[SmilinEyesMs305]

Yesterday, while writing the date on something for school I realized it was my 2 year anniversary of the accident that caused my TBI. I tried all day to block it out, but my boyfriend came home from work with a boquet of flowers to celebrate the progress I've made. This got me thinking about all the things that have improved since those awful days 2 years ago.

Migraines: Infrequent now
How: Learned how to listen to my body and prevent over-stimulation; Atenolol to control brain BP

Concentration Headaches: Occur occassionally
How: Slowly and systematically built a tolerance for activities, while listening to my brain

Dizziness & Nausea: Almost gone
How: Vestibular Therapy for 9 months; Visual Therapy for 3 months; Slowly built a tolerance for activities that made me dizzy; Being careful not to bend over for extended periods of time

Neck & Back Pain: Better than before, but still occurs frequently
How: Physical Therapy; Lidocaine Injections in my neck every 6 weeks; Taking a low dose of Flexerall as needed for muscle relaxer; Being careful to lift things correctly and have my neck supported when laying down.

Tinnitus: Still frequent but not nearly as loud or pervasive
How: As my number one sign that I'm over doing it, learning to stop, take a break or take a nap when the ringing starts to ramp up.

Visual Field Deficits: Still the same

Light Sensitivity: Still problematic, but MUCH better than before
How: Glasses with tint for fluorescent lighting; Lubricating eye drops; breaking reading or computer work into smaller chunks; Napping when my eyes are suffering; and sunglasses when this symptom flairs up.

Noise Sensitivity: Much better
How: Slowly working on tolerating noisier environments; Wearing ear plugs in places that have a lot of noise, such as the grocery store; Going places like restaurants and shopping when there are likely to be few people there.

Fatigue: Still the most pervasive problematic symptom, but slowly improving
How: My rehab Dr. prescribed Adderall. Although some are against using stimulant medication, this is the only way I have been able to function through fatigue and has allowed me to return to school part time and get closer to a more normal life; Also, making sure I go to bed early enough to get the rest I need, (which is 10 hours); Taking naps to recharge my brain, and making sure I keep up with my vitamin schedule.

Vestilbuar Function: 95% back to normal
How: Vestibular therapy for 9 months

Disrupted Sleep: This has gotten much better
How: Being very strict with myself to follow a sleep routine that allows for 9 to 10 hours of sleep; Medications prescribed by my rehab Dr: Trazadone and Klonopin. Again some may be against the use of medication, however good restorative sleep is the key to brain healing. Getting solid sleep has been key in my functioning.

Brain Fog & Concentration: Much better
How: Making sure I get enough rest; Taking breaks throughout my day; Adderall prescribed by my rehab dr.

Impulsivity: Somewhat Better
How: Learning how to force myself to stop in the middle of something and prioritize what is the best and most efficient way to use my brain and it's energy to do the things that need to be done first, before I get to things that I feel I need to do, but aren't necessary at the moment; Help from a cognitive behavioral therapist

Word Finding Problems, Slowed Proccessing Speeds, Slurred Speech: Still the same but...
How: I can control how severe these symptoms get by ensuring I get the rest I need, take breaks when I need them and not letting these symptoms frustrate me when the pop up, but use them as a cue that I need a break.

Irritability: Still the same, but...
How: Listening to my body and brain and letting my symptoms cue me that I need to take a break; Stopping myself before I get to the point of being irritable and feeling out of control by finding a quiet refuge, (ex. A quiet break in a bathroom, Going to my bed room, etc). Telling people around me what I need when I start to feel agitated, such as a need a break to be alone or I need to finish a task before addressing another issue, etc. Effexor to help regulate my mood.

Depression: MUCH better
How: Seeing a cognitive behavior therapist to talk about my limitations, how to use various work arounds; Learning to tell the people around me what I need, such as I need support, or a hug, or a break; Effexor to control mood swings; Slowly adding activity into my life and making sure I find opportunities to talk to my friends, (ex. planning a quiet dinner with a friend once a month, joining a knitting group etc)

Anxiety: Life long battle- but getting a little better everday
How: Seeing a cognitive behavior therapist to develop work arounds; Asking for accomodations when I need them, such as using the disability resource office at my university or asking family and friends to help with other tasks with deadlines; Stoping and taking a break when I am overwhelmed; Effexor for mood regulation; Ativan as needed for panic attacks, (maybe used once a month now)


So for those of you who are really in the trenches in the beginning of your recovery and really frustrated by your symptoms, know that it really does get better, even if it takes time. Keep at it! The biggest thing I can say that has made a difference in my functioning:

Learning that taking breaks is NOT a sign of weakness, but a compassionate and intentional gift I can give to myself to recharge my brain, to make me more productive, less overwhelmed and more loving later and also to prevent a flair in symptoms.

aka LISTEN TO YOUR BRAIN/BODY