Hello Darlene;
thank you for joining our group.
About your son-in-law and the agressive behavior he has to the
children, first, I want to tell you a little bit about my life with
TBI. I am nearly duriving with TBI for a decade. 5 years ago, I was
diagnosed with epilepsy. This is common thing with ANY head injury
survivor. And it was expected, in my situation.Before the epilepsy
dianosis: I became very angry and had all out 'rage' with my
children and my family, inevitably, my children were removed from my
care, and my family could not bear anymore. I didn't understand any
of this. I was in a persistant state of confusion, and, naturally,
forgetfullness. I, too, only had hopes of making it to the couch
daily and smoking far too much. I began threateing to kill people-
my husband or mother. It was as i I was there physically, but
verbally and mentally, I was under control of something. Honestly, I
was scared I was possessed.(said with slight humor hahha)
Now my comments:
As for your son-in-laws' 'mean-ness' to his children, please
remember he is still ,literally, 'new' to his new lifestyle as a TBI
survivor. He is adjusting, like you and your daughter have to. Only,
you have full brain capacity- he will have poor  coping skills,
irritability, a highly addictive behavior(cigarettes) and sometimes
he may even have 'outburts of rage'... this is all common symptoms
of every TBI survivor, however, no 2 brain injuries are alike.
I suggest you talk with his neurologist about this behavior,
possibly he will need, if he has not been already, tested for
epilepsy. If not epilepsy, he made require neuropsychotherapy or
mood adjusting medications. I am not a dctor, I can only recommend
as a surivor who has been through all of this already. There are
medications which are very helpful. Forpartitial and stoic seizures,
which are also marketed for mood adjustment... Best thing really,
just consult with his neurologist. His neurologist should be made
aware of ANY changes in mood and/r behavior anyway. As for the
children, of course, important is their safety. You already know to
not leave them unsupervised with thier father. Please undertand, for
the sake of the children AND thier father, he does NOT intentionally
do these things. His behavior may or may not become better with
time.each brain injury as different, so a predictable outcome is not
a guarentee.
     I wish I had better advice to offer you. I symphathize with your
situation and your son-in-laws' position, too.
Best of health and happiness to you and your family;
Ameena

Have you ever wanted a chance to get your voice out in an election and
let the candidates know your needs and concerns?  At
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/survived2vote/ you can do that.  It's
the Yahoo Groups site for TBI Raiders Survived to Vote,
www.angelfire.com/ok5/tbiraidersok/s2v.html.  Okay I can't promise
legislators will come look at the groups site BUT it is a way to unite
and find what the needs are of the TBI Community.  We need to unite to
have our voice heard.

tbiraiders wrote:

> Have you ever wanted a chance to get your voice out in an election and
> let the candidates know your needs and concerns?

Yes

> At http://groups.yahoo.com/group/survived2vote/ you can do that.

GOOD

> It's the Yahoo Groups site for TBI Raiders Survived to Vote,
> www.angelfire.com/ok5/tbiraidersok/s2v.html.

Thankyou

> Okay I can't promise legislators will come look at the groups site BUT
> it is a way to unite and find what the needs are of the TBI Community.

Still, I like it.

> We need to unite to have our voice heard.

YES

Christopher

I hope I am not offending anyone here. My brother-in-law suffered from
a TBI and is a survivor. I have recently begun a story in which a
person is going to receive treatment for a traumatic brain injury, and
would like to know if anyone has any information about using diuretics
for decreasing ICP?  Thank you for the time- I would just like to get
it right.

I hope I am not offending anyone here. My brother-in-law suffered from
a TBI and is a survivor. I have recently begun a story in which a
person is going to receive treatment for a traumatic brain injury, and
would like to know if anyone has any information about using diuretics
for decreasing ICP?  Thank you for the time- I would just like to get
it right.

have never heard of such a treatment. i believe diuretics work on circulatory system. let us know what you find out

theallbadhat <theallbadhat@...> wrote:

I hope I am not offending anyone here. My brother-in-law suffered from
a TBI and is a survivor. I have recently begun a story in which a
person is going to receive treatment for a traumatic brain injury, and
would like to know if anyone has any information about using diuretics
for decreasing ICP?  Thank you for the time- I would just like to get
it right.

"Lo yisa goi el goi kharev; Lo yilm'du od milkhama"
NATION SHALL NOT LIFT UP SWORD AGAINST NATIONS
AND NIETHER SHALL THEY LEARN WAR
ANYMORE"

---

Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. PC-to-Phone calls for ridiculously low rates.

theallbadhat wrote:

> I hope I am not offending anyone here. My brother-in-law suffered from
> a TBI and is a survivor. I have recently begun a story in which a
> person is going to receive treatment for a traumatic brain injury, and
> would like to know if anyone has any information about using diuretics
> for decreasing ICP?  Thank you for the time- I would just like to get
> it right

My fiance taking one, to compensate for the lack work on the part of her
shunt.

Christopher
(Hydrocephalus n' VBA since birth;1967)

theallbadhat wrote:

> I hope I am not offending anyone here. My brother-in-law suffered from
> a TBI and is a survivor. I have recently begun a story in which a
> person is going to receive treatment for a traumatic brain injury, and
> would like to know if anyone has any information about using diuretics
> for decreasing ICP?  Thank you for the time- I would just like to get
> it right

My fiance taking one, to compensate for the lack work on the part of her
shunt.

Christopher
(Hydrocephalus n' VBA since birth;1967)

sandra mattingly wrote:

> If it is okay to ask, what kind is it and how is it taken? I get
> multiple and disagreeing statements in the articles on the internet.
> Is it taken like a regular diuretic- orally? Is it taken once a day?
> Is it a lifelong thing- or just until the ICP is reduced? How long
> before she has to be tested to see if it is effective? And does it
> have the same side effects as other diuretics- not wanting to embarass
> anyone, but since we kinda don't know each other (and I don't know her
> name) from Adam, does it cause an overactive bladder everyday- or only
> for the first few days? Did she have to reduce liquid intake? My aunt
> takes a regular diuretic, but the one's for reducing the fluid in the
> cranial cavity seem like they work differently. Thank you if you can
> answer.

She takes Diamox(generic form is Acetazolamide).  She takes 125mg(50% of
250mg tablet) 2-3x a day.  It definitely works for her.  She only has to
watch her caffeine(she likes Coke Classic) intake because, it can give
her a bad headache.

Christopher

sandra mattingly wrote:

> If it is okay to ask, what kind is it and how is it taken? I get
> multiple and disagreeing statements in the articles on the internet.
> Is it taken like a regular diuretic- orally? Is it taken once a day?
> Is it a lifelong thing- or just until the ICP is reduced? How long
> before she has to be tested to see if it is effective? And does it
> have the same side effects as other diuretics- not wanting to embarass
> anyone, but since we kinda don't know each other (and I don't know her
> name) from Adam, does it cause an overactive bladder everyday- or only
> for the first few days? Did she have to reduce liquid intake? My aunt
> takes a regular diuretic, but the one's for reducing the fluid in the
> cranial cavity seem like they work differently. Thank you if you can
> answer.

She takes Diamox(generic form is Acetazolamide).  She takes 125mg(50% of
250mg tablet) 2-3x a day.  It definitely works for her.  She only has to
watch her caffeine(she likes Coke Classic) intake because, it can give
her a bad headache.

Christopher

sandra mattingly wrote:

> thank you for the reply. I really do appreciate it.

Your welcome. :-)

Christopher

I thought some of the families of this group would like to know more
about this wonderful foundation and how they are working to change our
children's future.

CNS Foundation has launched a new fundraising campaign to help raise
awareness, as well as money, for new research initiatives specializing
in pediatric brain regeneration and repair.  CNS Foundation is one of
the very few non-profit organizations currently funding these much
needed projects for our children's future.

To learn more about how you can help CNS please click on the link below.

http://www.cnsfoundation.org/site/TR?fr_id=1070&pg=entry

"We not only have to look at what we can do today to help our kids, but
also at what we are actively doing to change their future."

The secretary for my state representative called me up and asked if I
would come to the state capital and be present for a session.  In the
session, my state representative Danny Morgan, presented a resolution
that said the house of representatives salutes volunteers who work to
educate, promote awareness of, and helped improve the lives of
individuals living with a TBI.  It passed with everyone voting for
it!!!  Then Rep. Morgan had me stand where I was sitting and then
another individual stand to be recognized for the work we do.  Let's
just say many members of the house were standing and applauding.
Later I spoke with Rep. Morgan and Rep. Banz about how on the
volunteer sites I found, the only way you could list your organization
was if you were a non-profit.  They both looked at each other and said
they would do something about it.

I was in a car accident almost 2 years ago it'll be 2 years Nov. 12th.
My boyfriend died and i was in a coma and 3 hospitals. I have TBI.  I'm
25 and looking for someone nice to chat with. My friends have been
great to me but i would like to talk with someone that's going through
what i've been through!

Hello Megan and welcome to the TBI group, My name is jennifer/jenn.  I joined this group the end of last year.  I was also in a car accident well I should say 2 car accidents with 2 comas.  the frist on in 1986 and the last one in 1992.  It's been a very rough way to go, and from going to TBI Netwrok here where I live, I've actualy done very well but still have problems with things.  I'm from Columbus, OH where are you from?

jenn

jennigen@...
--- In Traumatic_Brain_Injury@yahoogroups.com, "mmb1280" <mmb1280@...> wrote:
>
> I was in a car accident almost 2 years ago it'll be 2 years Nov. 12th.
> My boyfriend died and i was in a coma and 3 hospitals. I have TBI. I'm
> 25 and looking for someone nice to chat with. My friends have been
> great to me but i would like to talk with someone that's going through
> what i've been through!
>

--- In Traumatic_Brain_Injury@yahoogroups.com, "just1jenn2000"
<jennigen@...> wrote:
>
>
> Hello Megan and welcome to the TBI group, My name is
jennifer/jenn.  I
> joined this group the end of last year.  I was also in a car
accident
> well I should say 2 car accidents with 2 comas.  the frist on in
1986
> and the last one in 1992.  It's been a very rough way to go, and
from
> going to TBI Netwrok here where I live, I've actualy done very well
but
> still have problems with things.  I'm from Columbus, OH where are
you
> from?
>
> jenn
>
> jennigen@...
> --- In Traumatic_Brain_Injury@yahoogroups.com, "mmb1280" <mmb1280@>
> wrote:
> >
>
> >
>Hi Jenn,Thanks for responding to me. I found this out through my
speech therapist because i broke my jaw in the car accident. I'm from
St. Louis,Missouri. My friends have been great to me and my brothers
and sister.Do you have a brother or a sister?On June 17th i'm in a
wedding i'm a bridesmaid.I get upset sometimes and i'm sad my
boyfriend died.So how are you? Because of the accident i can't drive
or get a job i was a workaholic. I worked overtime. I was a bartender
and waitress. If you have a job what do you do Jenn?

Hi Megan!

I'm Kerin.  Welcome to the group.
I hit my head on a piece of iron playground equipment in Sept 2003.
I didn't get any physical injury, other than to my brain.

My difficulties are cognitive mostly. Memory, confusion, headache, balance,
possible seizures, over load with too much stimulation, ...

This group hasn't been very busy lately.  Please post any time. Maybe you will
help us to get more active!

again, welcome.

Kerin



  --- On Wed 05/31, mmb1280 < mmb1280@... > wrote:
From: mmb1280 [mailto: mmb1280@...]
To: Traumatic_Brain_Injury@yahoogroups.com
Date: Thu, 01 Jun 2006 03:42:44 -0000
Subject: [Traumatic_Brain_Injury] Re: Hello Everyone!!  My name is Megan

--- In Traumatic_Brain_Injury@yahoogroups.com, "just1jenn2000" <jennigen@...>
wrote:>> > Hello Megan and welcome to the TBI group, My name is jennifer/jenn. 
I> joined this group the end of last year.  I was also in a car accident> well I
should say 2 car accidents with 2 comas.  the frist on in 1986> and the last one
in 1992.  It's been a very rough way to go, and from> going to TBI Netwrok here
where I live, I've actualy done very well but> still have problems with things. 
I'm from Columbus, OH where are you> from?> > jenn> > jennigen@...> --- In
Traumatic_Brain_Injury@yahoogroups.com, "mmb1280" <mmb1280@>> wrote:> >>> >>Hi
Jenn,Thanks for responding to me. I found this out through my speech therapist
because i broke my jaw in the car accident. I'm from St. Louis,Missouri. My
friends have been great to me and my brothers and sister.Do you have a brother
or a sister?On June 17th i'm in a wedding i'm a bridesmaid.I get upset sometimes
and i'm sad my boyfriend died.So how are
_______________________________________________
No banners. No pop-ups. No kidding.
Make My Way  your home on the Web - http://www.myway.com

--- In Traumatic_Brain_Injury@yahoogroups.com, "mmb1280" <mmb1280@...>
wrote:

> I was in a car accident almost 2 years ago it'll be 2 years Nov.
12th.
   I have TBI.
   My friends have been  great to me but i would like to talk with
someone that's going through what i've been through! <

OK. I am now going to ramble on just a bit about me and TBI

"It" can be a pretty strange life sometimes, can't "it"? It's my
belief that everyone who is a "survivor" finds themselves living with
a very different set of circumstances perceptions beliefs and
realities when they at last find themselves awake and aware once again.

"Things" will never be the same again you know.....
You gotta be tough, TBI is most assuredly not for the weak of will nor
for anyone lacking a seriously overactive need to always be in some
sort of a scuffle with one thing or another. And having a very high
tolerance for great amounts of self imposed discomfort helps alot too.
"Things" will never be easy again
"Things" will never be a matter of "simply" ever again
Time it is to toughen up.

There is not, for some folks anyway... not much more than be amazed
that the medical folks can do for some folks with TBI. Most doctors
don't listen worth a damn, (I personally don't blame them, IMHO most
people are at the doctors to whine about something new that's wrong
and or get a new or re-fill for a script) but, if you want to get them
to talk with you like a real live and capable person... YOU, yes
that's right... YOU simply will have learn to talk with them at their
level about things neurological.  Get online and learn!!!!

Don't take anti- depressants/anxiety/psyschotics or sleep meds or
anything other than anti-siezure drugs (and then only if you have been
proven to have seizures).

If you get terrifyingly sudden onset and blindingly furious headaches
that just make you puke sweat and want to die, then don't be stupid,
by all means get something for them

Avoid neuro-psychologists and their hoey bull-shit psuedo-scientific
babble. The tests they use are all highly manipulatable and pretty
subjective as to their interpretation. If you happen to be with one, I
personally would leave. Pretty damn close to quackery if you ask me...
not the science of it, but the practice of it as a medical "art" sure
is.  If one were to confuse an issue with say... aphasia and an
ability to verbally articulate well at times or perhaps have a memory
issue or any other type of neuro problem with a lack of intelligence,
don't fret about it... just tell them that they are obviously not your
at your intelectectual level nor equal to your abilities and
expectaions and LEAVE! Don't see the neurologists who see everyone
with everything wrong from nothing to advanced parkinsons. And AVOID
RUN FROM GET AWAY REAL QUICKLY from the doctors who always want to try
something new pharmeceutical everytime time you have an appointment.
"Have we tried..."

If at all possible see doctors affiliated with a university
teaching/research hospital. And remember that it's nothing personal,
but, there probably isn't (IN THE REAL WORLD anyway) anything that
"they"are gonna be able to fix for you anyway. Seriously active drugs
of any kind do not cure a thing and don't make anything better but
lots of folks make lots of money on/off of/from your them.

And if you're at a doctors office, and as many pharmecuetical industry
reps are there as there are clients/patients (and being seen on a more
timely basis too) ... LEAVE RIGHT AWAY!

Read read read and learn how to use the internet as the great search
and research tool that it is. Do things you have no business even
trying to do. Challenge yourself every day

Never avoid trying anything... what the hell, how else are you ever
gonna learn something new and move the bar just a little bit further
if you avoid the possibility of abject failure?

Learn how to fall well, both physically and emotionally, and even more
importantly, learn how to land well.

Keep a sense of humor about and around you at all times, you're gonna
need it. Learn to laugh at yourself

Do crosswords and anagrams and cryptograms every day.

AND Remember what Don Juan told Carlos Casteneda:
  Live your live as a warrior

not "like " a warrior, rather "as" a warrior.... there is a big difference

LOL, you did ask for this..... >>>> " i would like to talk with
someone that's going through what i've been through! " <<<<

I thought I'd add my 2 bits worth.

My brain injury was in Sept. 2003.

I wanted to say that sometimes anti-depressants are very necessary. At least
they are for me.  I am grateful no one told me not to take them.

6 months after my injury I became suicidal. Even to the point of planning how to
do it.   After less than 2 weeks on the anti depressant, I could not imagine how
I ever could have felt that way.

Then again, a few months ago, my anti-depressent stopped working as well as it
should have. The depression came back, along with suicidal thoughts again.  My
neurologist changed my med to a different anti-depressant and once again I am
ok.

Our injuries physically damaged our brains.  Sometimes medications are
necessary, sometimes they are not.  Sometimes they do more harm than good,
sometimes the good outweights the bad.

It is an individual decision whether or not to take medications for an injury.
The decision should be made along with a trained medical doctor, and lots of
personal research. And of course, pay attention to your body.  Each of us is
different. Each injury is different.

It is also a good idea to educate yourself and family about brain injury. A good
place to get information is www.tbiguide.com  The information is clear and easy
to understand.

Hang in there and don't give up on yourself.
Some days are easier than others, some are harder.

Kerin



  --- On Wed 07/05, spunbondwarrior < spunbondwarrior@... > wrote:
From: spunbondwarrior [mailto: spunbondwarrior@...]
To: Traumatic_Brain_Injury@yahoogroups.com
Date: Wed, 05 Jul 2006 17:20:11 -0000
Subject: [Traumatic_Brain_Injury] Re: Hello Everyone!!  My name is Megan


















             --- In Traumatic_Brain_Injury@yahoogroups.com, "mmb1280"
<mmb1280@...>
wrote:

> I was in a car accident almost 2 years ago it'll be 2 years Nov.
12th.
   I have TBI.
   My friends have been  great to me but i would like to talk with
someone that's going through what i've been through! <

OK. I am now going to ramble on just a bit about me and TBI

"It" can be a pretty strange life sometimes, can't "it"? It's my
belief that everyone who is a "survivor" finds themselves living with
a very different set of circumstances perceptions beliefs and
realities when they at last find themselves awake and aware once again.

"Things" will never be the same again you know.....
You gotta be tough, TBI is most assuredly not for the weak of will nor
for anyone lacking a seriously overactive need to always be in some
sort of a scuffle with one thing or another. And having a very high
tolerance for great amounts of self imposed discomfort helps alot too.
"Things" will never be easy again
"Things" will never be a matter of "simply" ever again
Time it is to toughen up.

There is not, for some folks anyway... not much more than be amazed
that the medical folks can do for some folks with TBI. Most doctors
don't listen worth a damn, (I personally don't blame them, IMHO most
people are at the doctors to whine about something new that's wrong
and or get a new or re-fill for a script) but, if you want to get them
to talk with you like a real live and capable person... YOU, yes
that's right... YOU simply will have learn to talk with them at their
level about things neurological.  Get online and learn!!!!

Don't take anti- depressants/anxiety/psyschotics or sleep meds or
anything other than anti-siezure drugs (and then only if you have been
proven to have seizures).

If you get terrifyingly sudden onset and blindingly furious headaches
that just make you puke sweat and want to die, then don't be stupid,
by all means get something for them

Avoid neuro-psychologists and their hoey bull-shit psuedo-scientific
babble. The tests they use are all highly manipulatable and pretty
subjective as to their interpretation. If you happen to be with one, I
personally would leave. Pretty damn close to quackery if you ask me...
not the science of it, but the practice of it as a medical "art" sure
is.  If one were to confuse an issue with say... aphasia and an
ability to verbally articulate well at times or perhaps have a memory
issue or any other type of neuro problem with a lack of intelligence,
don't fret about it... just tell them that they are obviously not your
at your intelectectual level nor equal to your abilities and
expectaions and LEAVE! Don't see the neurologists who see everyone
with everything wrong from nothing to advanced parkinsons. And AVOID
RUN FROM GET AWAY REAL QUICKLY from the doctors who always want to try
something new pharmeceutical everytime time you have an appointment.
"Have we tried..."

If at all possible see doctors affiliated with a university
teaching/research hospital. And remember that it's nothing personal,
but, there probably isn't (IN THE REAL WORLD anyway) anything that
"they"are gonna be able to fix for you anyway. Seriously active drugs
of any kind do not cure a thing and don't make anything better but
lots of folks make lots of money on/off of/from your them.

And if you're at a doctors office, and as many pharmecuetical industry
reps are there as there are clients/patients (and being seen on a more
timely basis too) ... LEAVE RIGHT AWAY!

Read read read and learn how to use the internet as the great search
and research tool that it is. Do things you have no business even
trying to do. Challenge yourself every day

Never avoid trying anything... what the hell, how else are you ever
gonna learn something new and move the bar just a little bit further
if you avoid the possibility of abject failure?

Learn how to fall well, both physically and emotionally, and even more
importantly, learn how to land well.

Keep a sense of humor about and around you at all times, you're gonna
need it. Learn to laugh at yourself

Do crosswords and anagrams and cryptograms every day.

AND Remember what Don Juan told Carlos Casteneda:
  Live your live as a warrior

not "like " a warrior, rather "as" a warrior.... there is a big difference

LOL, you did ask for this..... >>>> " i would like to talk with
someone that's going through what i've been through! " <<<<



















_______________________________________________
No banners. No pop-ups. No kidding.
Make My Way  your home on the Web - http://www.myway.com

Kerin,
   Thank you for your reply!
   You are absolutely correct in your comments.... Thanx for offering
your thoughts on mine!
   Pretty smart you must be!

In Traumatic_Brain_Injury@yahoogroups.com, "Kerin" <kerin_g@...>
wrote:

> Our injuries physically damaged our brains.  Sometimes medications
are necessary, sometimes they are not.  Sometimes they do more harm
than good, sometimes the good outweights the bad.<

Due to ones injuries, the specific locations damaged and the rewiring
that has taken place to compensate for the functinal abilities of
those areas injured...  drugs given for a certain condition(s) may
have from the fully intended to absolutely no affect what-so-ever.


> It is an individual decision whether or not to take medications for
an injury. The decision should be made along with a trained medical
doctor, and lots of personal research. And of course, pay attention
to your body.  Each of us is different. Each injury is different.<


  Yes it is an individual(s) decision!!!  And that decision should be
YOURS!!! Not the doctors, who will almost without doubt or fail tell
you that you "need" to take/try/use whatever it is the pharma-rep
just left him samples of.
  Personal research!!! YES!!!!  Lots of it too!and "pay attention to
your body"!!! Damn right!!!! and KEEP A JOURNAL record everything....

  Want to freak the doctors out? Take notes on all your research...
write down all your questions before you go to your
appointments...write down your sources too.....Ask the doctors very
pointed and specific questions... WRITE DOWN EVERY WORD THEY SAY..
they will be shocked at first, But the good doctors will be impressed
and they will be much more likely to spend a lot more time getting
"personal" with your case. Any doctor that raises any even the most
minor objection to your interest and participation in your own course
of treatment /rehab desrves a great big "F.Y. buddy" on your way out
the door.


> It is also a good idea to educate yourself and family about brain
injury. A good place to get information is www.tbiguide.com  The
information is clear and easy to understand.<

I have what must be hundreds of TBI related links (none of which take
you to neither the Texas Back Institute nor the Texas Bible Institute)
on three or four browsers that I am planning on eventually moving to:
     http://del.icio.us

I highly recommend that all y'all go there and type in something
relevant to whatever it is you are looking for. There and my personal
fave for informed and relevant results:
     http://clusty.com

My wife is a university library system director of technical services
so I have all sorts of help with search and research related matters,
and I have been geeking around for a long long time, and IMHO am as
good a researcher (actually better) and have as many in-house/on-line
resources as most any university library is likely to offer... I can
point out all sorts of M$Windows sites and software... but I can
offer no advice on its'/their installation and/or usage (but I can
offer lots of superior alternatives!) as I/we run only LinuxOS at
home and our son uses the Mac OSX.whatever-is-the-latest-version.
No offense intended, butit IMHO M$Windows is software for morons and
I am no moron, I just have a slight case of TBI,



> Hang in there and don't give up on yourself.

Yep!!! I never ever even give the first thought to giving up on me!
There is no "I" in surrender. There is no "I" in cede..... But there
is an "I" in "willing"

I am truly one of the most fortunate people around....

I was in a very ugly accident April 10, 2002.... I woke up six weeks
later to find that I could not walk, could not read, could not
understand half of what I was told, lost several years worth of
memories, couldn't feed or dress myself....oh yeah, and found out
that my left side was now half the size of my right and that I was
now a full time and exclusive right hander. I was really pissed about
all this to say the least.

But I am a really mean and tenacious and bad attituded kind of guy
when it comes to such things.... I don't care how much something
hurts, how many times I have to try to do something until I can
actually do it, what people say or think to be realistic or
achievable.... I will do anything I damn well decide I am going to
do....

It has taken me quite some time to realize understand and accept that
I am extremely fortunate in those regards and that I should not
expect anywhere near the same from others with TBI. Well, I try not
to get to down on anyone anyway...

Four years on and I pretty much do as I please, with a few
exceptions... no more chainsaws, no more firearms.... and a lot of
transient issues that vary from day to day....I really don't care as
long as the headaches stay at bay, which they won't...oh well. I am
permanently "seasick" and the world is constantly in motion.

I had a brain stem hemorrahage, partial separation of frontal lobes,
sub-arachnoid hematoma, and three other issues which I understand
should have been either terminal or at the least permanently
vegetative in their effects. other issues at. I have "no functional
ballance mechanisms" but you'de never know to walk with me.... bike
riding and rock climbing are never again items though... well I will
on occasion ride a bike, on grass, very badly and to the great
discomfort of all around me. And swimming is not a good idea either,
but what the hell.... I still will on occasion.... rock climbing,yeah
baby, only problem is I can't find anybody willing to go with me, not
that I blame anyone....

I was told by a neurosurgeon from Wake Forest university that I am
the most amazing person he has ever seen.... he says that the only
thing any more amazing than my even surviving my injuries, was that I
display any form of recovery at all.




> Some days are easier than others, some are harder.

Yep, And somehow I find something good in all of them....Besides,
since no one ever promised me a rose garden, I planted a hundred of
my own.

It's like my daddy used to tell me when I was young....
"Lifes just not not meant to be fair son, either do something about
it, or just shut up, quit your damn whining, and get used to it."


Next up....
"Large, wild, and aggressive puppies as physical therapy"
   LOL.... the adventure continues

Hope I didn't offend anybody along the way.... No offense intended if
I did, so it goes I guess

Me too!

19 miles from the I40 Hanes Mall exit from our place in town.

39 miles from the I40 Hanes Mall exit from our place in the sticks.
Soon to be our only place. "Our" may end up being me and the dogs
Monday morning through Friday afternoon most weeks.

It being summertime and all, I am given to thoughts of moving to up
around Beckely WV every year around this time... One of these days I
might just do it.

HAGN

I had brain trauma due to a triple rollover in a Geo Metro almost 8
years ago (8/98).  I am just looking for people who suffered like I
did and maybe some "coping strategies" for the left over side effects.
Also, just friends who know what I go thru and not that canned reply
of "I can imagine..."

LISTENING

Difficult as it is
really to listen to someone in affliction,
it is just as difficult for him
to know that compassion
is listening to him.

      - Simone Weil

HOPE

Fear less, hope more;
Whine less, breathe more;
Talk less, say more;
Hate less, love more;
And all good things are yours.

      - Swedish Proverb

ADVENTURE

An adventure is only
an inconvenience rightly considered.
An inconvenience is only
an adventure wrongly considered.

      - G. K. Chesterton

CARING

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch,
a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment,
or the smallest act of caring,
all of which have the potential to turn a life around.

      - Leo Buscaglia

GIVING

The fragrance always stays
in the hand that gives the rose.

      - Hada Bejar

COURAGE

Life shrinks or expands
in proportion to one's courage.

      - Anais Nin

Have a great day

STOP!!!
I don't think any of you really want to read this.... I am of a
rather scattered mindset today.... But, if yer bored or need a
diversion... what the hell, feel free read away.

First... since nobody apparently objects... and even if they do.... I
really really really like to talk, and I am really good at it, even
when (and that would be regularly) I lose track of what I am talking
about. So since I have some time here n there, I figure ... what the
hell, I will bless y'all with a little enlightenment that is me...and
start putting some of my ramblings here as well as in my OO journal.
Writing for me is somewhat akin to talking, and I can always read
back and gather up those thoughts I just lost....

Now just in case I might offend, upset, anger, drive to drink or any
other form of excess anyone through my thoughts and rantings/
writings, damn... I really don't mean any harm to nor offense to
anyone... But if you find yourself offended upset pissed off or
whatever... I am really a really nice guy but I really don't care
about what anybody else thinks about almost anything I have an
opinion on, after all, I may not always be right, but I am NEVER,
EVER wrong. So if I do manage to raise a few hackles here n there, oh
well, find somebody to tell somebody who cares.

A shrink asked me why I think I can go around saying whatever I
please about anything  I might choose to with total disregard for
others feelings and what ever consequences that my words/thoughts
might generate.....I told him that it is rather obvious, though it
might be painfully obvious to some, that me speaking my piece about
whatever I might choose with total disregard for the consequences is
something that I am fortunately for me completely comfortable with
and that I am damn sure tough enough to deal with any reaction I
might generate in or from anybody, and that I really don't give a
damn if people aren't tough enough to handle my version of the
truth.,I am truly only concerned with speaking whatever is on my mind
for no other reason than I have an opinion on whatever it is I am
talking about and intend to make my opinion/thoughts/intentions/
desires/whatever not just heard, but known....

But I digress....

>>>> "i was a workaholic. I worked overtime" <<<<

If there is one good thing to come about due to my most unfortunate
series of circumstances, it is that I have learned that there is just
a wee bit more to life than work and working.... but not very much
more.... for some folks it would appear so anyway...

I miss working more than anyone could imagine... I had a job I truly
loved and was apparently quite good at and got to work with some of
the absolutely very best people in the entire world of process
industries and with one of the best companies to work for anywhere....
I got to learn and do things and go places and meet people...I spent
six weeks working 16 hours a day in Green Bay, Wisconsin (where I
went to Lambue Feild, less than impressed with it I was too, and
found it far from the religeous experience our hosts obviously did
and expected of us) starting up a new process, equal time and eforts
in 5 other states... I spent 5 years as part of corp team that
managed complete replacements of entire processes spending almost a
year at a time in/at the client site...

I did a year at corp R&D spending millions of dollars coming up with
a way that made some truly unique and gorgeous (for the product...
not for your love interest) product material that is/was definately
way beyond anything else available.... but LOL, no one could figure
out what to do with the stuff, and it was some very very expensive
stuff with a very limited market potential....but damn we did good!!!

So, I was told I was never ever going to work anywhere ever again....
I had different plans though. It was 11 months later and I walked
back into work.... It took a while, as I have a bit of a problem with
timing and sequencing of events and organizing anything requiring
more than 1 step anymore.... But as much as I hate to admit it... the
neuro folks were right.... It takes 2000 times before I am aware that
yes indeed I have/haven't/hasn't/can/can't whatever it is is a
problem.... Thankfully I worked with people who for the most part are
as close to the edge as me and who wouldn't take a chance on letting
me get myself in some sort of trouble with this that and or the
other.... the industry I was in presents hazards aplenty for the
process geeks who like to play and experiment and is no place for the
les than sharp and quick of mind and always in possession of nerves
of steel and a certain type of self assurance that you can tell ain't
gonna get you killed.

Anyway... 1 year later and one day I was reading reports I had
written the day previous and could recall no actual memories of. It
occured to mke that this was an ongoing problem and I went and asked
some people I could trust to never bullshit me if I was having
problems that I wasn't aware of..... Thank God they told me yes and
went over a whole list of things with me and made me write them all
down... I made a doctors appointment that morning and told her I
really needed to see her NOW and went the next morning, and I hate to
say it, but, yes they were right and I pretty much have no business
working where it is a requirenment that you remember things and
people and events and issues that could get people hurt or killed or
lost or broke or whatever.

A doctor told me some time ago when I asked about going back to work
that "there's not a doctor in North America who'll sign a back to
work releae with your name on it". I have a different veiw of things
however that don't require anybodys permission except mine. Since I
can't work for anybody else, I have been working on a scheme that
suits me and mine needs wants etc.....I am tough to work with and
almost impossible to work for though.... I hope I don't end up having
to fire myself or anything....

Ok! I just read what I have written and damn if apparently it is
pretty much all about work.....today.....So, I reckon I am putting
aside all thoughts of work for this afternoon and I'm taking the dogs
down to the creek for the rest of the day.

Y'all have a great day and have some fun. I hope it is as nice where
you are as it is here today.