Great video Paul! I thought you were talking funny because you're from Australia! LOL Humor has gotten me through my brain injury. Mine wasn't as severe as yours was. I was head butted by an adult autistic client who was a large young man. At first I didn’t even realize I’d really been hurt. That night, the headaches started. The next day I went to work with a severe headache. I got Acetaminophen from the Nurse just after I got to work and more at the end of the day. That night, the Nausea started, I still didn’t think anything of it. It wasn’t until the next day, when I woke up and the whole room was spinning that I thought it might be a concussion. I even drove myself to the hospital. They did an evaluation of me and determined I indeed had a concussion but wanted me to go to the hospital to get a CT scan to make sure there was no bleeding on the brain. The nurse came in and asked how I had gotten there. When I told her I had driven myself, she said,”Well you won’t be driving yourself to the hospital. Is there anyone you can call to come get you?” So I called my son to come get me after I told him what was happening. They told me it should last only 3-6 weeks. But it wasn’t gone by then. My Primary Care Doctor referred me to a Neurologist. Actually it was a concussion clinic, they were experts in this field but they just told me the same thing. It should only last 3-6 weeks but sometimes lasts longer if you’ve had previous head injury. I never had a concussion that I knew of. But after several months and the constant headaches, memory issues, concentration issues and other cognitive issues had not gone away. I began to think about all the abuse I had endured during the years, I’m sure I’d probably hit my head or rather had my head hit by another human being or object thrown at me. I’d also been in 4 car accidents over the years. The first of which I was T-boned by an SUV, the second of which I slid on the ice and hit another car head on and another that hit our front end from the side. The last one I was rear ended by a 4 car pile up on the highway. All of which I’m sure my head had either hit something or definitely been shaken around. It’s been over a year now and my new Neurologist says that whatever deficit I have after two years will be permanent. I’ve tried EVERYTHING I or others can think of including acupuncture and I hate needles! I am on Botox every 3 months and Aimovig every month(all include needles by the way!). Nothing has helped take the headaches away though, it just helps control them to a dull pain and not a sharp migraine. I always joke about the fact that I was always so busy as a single parent, working and going to school. I was always multitasking and in Go, Go, Go mode. Like the energizer battery that goes and goes and goes. God kept telling me to slow down and I wouldn’t listen to him so he literally had to bang me on the head to slow down. Now I have to slow down because I can’t concentrate on more than one thing at a time. I learned from a very important church member that Time is an earthly measure, Eternity doesn’t have time. I’ve learned to be much more patient with myself and to slow down. I would never change anything that has happened to me because I have learned many valuable lessons along the way. Including: Deal with what we can control not what we have no control over. I’m not one to quit when things get difficult, maybe that’s why I stayed in an abusive relationship for so long. Even after I’ve left it has been a struggle emotionally, financially, and spiritually. It’s been a long road and a lot of faith building moments but I have become a stronger woman because of all this. I want to show everyone in my life that I can overcome anything. My faith has grown tremendously through all my trials and I have learned to put my trust in God’s hands. I have learned to have Hope even when it’s hard to see. I can honestly say I am not a victim anymore, I AM a SURVIVOR and a THRIVER! With God’s love I will continue to grow stronger everyday. Although I do have alot of challenges due to this injury. I have daily migraine headaches (some days a 4-5 level headache is bearable, never thought I'd ever say that!). I also have memory issues, heck I forget my own name on really bad days! LOL I have alot of cognitive issues: organizational, spatial recognition, etc... I still feel like I'm in a better place due to all of this. It's given me more strength than I ever knew I had.
Wow! A long story and I'm sure you've learnt so much from it and no, Australians speak with their facial nerve in working order and the accent remains the same with facial nerve damage or not :) I hope things are going well these days ❤
I am so happy for you also. my storie . was one to be told also and it is a long store. i will have to get back to you on it. i am just happy you are doing well.
Very inspirational! Thanks for reaching out Paul.....
Randy Economy Thank you! I think my skill of writing will hopefully boost the silence of many and help them stay positive - many thanks
Inspirational. Good luck with writing your story
MANY THANKS! We are getting closer to the finish and I hope the book takes everyone on a similar journey to my own! :D
'Power from WITHIN' looks like you have it!
Great video Paul!
I thought you were talking funny because you're from Australia! LOL Humor has gotten me through my brain injury.
Mine wasn't as severe as yours was. I was head butted by an adult autistic client who was a large young man. At first I didn’t even realize I’d really been hurt. That night, the headaches started. The next day I went to work with a severe headache. I got Acetaminophen from the Nurse just after I got to work and more at the end of the day. That night, the Nausea started, I still didn’t think anything of it. It wasn’t until the next day, when I woke up and the whole room was spinning that I thought it might be a concussion. I even drove myself to the hospital. They did an evaluation of me and determined I indeed had a concussion but wanted me to go to the hospital to get a CT scan to make sure there was no bleeding on the brain. The nurse came in and asked how I had gotten there. When I told her I had driven myself, she said,”Well you won’t be driving yourself to the hospital. Is there anyone you can call to come get you?” So I called my son to come get me after I told him what was happening.
They told me it should last only 3-6 weeks. But it wasn’t gone by then. My Primary Care Doctor referred me to a Neurologist. Actually it was a concussion clinic, they were experts in this field but they just told me the same thing. It should only last 3-6 weeks but sometimes lasts longer if you’ve had previous head injury. I never had a concussion that I knew of. But after several months and the constant headaches, memory issues, concentration issues and other cognitive issues had not gone away. I began to think about all the abuse I had endured during the years, I’m sure I’d probably hit my head or rather had my head hit by another human being or object thrown at me. I’d also been in 4 car accidents over the years. The first of which I was T-boned by an SUV, the second of which I slid on the ice and hit another car head on and another that hit our front end from the side. The last one I was rear ended by a 4 car pile up on the highway. All of which I’m sure my head had either hit something or definitely been shaken around. It’s been over a year now and my new Neurologist says that whatever deficit I have after two years will be permanent. I’ve tried EVERYTHING I or others can think of including acupuncture and I hate needles! I am on Botox every 3 months and Aimovig every month(all include needles by the way!). Nothing has helped take the headaches away though, it just helps control them to a dull pain and not a sharp migraine.
I always joke about the fact that I was always so busy as a single parent, working and going to school. I was always multitasking and in Go, Go, Go mode. Like the energizer battery that goes and goes and goes. God kept telling me to slow down and I wouldn’t listen to him so he literally had to bang me on the head to slow down. Now I have to slow down because I can’t concentrate on more than one thing at a time. I learned from a very important church member that Time is an earthly measure, Eternity doesn’t have time. I’ve learned to be much more patient with myself and to slow down.
I would never change anything that has happened to me because I have learned many valuable lessons along the way. Including: Deal with what we can control not what we have no control over.
I’m not one to quit when things get difficult, maybe that’s why I stayed in an abusive relationship for so long. Even after I’ve left it has been a struggle emotionally, financially, and spiritually. It’s been a long road and a lot of faith building moments but I have become a stronger woman because of all this. I want to show everyone in my life that I can overcome anything. My faith has grown tremendously through all my trials and I have learned to put my trust in God’s hands. I have learned to have Hope even when it’s hard to see. I can honestly say I am not a victim anymore, I AM a SURVIVOR and a THRIVER!
With God’s love I will continue to grow stronger everyday.
Although I do have alot of challenges due to this injury. I have daily migraine headaches (some days a 4-5 level headache is bearable, never thought I'd ever say that!). I also have memory issues, heck I forget my own name on really bad days! LOL I have alot of cognitive issues: organizational, spatial recognition, etc... I still feel like I'm in a better place due to all of this. It's given me more strength than I ever knew I had.
Wow! A long story and I'm sure you've learnt so much from it and no, Australians speak with their facial nerve in working order and the accent remains the same with facial nerve damage or not :) I hope things are going well these days ❤
I am so happy for you also. my storie . was one to be told also and it is a long store. i will have to get back to you on it. i am just happy you are doing well.
Thank you Ronald! Power on! All the effort pays off, each step in a bit by bit path. You can do it.