I've been wanting to post about this for awhile, since its really bothering me. I just didn't want to overwhelm you guys with my problems as you guys have enough problems of your own. So I don't really expect anyone to respond...I just need to vent because I'm at a breaking point.

The situation that I'm in right now is this: I'm renting a room from my mom in a 3 bedroom apartment. In addition to myself, my ex-fiance (I just broke up with her recently for taking a stab at my medical condition), her son, my son...there's my mom, 2 little sisters (one of them has a newborn baby) and a little brother. That's 9 people. I hardly have time to just be alone and do nothing but lay there in complete silence. All the rooms are usually occupied.

So with both my son and her son here, them getting in to things, coming in and out of the room...and my ex-fiance trying to keep up with house work and taking care of both kids...I'm finding it hard to find any peace. I'm constantly under stress as my ex-fiance gets frustrated and drops the kids off in the room with me while I'm trying to rest.
Her son is 21 months - and he's a complete brat. I think him alone is causing about 60% of the stress in the entire household. He's completely out of control and nothing seems to work on him.

My ex-fiance still doesn't really understand what I'm going through - I've told her what I need to get better and I've tried to get her to do some research, but she won't. Me and her are arguing and fighting because, for one, she's really a ***** to me and like I said she doesn't understand why I am the way I am right now - just the other day I snapped at her for stressing me out (it was something I've asked her not to do multiple times) and she says "Just because you have a brain injury doesn't mean you have to snap at me like that. Having a brain injury doesn't make you an *******." If she were to have done research like I asked her to, she would know that it can cause irritability.

My mom - she has done some research on PCS and brain injuries, but not much since she works full time and goes to school. When she comes home from work or school, she starts yelling about every little thing. There could be bread crumbs on the counter in the kitchen and I have to hear a 10-15 min "screaming at the top of her lunges" lecture about how the house should be clean when she comes home. I do clean up after myself and help out with the dishes and sweeping or what-not. But not everyone in the house is doing their part.

Just last night she started raising her voice about the TV in the living room that my sister left on. I told her my sister left it on when she left and she asked why I couldn't turn it off. Well, yesterday I was having a bad day. I was a complete space cadet. I told my mom that I have enough trouble keeping up with my own responsibilities that I didn't even think to turn it off. She continued to yell at me. I finally said "Mom, can you please not yell at me..I need to keep my stress level down." She responds by saying "Your just making excuses so you don't have to do anything.".

I have no where else to go. The only other family I have out here is my aunt and uncle, and my grandma and my other uncle. It would just be weird to move in with my aunt and uncle as I only see them twice a year - Thanksgiving and Christmas. And my grandma and other uncle, well...I don't get along with that uncle and being at that house brings back memories of my grandpa (he passed away in Sept 08). Also they have no extra room so I'd be staying in the living room.

My ex-fiance only has her mom and sister out here - they are both transient and live from friend to friend. They don't have a stable living enviroment. So I can't send her and the kids to stay anywhere while I heal.

I'm losing my mind here. I'll be 7 months out from my injury in 10 days. I feel like my recovery has stumped because of all this and I am dealing with massive anxiety. I can't work, I can't go to school...I never have a full good day. My days are either OK or BAD. I don't have any physical symptoms, really. Only cognitive and neurological problems that are pretty severe...and they feel like they are getting worse because of this situation I'm in.

Thank you for taking the time to read.

Any help would be appreciated.

Sounds to me like you NEED to get out of there. Have you checked out finding a room somewhere else?

Check out http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/roo/

It would be great if you could find a home with grandparent types who could help you with some of your decision needs. Have you check with social services for some assistance finding a place?

Sounds to me like you NEED to get out of there. Have you checked out finding a room somewhere else?

Check out http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/roo/

I'm working on it. I've never considered looking for a room for rent on Craigslist. That actually doesn't sound like a bad idea. Thanks ...

It would be great if you could find a home with grandparent types who could help you with some of your decision needs. Have you check with social services for some assistance finding a place?

Yes, and it wouldn't be hard finding a place since I'm recovering from a brain injury and I'm looking for a quiet, peaceful environment. I don't smoke, drink or do drugs...or play loud music. That's usually what people ask you when your trying to rent a room. The only thing that Social Services offers (that I'm aware of) is a $500 voucher for rental assistance. It's actually just a check for $500 bucks. You can do it either once or twice a year. I'll look more into it.

Only other thing I can get as far as housing assistance is Section 8. The waiting list for that could take years. Might as well apply now, huh?

Thanks again, Mark.

Contact brain injury services in your area. They can provide lots of assistance including group homes, or finding a quiet place etc., I didn't need much help from them in that aspect but they have all the resources (atleast in my area).

Nick,

Check out these links:

http://www.accessiblespace.org/Pages/default.aspx

http://dhhs.nv.gov/ODS_Programs_Trau...njuryRehab.htm


Las Vegas

TBI Survivors Support Group
Day: 1st Wednesday of each month
Time: 5:00-6:00 p.m.
Place: Nevada Community Enrichment Program
6375 W. Charleston Blvd.
L Building (says Loux Center on the building)
Las Vegas, NV 89146
Contact: 702-259-1903
for information info@bianv.org

TBI Survivor Family and Friends Support Group
Day: 1st Wednesday of each month
Time: 5:00-6:00 p.m.
Place: Nevada Community Enrichment Program
6375 W. Charleston Blvd.
L Building (says Loux Center on the building)
Las Vegas, NV 89146
Contact: 702-259-1903
for information info@bianv.org

Here is a resource to show family and such.

http://biausa.fyrian.com/mild-brain-injury.htm

Thank you for all the information.

I copy+pasted it and put it in a word document on my desktop.

Also, I sent my mom an email with that last link you provided and also links to the YouTube series "You look great" in a last attempt to get her to realize what I'm going through is no joke. I hope she finds the time to check it out.

Yeah defo get out of there to somewhere quiet, any way you can. All that stress, plus people constantly putting expectations on you will mean that if you're anything like me you won't get better (I mean when I was in periods of stress or having expectations I couldn't handle put on me, I did not improve.) Good luck.

I agree with all here. Get your own place ASAP. Take care of yourself first.

Oh and breaking up with your fiance over PCS, that's really tough. Breaking up with a fiance is a major bad life experience even for people with no other problems - it says something about what you're going through that it's not even the main focus of your post. Really hope things improve for you soon.

"Oh and breaking up with your fiance over PCS, that's really tough. Breaking up with a fiance is a major bad life experience even for people with no other problems - it says something about what you're going through that it's not even the main focus of your post. Really hope things improve for you soon."

Well, our relationship had been going downhill for quite some time now. It started even before I got hit in the head. That was just the breaking point for me. My life revolves around PCS, I've got constant anxiety/worry about it never going away as the symptoms are very severe and debilitating. So I'm very sensitive to people saying anything negative to me about it.

As far as my situation goes, I think there may be some hope for me. There is weekly apartments here that are about 189 a week...That's kind of expensive for me right now, but I'm going to see about getting some financial help from family members. If I can get something going with this, I'll tuck myself away in the weekly for awhile and see how it effects my recovery. If I can't get the money from family to cover the weekly, I'm going to start looking on Craigslist for a room, as Mark suggested.

Thanks for the concern and incite, everyone .