Survival Stories
 

My brain fog is really bad today (along with all my other symptoms), so this is more difficult than usual. But I'm tired of sitting around in the dark by myself doing nothing, so I have to post.

Here are some survival stories. The details are gruesome, but the overall message in each case is one of hope. These stories show us just how much we are capable of enduring and still bouncing back.

1. Viktor Frankl

Viktor Frankl spent two-and-a-half years in concentration camps and managed to survive by the skin of his teeth. His family members were not as fortunate. After his liberation, he went on to become one of the most successful and influential psychiatrists in the world. He is the author of the book Man's Search for Meaning, which is the best book on suffering I've ever read.

http://www.amazon.com/Mans-Search-Me...8839710&sr=8-1

2. James Stockdale

James Stockdale was a POW in Vietnam for seven-and-a-half years, including four years in solitary confinement. He was subjected to shockingly brutal treatment. After this incredible ordeal, he somehow managed to publish several books and become Ross Perot's vice presidential candidate in 1992.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Stockdale

3. Louis Zamperini

At the beginning of the 1940s, Louis Zamperini was poised to win an Olympic gold medal and become the first person to ever break the 4-minute mile. Instead of going to the 1940 Olympics, which were canceled, he was later drafted into WWII. In early 1943, his plane was shot down over the Pacific Ocean and he and a fellow soldier spent 47 days on a life raft with no provisions. After drifting over 1000 miles, he was captured by the Japanese and spent the next 2 years under horrific conditions in Japanese POW camps. After the war, he eventually managed to forgive his tormentors and go on to live a long and fulfilling life. His tale is the subject of Laura Hillenbrand's book Unbroken:

http://www.amazon.com/Unbroken-World...8840355&sr=8-1

We in this forum are undergoing horrible suffering of a different kind--but it is terrible nonetheless. But our suffering will not last forever, and while some of us may not recover 100%, the vast majority of us will recover much of what we have lost. Even if you have lost your career (as is looking more and more likely in my case), there is always hope for you to rebuild your life after your injury. There is no telling who you might meet, what opportunities might greet you, or what wonderful experiences you may yet have. You might grow in wonderful and unexpected ways. You may discover a hidden talent or a new interest.

Do not lose hope that you can rebuild your life and find meaning and contentment again. We are in a dark time, but like those people I mentioned above, we have the power to rise above our circumstances and come out on the other end of our ordeals as better people.

Pete

These are some very good and inspirational stories you posted...Thanks!

...and your so right. Its just getting through this dark time that is the hardest....it just doesn't seem like there is a light at the end of the tunnel at times. Thank you for the stories you posted and the encouraging words to follow them.

This actually kinda made my day.

P.S. Your not the only one hiding out in the dark tonight. I'm laying here doing the same...browsing from my dimly lit smart phone...hahaha...and my day has probably gone the same as your's.

Way to go, Xanadu. Way to mess up MY pity party! :o

We've had a rough start to 2012 with 2 break-ins in our garage losing $8000 in tools the first time and a $10,000 Harley the 2nd time. Insurance denied the first claim and the 2nd is pending. We moved from our home of 23 years to one of our smaller rentals so it is easier for hubby to get around and less stairs for him to fall on, etc. Thus, Farm Bureau says they won't pay because we weren't occupying the house at that time. Nevermind we are out there 3 - 5 times every week doing stuff...

So, I've gone from feeling completely overwhelmed to slightly beyond completely overwhelmed.

So I thank you for your timely reminder (I know it was directed at those of you with PCS, but I have PCS by association :winky: ).

Amy,

Wow, I'm sorry to hear about your struggles. That has to be hard to deal with on top of your husbands struggles with PCS. I hope things turn around for you guys real soon.

A couple survival stories from mountaineering.... I think there are movies and books. But you might be able to find details on Wikipedia or something.

1) Touching the Void - guy fell into a crevasse and dragged himself across a boulder field with one (maybe two?) broken legs to find help

2) 127 hours - dude trapped by a boulder all by himself who ended up CUTTING OFF HIS OWN ARM to escape

3) Beck Weathers was left for dead but survived the 1996 Everest disaster - depicted in the IMAX film Everest and the book Into Thin Air

Awesome additions, Eowyn. All three of those stories are amazing. I had forgotten about Touching the Void; that one is really incredible.

One challenge most if not all of those survival stories do no include is muddled thinking and the organic propensity for depression. I have often thought about how I would do on my own. I may be fine but also may slowly sink into a state of inability to make positive choices about my own care. I know that from time to time, I can not get out of my own way. Thankfully, I have a wonderful wife to spur me on.

Our minds have an innate sense of self survival. I am not sure that innate sense stays intact after brain injuries, at least for some.

Fortunately, this forum offers me to opportunity to see the many success I have had over the years as I have found ways to overcome many of my struggles.

Well, it's hard to say whether any of these people dealt with those challenges. I can't imagine that Stockdale would have been thinking clearly while being tortured, but I guess I can't really say. But I definitely agree that some of us are born with a propensity for depression and others are born optimists. There are mountains and mountains of research confirming this, and it survives all of the attempts at debunking by the "blank slaters." And the depressive mindset presents its own unique set of challenges--no doubt about that.

But I don't think that that means that those of us with depression, muddled thinking, and brain injuries cannot also overcome extraordinary hurdles. On the contrary, there are many stories of people coming back from such injuries and having fulfilling lives (some of which are in the sticky above).

It's awful. It was quite difficult enough fending for myself and dealing with severe health problems before my brain injury; since then, it has nearly broken me. Fortunately, I was able to pull off a pretty major change in attitude early this year, and I intend on keeping it.

It's been immensely valuable for me as well.

Pete,

I think you are mixing up things. Depression and being or not being an optimist have no connection. Depression is an illness, not a view of the world. An optimist can become severely depressed. A pessimist can also not be depressed. The nurture vs nature has too many permutations to state any conclusions factually.

Are there biological/genetic issues that increase the risk of depression? Probably, just like there are stronger and weaker immune systems that appear to be familial oriented. In fact, weakened immune systems could be considered a marker for increased risk of depression.

A pilot or even bombardier are chosen from a highly selective group of people.

My point is we can all learn to accept our condition and do the best with it. We do not need to rise to greatness to be successful with our affliction. The nature of brain injury is such that we will always have some limitations in our future regardless of whether we choose to push against those limits or not. The injury and anxiety of constantly pushing against those limitations can limit the success we can have had we just been more tolerant of our limits.

I, for example, need to make some decision early in my working life. I lived and worked in the middle of the Silicon Valley tech boom. I could have easily pursued and been successful in the high tech industry. Instead, I realized then accepted how stress was counterproductive to successful interpersonal relationships and my own well-being because of the roller coaster ride stress caused.

I chose a simpler path and was successful in a simpler way. No start-up hi-tech companies behind me, just a family raised with a father/husband present but still struggling with a lesser roller coaster of PCS. My wife never had to work for an income but we were not wealthy either.

This despite my academic history of high achievement even with my cognitive difficulties.

As I have said, I could have been much more financially successful in business but I would have been miserable to live with.

There are many survivor books written by mTBI, TBI and concussion survivors who have had to reinvent their lives. Doctors who become instructors and mentors because their cognitive skills limit practicing medicine, and many others who found an entirely different direction with a bigger impact on others due to what they learned about living in adversity.

We can be successful and still live in adversity. It is all relative.

Then, some move on but never get past their adversity. They wallow in anger and spite. Gail Denton, the author of Brain Lash sounds like she is carrying a huge load of anger and spite.

Success to me is releasing this anger and spite about our injury and limitations. Then, we go one living a successful life.