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Old 03-20-2011, 11:35 AM
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Margarite Margarite is offline
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: USA
Posts: 162
10 yr Member
Margarite Margarite is offline
Member
Margarite's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: USA
Posts: 162
10 yr Member
Red face We all commiserate

Sorry to hear about your troubles, we all are going through similar troubles and feel for you.

The advise I can give you is
1) DO NOT GET A SECOND CONCUSSION!!!!

2) Realize that this healing process might last three months or a year or even longer than that, if this is your first concussion, chances are you will heal within a year...but it doesn't mean anything super bad if it takes longer.

3) If all the docs say there is nothing seriously wrong with you, it means that you are basically OK. All docs know to do right now is treat each symptom, they don't really know what is wrong with us, but if they said you are clear you aren't going to keel over or anything.

4) Find something that can motivate you both short term and long term. This has to motivate you to get out of bed every morning and slowly push you to try new things. You probably can't work out and definitely don't do something where you might hit your head again, but push yourself. For me this is keeping my friends and family from worrying. I also know that if I give in just once to sleeping all day or quitting college, then I will give in for good...I know my weaknesses, and if I give in once I will give in for good.

5) Realize that this is an opportunity. Yes it is ridiculously hard and frustrating, but it is through the hardest things in life that we can grow the most. I have pushed myself further than I would have though possible. I have learned more about myself. I have learned that many things like cards and movies and books can be a lot of fun. I don't dance or jump up and down any more because I will pay for it sorely for the next month if I do. When I work out it is all low impact and I have to be careful not to let my heart rate go up too high. I am 21 years old and I still love having a good time, I have just redefined what a good time is.

I am trying to give you the facts because in the first year of my PCS I saw 8 docs and none of them said more than "Yep, you got a concussion alright...you should be better in a couple months...." Well, I got 6 concussions in the year following my first concussion (all from unlucky coincidence) and it has been over a year since my last concussion. I still have daily headaches, nausea, dizziness, trouble with concentration, trouble with any activity, my immune system is down, I have constant pressure in my head, and more. But all the doctors say I am fine.
I have learned to cope. I get mostly A's and B's in an intense 20 credit/semester Liberal Arts college (I had a 3.8 GPA in high school which sunk to a 2.1 immediately after the concussion and has risen to a 3.3 now). I am planning on going to graduate school for Architecture or nursing.

I believe that while this injury has changed me for the rest of my life, I am a better person for it. I have more sympathy for those who are sick and injured, I have more of an understanding of myself, and I have learned to live life to the fullest because tomorrow it might be changed completely or life could just slip away.

I am sorry this is so long, but I was so desperate for answers when I first got my concussion and it was not until a full year after my first concussion that I started to understand what was going on with my body. If you have any questions, please just private message me...
Good Luck!
Margarite
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