I can relate to the parenting side of things. I have two boys - 2 & 4 yrs old. It has been just as traumatic for them. One minute I was happy mummy. Next I was sick and sad mummy. Dont want to leave the house, but I have to for them. They really pick up on whats happening. At playgroup today I had to go outside to hide my tears. Its just not fair!!

Hi nikkicoop,

Parenting has been very difficult since my brain surgery 3/06, and worsened after the tbi 3/07. My girls were aged 2 and 4 when my life became a shambles. I presume that this emotional battle within myself contributes quite a bit to my depression.

I become overwhelmed rather easily nowadays. Kids just being kids and having fun stresses me out big time! While I understand their rambunctious behavior, my reaction seems instant to me. I try hard to maintain control over my reactions - it is far from easy though! My girls quickly pick up on my stress, and then they become stressed out, and a vicious cycle is born. I have dropped certain activities & picked up others, and have had to limit my days available for work, to reduce general stress level as much as possible.

In the past month or so, I've seen a lot of improvement in my relationships with my daughters. For that, I am eternally grateful! My girls seem to have acquired a better understanding of what I can & cannot handle, and (now anyway) work around my limitations. *knock on wood* It is sad that I can't do ____ like Daddy and most other parents they see. And as soon as that thought pops into my mind, I have a heck of a time bringing myself back up again!

I can understand how you're feeling guilty and sad for your boys. Try very hard not to let those thoughts enter your mind though. In my experience, those thoughts begin one heck of a horribly emotional roller coaster ride!

Best wishes to you ~ take care!
Shez

Im with you guys on this I have 3 little girls and when my PCS symptoms started we quit going anywhere and all and they hated it and did not understand and yeah i get easily overwhelmed also

Hi Shez, So very good to meet you! I'm also new here, I joined to get some answers & help with my newly aquired MOM as a live-in. She has Alzhiemer's, Schizophrenia, & Denentia...& I have TBI from the year 1999. lol..yikes..

You fit in my world just fine. I was hit by a car while on a motorcycle. The accident ripped my leg off, broke several other bones throughout my body, which I did recover for the most part. but the real kicker is the TBI. I HAVE to tell you that EVERYTHING you are speaking of and feeling, I had! Also still do sometimes..But it DOES get better!
What I did was extreme..but what the heck, I had a brain injury! I felt so alone, like you & I MOVED far away from everyone I ever knew. I guess it was just to stressful to be around people who knew me better than I did & would remind me that I was no longer the same person. So I left, started all over again at age 41. Don't get me wrong, it was hard, but so easy to live without expectations from others...I guess what I did was learn to live With my disability.
BTY, I am living proof that Dr.'s do NOT know much when relating to the brain. They said "I would die", then it was "I will never walk", then it was "I could never learn", Blah,Blah,Blah...I faught with dr.'s that I could rebuild my brain cells & they laughed at me...It's about 8-9 years later & I'm doing pretty good. I found Gardening as my OCD outlet. My little yard looks like a mini botanical garden, running out of space..but love it!
You WILL find your place! You will Love yourself again, & you DO "FIT" in! There is a World of us out here, a new generation of TBI's...Good luck. I hope this wasn't too long...

Hello there fellow gardener. While I do not have tbi, I do have other stuff going on and I can absolutely relate to growing stuff in one's house. It's a great de-stresser.

I would imagine anyone with TBI HAS TO BE UNDER MAJOR STRESS.

So here's a good way to find a little corner just for you to un-wind, de-stress and have a good time. For me, it was the best thing I ever did.

As I mentioned in my previous post I sprout my own food. When I'm under stress, I just walk over to my sprouts, I water them, I put up new batches. I rinse the one's I have. I harvest them. I do this and it takes all the worries out of my head. It's extremely relaxing. At least for me, it is.

I made several videos and I'm up on youtube.

Here's one of them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E31aSbGKz7o

This video will link to my other sprouting videos.

Enjoy.

Melody

Hi gardengrl,

Thank you very much for the reassurance and sharing your amazing personal experience!

I am set to move into a disabled apartment building about 45 miles away from family sometime in March (and they're all pretty against my decision) as a matter of fact. I think that I'm making the right decision for ME.

Thank you ~
Shez

tommywrestler!

It is so hard, and damn depressing at times. My only advice is to avoid things that overload you (as much as possible), in order to avoid the overwhelming fear, anger, anxiety, etc.

Best wishes to you!
Shez

Good call man I have been trying to recently and it does help,i was one of those people who never really thought stress affected anything until this and now i know how bad and what stress can do to ya

nature the nurturer last spring I could not face our vegi patch and it depressed me to look at it,overgrown and neglected, but this year with much wobbling and head pain , I managed to dig it over little buy little so I will have the joy this year of watching things grow anew, I am noticing spring this year in hi definition, the snow drops, crocuses, catkins, and pussywillow all coming to life, buy adapting my tools my jade carving is getting back to a point that I am happy with

so working with nature is stress free I cant get angered at nature or frustrated with it, its sounds, sites textures and smells , comfort and calm me and take me out of myself

so if your able take a dose of nature the nurturer

I love spring and summer but Fall and winter are my favs,Fall especially the brown leaves etc...etc....man i love nature too maybe i should hang up the wrestling boots for a garden holes and gloves lol