Are You Aware - June 2016 is Brain Injury Month in Toronto?

A brain injury can happen to anyone, it does not discriminate. The life of a person who sustains a brain injury is forever changed - as every facet of their life may be affected; from self perception; ability to earn a living; coping/accepting their "new reality"; physical, emotional and behavioural challenges; often leads to isolation, financial hardship, and a sense of not belonging/ having no purpose. It's also important to understand it is not only the survivor who is affected, family members, friends, co-workers, caregivers, pets and the community are also impacted.

It's also important to note just like everything in life there is a sliding scale of severity, as well as like no two fingerprints are alike - no two brain injuries are alike and the amount of healing (ability) is unique to each survivor. 

As someone who is a brain injury survivor I know too well the struggles that any given day can bring. I count my blessings each day that I have been able to recover from my brain injury and lead a very productive and happy life (though it's different from the one I had ordered). 

AREYOUAWARE.CA is a great website to find information on what is a brain injury, how the brain is affected by an injury, and resources available.

image credit AreYouAware.ca

To learn how an injury affects the various parts of the brain click here.

For Brain Injury Awareness month - the folks at Are You Aware are kicking off their awareness campaign with various adverts in subway cars on the TTC Yonge Line. 

Spot the Awareness adverts - Help spread brain injury awareness: take a selfie and share it on instagram, twitter, or Facebook using hashtag #areyouaware ... 

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God’s plan, the Power of Prayer and a Miracle - Picking up the Pieces Mondays

I can’t imagine what my family and friends must have gone through for 6 weeks, as the doctor’s kept telling them to prepare for the worst. A sampling of the list of injuries my family and friends were given: closed head injury; C-2 fracture; ruptured diaphragm; lacerated liver; severely bruised heart; fractured sternum; multiple fractured ribs; multiple fractures in right forearm; shattered right elbow; crushed right pelvic; bruised kidneys; lacerations to small bowel; bleeding from every cavity – over 54 units of blood – nothing holding. After providing a list that resembled the size of a week’s grocery list.

The Doctors wanted to amputate my right arm, due to all the fractures. Thankfully my sister and brother did some research and jointly agreed “NO” to the amputation – I owe my right arm to their love, caring and due diligence.

The doctors did not hold much hope of survival, especially since as fast as blood was being pumped into me, it was coming out. My family gave permission for a Trial Drug used for Hemophiliacs, to be administered to me. I was given 3 units of this trial drug – and still the bleeding continued. I was not expected to make it to the next day. I was extremely fortunate to have been taken to Sunnybrook Hospital, their Trauma team is second to none in Canada.

Over the next 6 weeks – my family and friends were on an emotional roller coaster ride. Each day that I continued to live was a blessing, then their hopes would be dropped as throughout this time – my lungs collapsed; I went septic; pneumonia would be added to the list, etc. every couple of days their hope was shattered with something new.

My sister stayed by my bedside throughout these weeks, relieved a couple hours a day by supportive friends and on week-ends by her husband, our brother and parents (my family lives 3 plus hours away). In the waiting room she would see families whose loved ones with less injuries did not survive, others with worse injuries were being transferred from critical care to intensive care. In case you are wondering the difference between CC and IC is – “CC you are closer to the other side, IC you are closer to our side” as told to a friend when he asked a nurse.

I have been told prayers were being said for me throughout Europe, Africa, South and North America, Asia – the power of the internet, loving family and friends throughout the world, spread the need of prayer for me.

I was truly blessed to have some many people from different cultures, religions, backgrounds and beliefs coming together for my survival.

Each year the Sunnybrook trauma unit, treats more than 1,200 injured patients requiring immediate and often life-saving care. To learn more about the Trauma, Emergency & Critical Care units click here.

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images:  world prayer - google search; In God's hands - www.mitchie.com

Victim to Survivor - Picking Up the Pieces Mondays

The one thing that I have learned by watching people in waiting rooms at medical appointments (trust me I’ve seen plenty, more than I ever imagined existed or that I would be in), speaking with people who have gone through various detours in their lives (be it accident, abuse, job loss, etc.) and my own personal detour, is that we all go through a grieving process. Most professionals have told me there are 5 stages; Denial and Isolation, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance. Factors that may affect these stages are physical injuries, head injuries and the person’s outlook on life prior to the detour in life.

For me I seem to bounce back and forth through this maze of stages. When I have really bad days, as I sit on the floor, back against the wall – I wish that I could be given a set of gifts to open, and that opened in the right order I would end up at “acceptance” and know who "ME" is now.

Prior to my detour, I had a great and almost perfect life (if it was completely perfect it would have been boring); my career was going amazing – I worked for a fantastic company with an amazing team- was well respected in the industry by both co-workers and competitors; socially my life was very active – lots of friends, lots of functions and dinners to attend; loved entertaining friends at my home (I loved cooking and baking); I was Chair of Fundraising for a homeless youth shelter; I was very fit and loved travelling, shopping – shoes, clothes, handbags; had recently meant someone who I felt would challenge me to be the best I could be; most important to me I was INDEPENDENT. Then in a blink of an eye it was all gone!

Aside from the scars; lack of energy; out bursts (ok - perhaps some would call it tantrums); and when I’m really tired, stressed or anxious - my child like voice and mannerisms that appear – If you saw me you would think - I was OK. What you wouldn’t see is the amount of energy it takes for me to stay focused in a conversation, the preparation that goes into making it possible for me to go out on my own, the results of having attempted to do things – usually a few days in the house/bed and the extra pain that results -, the emotional disappointment/frustration/depression at not being able to do the things I use to do independently, without much thought.

I am still here and breathing, despite the doctors, for 6 weeks, telling my family the outcome did not look good, as I lay in a coma. So I guess I am a survivor – but will I ever be the me I adored, the me that felt so comfortable in her own skin, the me that was never afraid to speak up for herself or anyone that needed someone to stand by them, the me that was so independent, the me that could see anything through to the end - be it work project, social function - without tiring out?
 
Now that you know a little more about how I got here, I hope you visit each Monday for "Picking up the pieces" posts. I will do my best to share the past 3 ½ years and what has helped to keep me alive and moving forward. I hope to inspire you to stay positive and together we will get there. I encourage you to share your thoughts and what has worked for you - your comments may also help to inspire others.

images: google search - Jupiterimages and Shutterstock - wording added to gift boxes me.