lady4getful,

Sorry to hear of your struggles. Your situation sounds like the normal route most of us have had to negotiate as we deal with PCS. Work Comp just makes it worse because they treat you like a mushroom. They leave you in the dark and feed you bs.

First, you need a Work Comp attorney and right now. Go to www.tbilaw.com, read up on mTBI and the problems with insurance companies. See if there is a refewrral to an attorney in your area. You want someone with strong experience in mTBI.

Get a copy of all of your medical records. Keep a file of everything. Start a journal of your daily activities, successes and failures, etc. Note the comments from fellow workers.

Regarding your health condition. You have Multiple Impact Syndrome. The concussions you have suffered in just a year's time magnify each other. The injury from each successive impact causes much more damage from the same or even less force. Your last concussion likely did 10 times the damage as your first, even if it was less forceful.

Go to www.tbiguide.com and download and print out the TBI Survival Guide. You will recognize many of your symptoms.

Regarding your job, If you were injured each time due to the aggressiveness of the residents, your employer should have done something to better protect you. A good mTBI attorney should be able to tell you how this effects you ability to recover damages to help with your future.

Regarding your future. You will be learning a great amount this coming year as you navigate the PCS world. If your grad school direction was in counseling or other therapy/social work areas, there is a great need for such workers who really understand PCS. And PCS with PTSD is even in greater need for good professionals. Take it slow and learn from your own life experiences.

Most of all, try to lower stress in your life. Limit your exposure to stressful environments. Try to moderate your reactions to others, even if you have to turn and walk away. It is not worth the stress on your brain. Try to limit your caffeine intake. Get good rest. Get good nutrition for your brain. It needs B vitamins, folic acid, D3, omega 3's, anti-oxidants, etc. You might benefit from a hormone assessment. All hormones, thyroid, etc should be assessed. A concussion can send your hormones on a roller coaster ride.

There is lots more but it would help if you posted more about your struggles. Tell us specifics. There are years, more like decades of experience on this forum.

Keep in touch.

My best to you.