rehab Archives - Jumbledbrain

Guest post: Mark Whelan on starting again after a brain injury

Michelle #jumbledbrain — Wed, 12 Sep 2018 12:33:48 +0000

I do like to feature the stories of others as it gives more perspective than just my own. As we all have very different journeys, by covering more stories I hope that more people can relate to the issues raised. Today I would like to introduce you to Mark Whelan who is one of the most active and supportive members in my Facebook group, Brain Injury & Mental Health Support. He is often trying to help others who are trying to work out how to go about starting again after a brain injury.

My name is Mark Whelan. I was born in New Haven, Connecticut and grew up in Branford, Connecticut. (An interesting fact about Branford is that in 1974 Connecticut Hospice opened there, which was the very first Hospice ever in America!) Currently I live in Old Lyme Ct, which is best known for its community of American Impressionist painters.

I was a very successful Accountant before my TBI, and I’m very happily married to my beautiful wife of 33 years, Monica. We have 2 adult children that are very successful and we are so proud of. Life was good and I now realise that I took a lot for granted.

On Halloween of 2016 everything changed. In the middle of the night I fell down the stairs and suffered a traumatic brain injury and a subarachnoid haemorrhage. My wife didn’t hear me fall, but she heard me moaning though. I had made a huge hole in the staircase wall showing the impact! My wife called an ambulance and I spent 6 weeks in the ICU at Yale New Haven Hospital in and out of a coma. I then was transferred to Gaylord Rehabilitation in Wallingford and spent another 6 weeks there. I can’t remember hardly anything from my time at Gaylord, except many hallucinations and nightmares. Next I was transferred to Bridebrook Rehabilitation in Niantic, Connecticut. From Bridebrook I only remember clearly the physical and speech therapy. Also, they made recommendations for my return home. I was still using a walker and a gait belt.

In the beginning of March of 2017, I returned home. First I was in a wheelchair, then a walker and finally a cane. My brother in law installed a hand rail for 3 steps we have from the dining room to the living room. Also, my wife prepared me a nice bedroom DOWN STAIRS! I also had in-house physical, occupational and speech therapy. Fortunately I had a outstanding home health aide for about a year from Companions and Homemakers.

As of father’s day June 17th of this year, I ditched the cane! I’ve had several vision, physical and occupational therapy. Currently I just have physical therapy twice a week. Like I said, I took a lot for granted. Mostly my freedom to be able to walk, talk, etc. without giving it a second thought. I have been blessed with a loving family, lots of friends and I’ve had wonderful Doctors and caregivers. My relationship with my wife has been tested but we just celebrated our 33rd Wedding anniversary so I think we’re going to do fine. Currently, I do not drive but have many friends, mostly from my church who have helped me out tremendously.

The Brain Injury Alliance of Connecticut gave me a useful document at my first support group meeting for me to carry with me at all times. Basically it summarises what I would like the public to know about brain injury survivors. It read:

The purpose of this card is to educate you on some of the symptoms of brain injury so that you will understand, if necessary I am not being intentionally difficult or hard to get along with. I am not mentally-ill, I am a brain injury survivor.

Because my speech, vision, hearing and/or sense of understanding is impaired, I may be unable to hear or respond to your questions clearly. My coordination and ability to control my muscles might be impaired so might not be able to perform or complete physical tests occasionally requested by law enforcement agencies.

My injury may also cause me to laugh or cry excessively. I may be restless and exhibit signs of agitation and anxiety. My responses might be very slow and deliberate. If I’m having difficulty with short or long term memory, I may be confused, disorientated or easily angered. I may also have excessive reactions to confrontation.

I will work with you to the extent I am able to and ask that you contact the persons listed on the back of this card as quickly as possible.

I would not change a thing of what I’ve been through! Today, I choose to view my brain injury as a blessing. It’s like starting over again!

How difficult have you found it to be starting again with a brain injury? What advice would be have for others who are trying to find their way following a brain injury?

The post Guest post: Mark Whelan on starting again after a brain injury appeared first on Jumbledbrain.

Brain training you can do at home after a brain injury

Michelle #jumbledbrain — Wed, 24 Aug 2016 08:06:32 +0000

When you have a brain injury it is very difficult to know if and when you will improve, or how much. With other injuries you can do physical training exercises to support your recovery. But that about a brain injury?

So many times I panicked about “what if this is it? What if I stay like this?”

There are no easy answers to those questions, but you have to be patient with yourself. Rome wasn’t built in a day and nor was your brain. What can help is finding a way to measure your progress. In the same way we are shocked when we look at an old photo of ourselves at how much we have changed, it can be hard to recognise the small improvements.

Whilst your loved ones will be better at judging your progress and be reassuring you of it, it helps to feel you have tangible evidence.

That’s where brain training games can really help. Personally I’m a fan of Peak which I play daily on my iPhone. All smartphones or tablets will have available apps, many of which are free. I love Peak because it gives me a graph showing how I’ve improved (or not as the case maybe if I’m having one of those days) in each different area. I find it reassuring and actually I’ve found I’m better at some things than I thought.

But what if you don’t want to keep staring at screens?

Buying an inexpensive puzzle book is a great investment. You can have a go at different puzzles at your own pace. Again it’s something that you can revisit to see which ones you can give yourselves a pat on the back. Because you’ve completed quite a lot or finished. And you can keep pushing to do those pesky ones which you find yourself wondering if the reason you can’t get it is because there’s a print error and it’s impossible. Actually it’s these ones that give me the most satisfaction when the penny finally drops.

puzzle books help brain training

" data-image-caption="" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/www.jumbledbrain.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/puzzle-book.jpg?fit=183%2C275&ssl=1" data-recalc-dims="1" class="aligncenter wp-image-142 size-full" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.jumbledbrain.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/puzzle-book.jpg?resize=183%2C275&ssl=1" alt="puzzle books help brain training" width="183" height="275" />

Remember you’re not any less intelligent, your brain just has to work harder to get there. It’s like the tunnel in the Alps being closed and you have to climb all over the mountains to get there. It takes a lot longer and it’s a lot more tiring. But be patient and keep trying. The brain behaves like a muscle and by practising and training you can give it the chance to relearn how to do it.

Try doing something you have never done before, and start training your brain in something new.

I don’t mean you have to go learn to play the violin. But try simple things like brushing your teeth with the opposite hand. It will feel really awkward at first and you’ll be tempted to switch back, but try to persevere. In time the brain will start to learn that this is something it needs to work on, and that hand will get better at it. So it’s something that you can see for yourself how you’re doing.

If you are also interested in what virtual training you can do to support your recovery, go to Game training that helped me.

Have a go and let me know how you get on. I'd love to hear of other examples people can think of.

The post Brain training you can do at home after a brain injury appeared first on Jumbledbrain.