without rushing myself. When I cram the schedule and get in a lather over time, I run myself down real quick. The risk of injury is much higher, too.

This is a start of my list of ways to be "living with it". Thanks for listening, and if any of my methods are helpful to you, it's purely a delightful coincidence.

Soon I aim to chronicle my history in another thread. This thread is the beginning of the latest process of me opening up and getting off too many years of hiding in a cave of my making.

Good health to us all!

Jeff