[greenfrog]

Just wanted to weigh in on the "do you think you will recover?" discussion.

I sustained a concussion three years and three months ago. Recovery for me has been a long and arduous process (after some initial gains, I probably improved at around 1% per month - maybe a bit less than that).

I am mostly back to normal (and I still feel as if I'm gaining back that last 10% or so, now very gradually). I still have a couple of mild symptoms from time to time, and I'm still pacing myself somewhat and avoiding risky / high-exertion activities. But my life has completely turned around (working full-time, got engaged and married, starting a family, bought a house, feeling optimistic, etc.).

There were times early on when I did not know whether life would ever be livable again, but I did recover eventually.

For me, the cliché has been true: recovery is a marathon, not a sprint.

[Hockey]

Thanks for sharing your good news.

You are actually the rule, not the exception and it's so important that those struggling with TBI/PCS are reminded that, for most, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

[Lara]

That's really good to hear, greenfrog.

I sustained my concussion 9 years ago now. I was a changed person and didn't think that I would ever be clear headed again. Now 9 years later, I'm feeling better than I ever expected.

The down sides are that I'm 9 years older and that's not fun and I still have some residual vertigo but it's nothing like it was for those first few years.

I also had 2 other incidents in my life. One was being hit by a flying discus in high school and the other was from a fall. All three times I hit my head in the same place. The doctor that I saw the last time told me that I had an extra thick cranium. At the time I was a little taken aback, but figured it saved me and I now find it funny.

In comparison to many people here, I have had it relatively easy although my life was totally changed in the beginning.

9 years seems a long time, but it was only the first few years that were really difficult. The vertigo and anxiety have stuck with me, although I had anxiety most of my life so really when I think about it, the vertigo just exacerbated my anxiety about going out and driving and grocery shopping and all the regular things. I became more afraid of what would happen when I was out. Now that my vertigo is a lot better, I'm a lot less anxious.

Life is good. I'd like some of those years back though, but we can't have everything.

[Lara]

I wrote my post when I just woke up and forgot to say the important things and the reason I was replying.

There were several things that slowed down my recovery during the first year. If I had known then what I know now, and especially from learning from here at NT, I would have had a much faster recovery and would probably not have had the constant balance and vertigo issues that have plagued me.

Not in any particular order...

One thing was unknowledgeable doctors.
Second was that I was single mum with 2 young teens and one with special needs and needing 100% supervision so I battled on when I should have asked for help.
Third was probably extra money that would have allowed me to get better treatments immediately and better health insurance.
Fourth was my own lack of knowledge about PCS.