I was recently asked about my thoughts during, and after, my accident (and my thoughts on my “never ending journey” - to quote Limahl!!) and it occurred to me that I just go on my merry way every day without thinking about things in detail or what progress I’m making, or not!

 

Also it made me realise that I need to re-evaluate my aims and objectives from time to time as things (the world!) are very different in March 2023 than in March 2013, when I started my recovery!

 

So, re- evaluate I have and the results are shown below (the questions in lowercase and my responses in BOLD and/or UPPERCASE!)

 

·      “Before my accident I wish I had known”….  HOW MUCH THE BRAIN IS YOU, NOT JUST A PART OF YOU (like a leg, or an arm, or even the heart!) AND THAT “BRAIN INJURY RECOVERY” IS NOTHING LIKE RECOVERING FROM A FRACTURE!

 

·      “Whilst I was recovering I wish people had”…. UNDERSTOOD ME, AND REALISED WHY I DID WHAT I DID, RATHER THAN “JUDGE” ME AGAINST “ NORMAL SOCIETY STANDARDS”!

 

·      “One thing I wish professionals would understand”… THE THEORY IS CRUCIAL TO REHABILITATION. BUT PRACTICAL SUPPORT AND UNDERSTANDING IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT! IF YOU ARE A BRAIN INJURY SOLICITOR OR SUPPORT GROUP, READ THE SECTION RIGHT AT THE BOTTOM 

 

·      “If I could change one thing about my recovery it would be”……..  OTHER PEOPLE AND THEIR PERCEPTION!  TO TRULY REALISE THAT THE JOURNEY WOULD BE UP AND DOWN, BUT WITH AN UPWARDS TREND (THERE ARE GOOD DAYS AND BAD ONES). BUT, MOST IMPORTANTLY, NOT TO SUFFER IN SILENCE, BE OPEN AND HONEST!

 

·      “I wish people would understand that since my accident”….. I’VE GOT A BRAIN INJURY, BUT LITTLE HAS REALLY CHANGED, I’M NOT A SIMPLETON, SO DON’T PATRONISE OR TALK DOWN TO ME!

 

·      “If I could speak to someone at the start of their recovery, I would tell them”….SPEAK TO SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN THROUGH THE JOURNEY THEY ARE ABOUT TO UNDERTAKE (AND ITS A NEVER ENDING JOURNEY, BUT ITS FAR FROM ALL BAD!) OR JOIN A SUPPORT GROUP LIKE HEADWAY!

 

·      “One piece of advice I would give a family going through recovery” …….. TRY TO UNDERSTAND THE PERSON ON THE RECOVERY, SO, FOLLOW THE WORDS OF THE SONG “SOMEBODY”, BY DEPECHE MODE, AND YOU WILL ALL BE OK!! AND THERE REALLY IS A DEFINITE LIGHT AT THE END OF EVERY TUNNEL!

 

So, that was my re- evaluation and it’s brought some things back to focus! And if you have had a brain injury, or someone you know has, then why not do the same, it might save a lot of arguments and heartache!!