Comments on: Mourning me after a brain injury & finding a new calling

By: Ana Lee

Ana Lee — Sun, 17 Sep 2023 23:38:11 +0000

Hi,
Thank you. It’s been 3 1/2 months since my accident, I’m finding myself in the middle of trying to recover but always want to be who I was. It’s hard to realize I may not heal or go back to the person I once was.

By: Michelle #jumbledbrain

Michelle #jumbledbrain — Sat, 29 Jul 2023 21:37:41 +0000

In reply to mindy eardley. Hear hear Mindy! Well said.

By: mindy eardley

mindy eardley — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 17:22:28 +0000

In reply to Alyson Schaefermeyer, MFA, PhD. You are STILL talented, brilliant and amazing!

By: Michelle #jumbledbrain

Michelle #jumbledbrain — Sun, 13 Nov 2022 14:56:13 +0000

In reply to Arlene Burkett. I understand, it can make you feel so alone when people don't appreciate what you're going through. Brain fog can be both frustrating and crazy. There are still times that it can make me feel like I'm losing my mind but thankfully they are getting shorter and less frequent.

By: Arlene Burkett

Arlene Burkett — Sun, 13 Nov 2022 12:51:16 +0000

I had my stroke in 2020 I’ve made a lot of improvements but I still seem to suffer from brain fog and balance issues. They get better and then something happens like Covid or I just had Major surgery in the right back with me like all friends, although they’re not friends. And it’s so hard to explain to people what’s going on in your head when you look just fine to them. I’m just feeling stuck right now

By: adminuser

adminuser — Wed, 13 Jul 2022 16:42:38 +0000

In reply to Jo. Hi Jo, I'm sorry you had to give up your career although I'm sure you're doing great work with the Stroke association. Your spirit and determination sound brilliant.

By: Jo

Jo — Wed, 13 Jul 2022 11:48:03 +0000

I’ve only just found this blog and it all made so much sense to me – suddenly there were people who understood! I am 3/1.5 years on from a stroke and whilst I have and continue to improve through sheer determination and hard work, everything you wrote resonated with me.
I was a secondary school teacher and managed to go back part time after my stroke but then came the pandemic and I had to come to the realisation that I could no longer do what I loved. I retired last year, discovered my creative side and became a volunteer for the Stroke Association. I can be proud of myself. I try to be positive, have fun with my disability (I have a very sparkly stick) and always try to show the good me but I do worry that someday it will all fall apart! So I live day to day with drive and the crazy determination to do everything I can, over compensating for my loss. I just know that life is lived in an invisible lead suit and I have to deal with it!

By: Susan

Susan — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 13:45:15 +0000

In reply to Juliette. It’s been three years since you commented. Did things change? Did an end date finally happen or what?

By: Michelle #jumbledbrain

Michelle #jumbledbrain — Fri, 01 May 2020 00:05:51 +0000

In reply to Melanie Goodwin. Melanie, I'm so sorry that you have not been able to return to your profession and there are countless people that are therefore being deprived on your skills. However, please battle on. Whilst you may free you have lost your purpose, it's amazing how we can touch ours lives even when we don't realise it. Working in the teaching profession gave you the opportunity to make a positive difference for others in a clear and measurable way, but we all can touch someone in ways which are much more subtle. Even just being the person who noticed a stranger and smiled at them, you could make that persons day and give them the strength to carry on.

By: Melanie Goodwin

Melanie Goodwin — Thu, 30 Apr 2020 17:20:02 +0000

I wanted to make a poster out of the line you wrote about, “I know I need to move on, I just don’t know to what.” That is it in a nutshell. I am 6 1/2 years after a stroke that has deprived me of a lot of brain functions. At the time my younger son was 18 my older daughter was 20. They were raised, I had been a school principal for 11 years, and I had a doctorate degree, so even though I was only 44 I thought I should just die. I have done most of what I wanted to do, so I may as well. Because this was really hard! I couldn’t walk, swallow, talk correctly, think of the right word, form memories correctly, none of that.

I did not recover. I still have most of these problems, and can’t work or drive. These problems are invisible so people assume I am OK. That makes me a little bit mad. I almost wish you were obvious. I’m not OK. And I just don’t know what to strive for.

But I love, I love reading this! Thank you.