I coul never thank you enough for posting this video!!!!!!!! I too was sent home from the hospital with an undiagnosed brain injury. I lived in my home all alone and I thought I was rapidly going insane. I ended up in a psyche ward multiple times and the only way I found out I had an ABI was I somehow ended up in a Facebook Brain Injury group and found the only people on earth that understood the living hell I lived in. Unfortunately I still couldn't find any help an was forced to leave my home and live in an assisted living facility. After 8 months there I stole medication and tried to overdose but I failed and was put in jail for 9 months and now I'm a felon. I'm 46 and was never ever in jail before. It's very embarrassing that I'll be a felon for the rest of my life but there was a silver lining to being in prison because a Veterans representative got me into. A Veterans Transitional Program in a wonderful city. I've been here 5 weeks and they've been great. It took two years and two months from when my injury happened till I finally got some help but I did survive the wait. I love being alive now. Thanks again for your video. You are wonderful!!!
I'm sorry your going through such a rough time. 🙏🙏 I understand allot being a parent of my daughter who has 2 T.B.I.s I dug deep and learned allot of what's going on so I can better help her. These videos has helped me allot and massively reading any thing and everything about her brain injury, before her dr said she had 2 T.B.I.s I already knew she did. Concussions are not as sevier and lasts as long as her brain injuries has. Our lives changed November 10th 2017. A 117 lbs tv fell on my baby. She just turned 13 not even a month before it all happened. Her school was going to completely take away her IEP and put her in regular classes. Also they were going to make her go bowling with the rest of the school and with strobe lights. NOT cool!!! So now I home school her. I honestly rather take her burden and carry it myself then to have her like this.
Hey, tried fish oils. Google Fish oils for brain injuries. I hope it helps also try to eat more vegetables and fruits. Here is a CZcams video testimony from doctors and it was in the news about Fish oil for brain injuries: czcams.com/video/fVhMn0yiBlY/video.html I hope this helps!
27 year TBI survivor here after a bad car wreck on 3/31/97... I was in the hospital for 26 days and Physical Therapy for 18 months... I struggle with repeating myself,poor multitasking skills,poor temper and poor short term memory... I attempted and failed at several careers-(Special Education Teacher,Car Salesman,911 Radio Dispatcher ).. The Combination of TBI issues,PTSD issues,and Career Failures led to increased depression,anxiety and suicidal thoughts... I now FINALLY have a somewhat decent quality of life... I FINALLY received SSDI-( Social Security Disability Income ) after 15 years,4 appeals and 3 attorneys... I now drive for a Car Dealership part time and Build Model Cars as a hobby... These activities give my life meaning,help me deal with my TBI and PTSD issues,and improve my self esteem...
I was released from the ER and told I could fly the next day to Omaha NE for sales training. I was sensitive to light and tired. My dizziness and loose of balance did not set in until the following week. I am 2.5 years out. I have just applied for Social Security Disability.
I totally agree with feeling lonely! I was 19 when my cars slid off the road in a snow storm. I had many friends and I knew no one that didn't want to hang out. After my wreck I was in the hospital for 8 months, coma for 4 of them. Everyone moved on with their lives, except for me. I was left alone and lonely. I had to restart my life, my friends and reevaluate my revised pathway. Life has never been the same, but I have new adventures, challenges and experiences. Thank you for sharing your story.
Nathalie God bless you for your ministry to those of us who have lived through this or supported someone going through this very frightening experience. I am 3 years post my auto accident and even being a registered nurse, I had no idea the amount of trauma and work it would take to be able to regain my speech, focus, walk in a straight line, or even tolerate going to the grocery store without a complete flight response to get out fast. I’m doing much better but it took so much time. Many don’t understand because we suffer invisible issues and at times we’re not taken seriously. I’m so thankful for your videos.
Thank you very much for your videos. I’m in year three but it is empowering and great consolation to hear your story. Most of all to realize I’m not alone in feeling rejected and disrespected by the medical profession. I’m better than I was and so I can hope to be better than I am, and although I tell myself this every morning, it is very good to know I’m not alone.
God bless you!!! I was fresh out of foster care and high school when I sustained a TBI. I was young, had no parents, and no insurance. So, I didn’t get proper rehab therapy. It’s still a daily struggle to combat the effect 25 years later. You said so many things that touched on those struggles. Again, bless you.
:( I am so sorry .. at the same time I am very grateful you posted this .. straight to my heart.. and my busted brain .. Isolation, Terror & Loneliness .. horrible
TBI and post concussion syndrome has been the hardest thing I’ve ever had to deal with in my life. It is crazy how it is so isolating and lonely because no one really truly understands what it’s like. People say “so Concussion, that’s like headaches, right...? Umm it’s infinitely more intense than that!! The feeling of loneliness, depression, pressure in your head, brain fog, can’t remember anything people say to me, and headaches. It’s really tough... but I think the most important thing is to just have hope and take one day at a time. Rest when you need to, eat healthy, take fish oil for inflammation and growing brain cells... I know one day this will all be in the past and I’ll have my life back. It could take years, so be it. I just know one day I’ll be out of this living hell
Good video! I too am going thru this, having 2 brain injury accidents and ending up with an aneurysm in the center of my brain. Much different than who I once was and frustrating, angering cause I lost my true self. I have been put on meds to help with anxiety, migraines, nerve and muscle damage pain. I have my license, but I don’t drive much because of my sight changing and anxieties, most times I can’t handle being in a store for very long and can’t handle crowds. I also fall down or lose my balance and stumble. It’s hard, but it helps knowing I am not alone, I don’t know anyone like me where I live. These videos help me know I’m not going crazy and my life now is just like other people who have had brain injuries. Thank you!
Thank you for your honesty! I have had 5 concussions. The last one has sent me into such a tailspin and stripped me of the personality I once had. I too can not tolerate noise, supermarkets, movie theaters (using ear plugs makes it a bit more tolerable.), loud parties and music. It’s been 4 years since my last concussion. Thanks so much for sharing your story.
You're a beautifully strong person, thank you so much for sharing your story and testimony. So much of how you describe this, reminds me so much of myself and what I'm going through. Best wishes ❤
Thank you for sharing, you mentioned things that most of the 'medical' videos skip over. Light, driving, it's been five years and it is getting better but it takes so much effort to do basic things. Very well said
Thank you for the candidness in putting such expressive and comprehensive words to your experience with TBI. It is a lifetime journey that we do not need to make alone. As we heal, part of our recovery is to be able to provide inspiration to others, their caregivers, Doctors, and Therapists. Each day’s struggles, accomplishments and achievements are important to acknowledge as we find our way back to our “sense of self”.
I just joined today as a result of Sharon Johnson from the NYSBIA Rochester location sending me your link. I have watched a few videos and plan to watch more, but still after suffering a horrific auto accident in 1978 am tired. I did not have any rehab after being in the hospital for 2 weeks nor acknowledgement of a brain injury until 2006. It is only in the last 3 years that I have begun to learn about the effects of my TBI all those years ago. THANK YOU!
It is such a common story of not being diagnosed. It is such a challenge because we are invalidated and start thinking we are crazy. I am glad you are on the right track now Claire.
Thank you so much for sharing this. It's been 2 years since my accident where I have been left with my brain injury. I can relate to everything you say
Thank you so much for having the courage to detail your experience with brain injury. I was diagnosed with a TBI 6 years ago. This was so very validating For me.
You are amazing &such an inspiration. Althpugh not a head injury, I have a debilitating disease. I am able to identify with your story because people can not see my disease and many days I do appear to be normal. I know for me tou remimded me that I am not alone. Thank you.
incredible. you are so right about people not understanding TBI, I also have a TBI and life for me is exactly how you explain daily life with a TBI, you are a real inspiration and your videos are superb. I will show all my friends so they can better understand what daily life is like for me. Thank you so much.
Thank you for your videos & information. I wish I had found them earlier (although being online & watching them is a challenge). I have just come to the 5-yr mark of living with a TBI. I had no idea when I hit my face/head that I had a concussion. At first Drs were only focused on whether I had broken my hand or nose (not even my skull!). I had to fight to see a neurologist & then to get an MRI to check on potential bleeds in my brain. He then dismissed me after the results, saying that I should recover within a year at most, and that there was nothing he could offer me (except sleeping pills and advice to rest my brain). I was so upset with the news that it could take a year to recover. Little did I know that I'd still be dealing with this 5 years later! It's been a struggle in so many ways. Aside from the effects of the TBI, I feel so isolated, knowing no one else who truly understands what I'm experiencing. Thank you for allowing me to feel like I'm not alone :)
The old us could never have guessed we would still be dealing with this. I am so glad you realize you are NOT alone. We are everywhere! Join my website and I'll let you know about online support groups I am starting. Best wishes.
This so well articulated what it's like to live with a brain injury. I, too, had an unhelpful neurologist. Even though my injury showed up on the MRI he ordered, there was nothing more he offered me to help, including therapy. I spent the next couple years trying to find things that helped, and through trial and error suddenly realized that the things that helped all had mindful awareness of the present moment without judgement or criticism as their foundation. So I decided to take up mindfulness and it's ancillary, vipassana, as a daily discipline, being that I'm still out of work. The results have been absolutely remarkable, and in 6 months I've nearly regained every part of myself that I'd lost. I feel like my old self again most of the time. Everything else I'd found that helped seemed like a gimmick by comparison. Thanks for producing this video.
Wow! That is a very exciting testimonial about the power of Vipassana! I have been a meditator since 1982 and I believe it! Your results are miraculous!
@@NathalieKelly Thanks! I've been a meditator for 16 years. Up until my brain injury, I practiced from yogic traditions. Immediately following my brain injury, however, I had to stop, as they exacerbated my symptoms. Meditation in the yoga tradition is almost exclusively concentration based. This was a pretty severe blow for me, since I derived so much satisfaction from meditation. It was only over the course of my recovery and discovering things that actually helped rather than hindered that I slowly started piecing together that the common thread seemed to be mindfulness and the cultivation of awareness. Once I realized that, I tried vipassana, just to see if I'd be able use it as a meditation technique. I found that not only was it successful as a meditation technique, even with my brain injury, but it helped significantly mitigate the symptoms I'd been experiencing for 1.5 years. For a time, I almost felt normal. And then I suddenly forgot all about it one day (thanks, brain injury) until about 6 months later. I picked it up again and noticed immediate improvement in all of my functions, and was determined to make it a daily practice. It worked, and after 4 months and finally feeling more like myself again, I added in more traditional forms of mindfulness during my day, both sitting practice and while active, and the results of using the two in tandem has brought me to a nearly full recovery. Something I had lost hope was possible until I discovered vipassana and mindfulness. It probably doesn't even need to be mentioned, but so enamored have I been with these practices, that I actually converted to Buddhism lol. Something I also didn't think I'd ever do.
Thank you for sharing this. I can connect with how you feel since I'm going through something a lil bit similar. Keep going on your mission . Much love Nathalie ❤️
I can relate with the doctor who didn’t take seriously the severity of the brain injury. I dealt with army doctors though. Yes, some of these are commonalities regardless of how the TBI happened. So much of your story is so relatable. God bless you.
My TBI 1/25/23m yours similar to me right now, ocular issues every one tells me to get out of the dark, but its my haven , steps and ground coming up to meed me no night driving, hot all the time, Heart rate out of control, ambient sensitivity and at first medicine failed me, doing my own research as I could, I found Chrystabelle Braden and now you THank you!
I discovered your videos a couple of years ago and I really liked them and I got good ideas from them of things I could try to improve my brain. Somehow I missed this one until today. I liked it a lot and I realized that I have improved a little bit in some respects. The injury is still there and I have to do the best I can. My injury wasn’t a physical injury but a chemical injury caused by Lupron, a drug given to men to slow down prostate cancer. Think twice before you allow a drug that lists a lot of possible bad side effects. Almost ALL of them happened to me.
Wow thank you so much for your video! I had a TBI back in 2018. I never heard anyone ever describe it as well as you did in your video, and seem to actually understand what it is like having such a hidden injury. I feel less alone now.
Thank you Nathalie for all the information you're providing for people like me with TBI. Now that I'm able to watch short videos and even find videos about TBI I will try to watch all of yours in time.
I thank you for your video. As a survivor of multiple brain injuries, (I've lost count), most of the issues that you spoke of are what I face everyday now. There are so many things that I would like to speak of, but I can only type one word at a time and have to think about each word and thing I write about. And then re-read what's written and correct it. Just a tip I found out, playing Playstation after the first few hits improved my hand/eye co-ordination. I don't now, I get tired too quickly, and it affects what chores I have to get done on the family farm. I have to go now, getting exhausted brain. Thank you for your time, eh. And I love spellchecker and word prompter. Sure helps me get what I wanted to say !
Natalie thank you so much for sharing your story everything you have gone through is exactly what I am going through. I too are at a lost I struggle everyday I do my best to continue to stay positive I miss my old self I worked I drove I had family and friends I miss my life that was taken away from me through a doctors error yet her life goes on. I wish there was a way to find out more I just use my cellphone and found you on you tube !! thank you again for being an Angel to me in my world of darkness
Nearly twenty years later and I'm STILL figuring out how to identify, deal with and live with issues from my brain injury. I had a TBI from being hit by drunk driver and getting a subsequent fatty embolism that put me into a coma for a week. The more I learn about TBIs the more I'm convinced that I had one from when I was hit by a car when I was 10 yrs old and had a tooth knocked up into my upper jaw and suffered a ruptured spleen. No wonder I've never really felt "NORMAL
That makes a lot of sense Steve. It's amazing how many of us suffered concussions as children and well-meaning adults brush it off and think we will just bounce back. Some people don't, especially from multiple impacts. Thanks for watching and I hope these videos help you figure a few things out that make your life easier.!
Steve T I, understand, I never got help for my brain injury, I was told by family there was nothing with you, and I listen to them, Now I am, 56 now still lost and confuse.
2 months 21cm subdural hematoma. The day after i was injured i suffered several episodes of ephasia. I dont remember most of the first week. I was extremely aggravated and tied down in my bed. I forgot to mention they did a crainotomy as soon as i was in hospital. I feel comfortable in the quiet and dimmed room. Im told im lucky but the meds make me agitated and anxious. I know i have a long road to go. You give me hope.
You speak my language! I love your videos. Please don't stop. I could explain my story more... But I feel it's too much to type. The only advantage I had was my beautiful girlfriend (at the time). Wife now. I would say it's take years now to start to understand. About 7 years now. My teammate and rehab in the beginning was everything, even though I didn't understand it then. It makes sense now. Great videos. I have said this on your other videos as well. Got to love the invisible injury that is hard to talk about... No one truly understands, unless you are going through it. Every brain injury is different.
I don't think i ever got a scan, after my car accident where ons side of my skull was smashed and knocked me out at like 6-7 am i was sent home the morning at 9 am barely able to walk, im mostly home by myself not really going anywhere easily irritated maybe i should get checked but might not have the money to do so.
You are courageous. Please let me know what type of professional diagnosed your TBI. My teenager had a concussion/TBI a year ago and your videos have identified many of the conditions she has.
Who diagnosed your tbi? I too have negative tests. I currently see a homepathy who is 1st one who told me a tbi. I would like to be tested, but not sure who to go to, as I know tbi doesn't show in a mri. I had ct scan and negative. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing your story. You are helping thousands of suffers feel hope.
ER never even treated me. Hit at 80kph by a loose commercial van door into a load. Crushed. WorkSafe BC did all the wrong things through their program. I am a bespoke designer. The tests are my everyday work processes. I told them that the testing was really about spatial gifts rather than ability changes. I am still medically dizzy with ocular occurrences, no stamina, no tolerance to stimuli, and inability to communicate the 'still brilliant' activity in my plastic brain. I could work but not at the manic pace of the design industry or assesment industries. So unemployable but not able to get disability in Canada because it's an invisible disability until we talk and walk together. But the brain is incredibe. I have hope as it heals.
Nathalie hi! The MIND-EYE INSTITUTE is something that I have come across recently. You may find it interesting. A must-see. Near Chicago. Thank you for sharing what you have experienced and what has been working for you.
I didn't know what was even happening to me and it took years for someone to figure out what happened but mine was a number of car accidents where they hit me, then I started to fall all the time hitting my head even more. Then another 2 car wrecks. migraines, panic attacks but without help I did learn to plan rest days but spent almost 5 yrs without leaving the house but. it was your video about glasses and earplugs,that alowed me to occasionally shop which before I'd panic and have to leave. So baby steps here. I also had bewn flooding my wife brain to shut down point. I also can't do much per day. Im in high desert California but with an HMO that seems to have no idea even about tinted glasses. I llisten to everything you put out and i love the intro song because it's so true trying to relocate to a wooded area in CO but not too far from town v and hopefully a rehab plus your videos.....lifesavers
This brought tears to my eyes. I am so so happy I helped you get out of the house for the first time in 5 years. That makes everything I've done worthwhile. I actually made these videos because I couldnt leave my house for years and was going crazy. I found a way to be useful from inside my house. Thank you so much for telling me this made a diffference.
I wonder if your diet was a factor? I've been dealing with TBI for almost 8 years. I am working on my recovery and feel better since I had to start ignoring the shame.
I have studied nutrition for 35 years and always eaten healthfully. Since following a paleo diet, in the last year, I do function better. Great nutritional information here: czcams.com/video/4xH5OX0DMm4/video.html&list=PLyZCQFut7CKUZYcmtQuoZER5Hy0fcJ_ql&index=6
Julianna He I am so glad this helps! Please feel free to translate any of my videos. If you send me the translation to TheTBICoach@gmail.com I will post them for others as well. Thank you!
I coul never thank you enough for posting this video!!!!!!!! I too was sent home from the hospital with an undiagnosed brain injury. I lived in my home all alone and I thought I was rapidly going insane. I ended up in a psyche ward multiple times and the only way I found out I had an ABI was I somehow ended up in a Facebook Brain Injury group and found the only people on earth that understood the living hell I lived in. Unfortunately I still couldn't find any help an was forced to leave my home and live in an assisted living facility. After 8 months there I stole medication and tried to overdose but I failed and was put in jail for 9 months and now I'm a felon. I'm 46 and was never ever in jail before. It's very embarrassing that I'll be a felon for the rest of my life but there was a silver lining to being in prison because a Veterans representative got me into. A Veterans Transitional Program in a wonderful city. I've been here 5 weeks and they've been great. It took two years and two months from when my injury happened till I finally got some help but I did survive the wait. I love being alive now. Thanks again for your video. You are wonderful!!!
Thank you Barry! Keep on watching. So much more to come!
🙏🙏🙏🙏💗
I'm sorry your going through such a rough time. 🙏🙏
I understand allot being a parent of my daughter who has 2 T.B.I.s
I dug deep and learned allot of what's going on so I can better help her.
These videos has helped me allot and massively reading any thing and everything about her brain injury, before her dr said she had 2 T.B.I.s I already knew she did.
Concussions are not as sevier and lasts as long as her brain injuries has. Our lives changed November 10th 2017. A 117 lbs tv fell on my baby. She just turned 13 not even a month before it all happened.
Her school was going to completely take away her IEP and put her in regular classes. Also they were going to make her go bowling with the rest of the school and with strobe lights. NOT cool!!! So now I home school her.
I honestly rather take her burden and carry it myself then to have her like this.
My story too Fred...only getting the truth now about TBI after forty years. Thank you for sharing and Happy Thanksgiving. 💕
Hey, tried fish oils. Google Fish oils for brain injuries. I hope it helps also try to eat more vegetables and fruits. Here is a CZcams video testimony from doctors and it was in the news about Fish oil for brain injuries: czcams.com/video/fVhMn0yiBlY/video.html
I hope this helps!
This nailed it. I'm a police officer and a survivor and everyday is a struggle. My neurologist told me the same thing. Awesome video!
27 year TBI survivor here after a bad car wreck on 3/31/97... I was in the hospital for 26 days and Physical Therapy for 18 months... I struggle with repeating myself,poor multitasking skills,poor temper and poor short term memory... I attempted and failed at several careers-(Special Education Teacher,Car Salesman,911 Radio Dispatcher ).. The Combination of TBI issues,PTSD issues,and Career Failures led to increased depression,anxiety and suicidal thoughts... I now FINALLY have a somewhat decent quality of life... I FINALLY received SSDI-( Social Security Disability Income ) after 15 years,4 appeals and 3 attorneys... I now drive for a Car Dealership part time and Build Model Cars as a hobby... These activities give my life meaning,help me deal with my TBI and PTSD issues,and improve my self esteem...
I was released from the ER and told I could fly the next day to Omaha NE for sales training. I was sensitive to light and tired. My dizziness and loose of balance did not set in until the following week. I am 2.5 years out. I have just applied for Social Security Disability.
I totally agree with feeling lonely!
I was 19 when my cars slid off the road in a snow storm.
I had many friends and I knew no one that didn't want to hang out.
After my wreck I was in the hospital for 8 months, coma for 4 of them.
Everyone moved on with their lives, except for me. I was left alone and lonely.
I had to restart my life, my friends and reevaluate my revised pathway.
Life has never been the same, but I have new adventures, challenges and experiences.
Thank you for sharing your story.
🤜🏻🤛🏻✨
Thanks for sharing your journey Nathalie - I am 18 months into my journey and I am so glad to be hearing your videos. I don't feel so alien!
Thanks Corrie. You are not alone! There are so many of us. I am so glad my videos help you. That is why I make them!
Nathalie God bless you for your ministry to those of us who have lived through this or supported someone going through this very frightening experience. I am 3 years post my auto accident and even being a registered nurse, I had no idea the amount of trauma and work it would take to be able to regain my speech, focus, walk in a straight line, or even tolerate going to the grocery store without a complete flight response to get out fast. I’m doing much better but it took so much time. Many don’t understand because we suffer invisible issues and at times we’re not taken seriously. I’m so thankful for your videos.
Thank you Ella. It really is a ministry and it is an honor to help those of us suffering on this path. I'm so glad to be of service. Blessings to you!
Thank you very much for your videos. I’m in year three but it is empowering and great consolation to hear your story. Most of all to realize I’m not alone in feeling rejected and disrespected by the medical profession. I’m better than I was and so I can hope to be better than I am, and although I tell myself this every morning, it is very good to know I’m not alone.
God bless you!!! I was fresh out of foster care and high school when I sustained a TBI. I was young, had no parents, and no insurance. So, I didn’t get proper rehab therapy. It’s still a daily struggle to combat the effect 25 years later. You said so many things that touched on those struggles. Again, bless you.
Thank you so much. It feels so lonely. Thank you for the encouragement.
:( I am so sorry ..
at the same time I am very grateful you posted this .. straight to my heart.. and my busted brain ..
Isolation, Terror & Loneliness .. horrible
Thanks Alindartist... brain injury is all of the above and I am so glad we have our fellow survivors who understand. Hugs to you!
TBI and post concussion syndrome has been the hardest thing I’ve ever had to deal with in my life. It is crazy how it is so isolating and lonely because no one really truly understands what it’s like. People say “so Concussion, that’s like headaches, right...? Umm it’s infinitely more intense than that!! The feeling of loneliness, depression, pressure in your head, brain fog, can’t remember anything people say to me, and headaches. It’s really tough... but I think the most important thing is to just have hope and take one day at a time. Rest when you need to, eat healthy, take fish oil for inflammation and growing brain cells... I know one day this will all be in the past and I’ll have my life back. It could take years, so be it. I just know one day I’ll be out of this living hell
The way you speak, your educated words and wisdom, you would never have known you had a brain injury. You’re a genius❤ God bless you sweetie🙏
Good video! I too am going thru this, having 2 brain injury accidents and ending up with an aneurysm in the center of my brain. Much different than who I once was and frustrating, angering cause I lost my true self. I have been put on meds to help with anxiety, migraines, nerve and muscle damage pain. I have my license, but I don’t drive much because of my sight changing and anxieties, most times I can’t handle being in a store for very long and can’t handle crowds. I also fall down or lose my balance and stumble. It’s hard, but it helps knowing I am not alone, I don’t know anyone like me where I live. These videos help me know I’m not going crazy and my life now is just like other people who have had brain injuries. Thank you!
Keep going keep strong so proud of you stay safe with virus sending love from headway Nottingham UK xxx
Thank you for your honesty! I have had 5 concussions. The last one has sent me into such a tailspin and stripped me of the personality I once had. I too can not tolerate noise, supermarkets, movie theaters (using ear plugs makes it a bit more tolerable.), loud parties and music. It’s been 4 years since my last concussion. Thanks so much for sharing your story.
You're a beautifully strong person, thank you so much for sharing your story and testimony. So much of how you describe this, reminds me so much of myself and what I'm going through. Best wishes ❤
Thank you for sharing, you mentioned things that most of the 'medical' videos skip over. Light, driving, it's been five years and it is getting better but it takes so much effort to do basic things. Very well said
Thank you for the candidness in putting such expressive and comprehensive words to your experience with TBI. It is a lifetime journey that we do not need to make alone. As we heal, part of our recovery is to be able to provide inspiration to others, their caregivers, Doctors, and Therapists. Each day’s struggles, accomplishments and achievements are important to acknowledge as we find our way back to our “sense of self”.
I just joined today as a result of Sharon Johnson from the NYSBIA Rochester location sending me your link. I have watched a few videos and plan to watch more, but still after suffering a horrific auto accident in 1978 am tired. I did not have any rehab after being in the hospital for 2 weeks nor acknowledgement of a brain injury until 2006. It is only in the last 3 years that I have begun to learn about the effects of my TBI all those years ago. THANK YOU!
It is such a common story of not being diagnosed. It is such a challenge because we are invalidated and start thinking we are crazy. I am glad you are on the right track now Claire.
Inspiring. I too suffered from TBI two years ago and I am now self healing. Can't afford the insurance because I don't have a job, etc.
Thank you so much for sharing this. It's been 2 years since my accident where I have been left with my brain injury. I can relate to everything you say
Thank you so much for having the courage to detail your experience with brain injury. I was diagnosed with a TBI 6 years ago. This was so very validating For me.
You are amazing &such an inspiration. Althpugh not a head injury, I have a debilitating disease. I am able to identify with your story because people can not see my disease and many days I do appear to be normal. I know for me tou remimded me that I am not alone. Thank you.
incredible. you are so right about people not understanding TBI, I also have a TBI and life for me is exactly how you explain daily life with a TBI, you are a real inspiration and your videos are superb. I will show all my friends so they can better understand what daily life is like for me.
Thank you so much.
Thank you for your videos & information. I wish I had found them earlier (although being online & watching them is a challenge).
I have just come to the 5-yr mark of living with a TBI. I had no idea when I
hit my face/head that I had a concussion. At first Drs were only focused on
whether I had broken my hand or nose (not even my skull!). I had to fight to see a
neurologist & then to get an MRI to check on potential bleeds in my brain. He then
dismissed me after the results, saying that I should recover within a year at
most, and that there was nothing he could offer me (except sleeping pills and
advice to rest my brain). I was so upset with the news that it could take a
year to recover. Little did I know that I'd still be dealing with this 5 years
later! It's been a struggle in so many ways. Aside from the effects of the TBI, I feel so isolated, knowing no one else who truly understands what I'm experiencing. Thank you for allowing me to feel like I'm not alone :)
The old us could never have guessed we would still be dealing with this. I am so glad you realize you are NOT alone. We are everywhere! Join my website and I'll let you know about online support groups I am starting. Best wishes.
Brain Recovery Coach What is your website? I am a brain injury Survivor.
Thank you for giving back!!! It's a blessing that I found you!
This so well articulated what it's like to live with a brain injury. I, too, had an unhelpful neurologist. Even though my injury showed up on the MRI he ordered, there was nothing more he offered me to help, including therapy. I spent the next couple years trying to find things that helped, and through trial and error suddenly realized that the things that helped all had mindful awareness of the present moment without judgement or criticism as their foundation. So I decided to take up mindfulness and it's ancillary, vipassana, as a daily discipline, being that I'm still out of work. The results have been absolutely remarkable, and in 6 months I've nearly regained every part of myself that I'd lost. I feel like my old self again most of the time. Everything else I'd found that helped seemed like a gimmick by comparison. Thanks for producing this video.
Wow! That is a very exciting testimonial about the power of Vipassana! I have been a meditator since 1982 and I believe it! Your results are miraculous!
@@NathalieKelly Thanks! I've been a meditator for 16 years. Up until my brain injury, I practiced from yogic traditions. Immediately following my brain injury, however, I had to stop, as they exacerbated my symptoms. Meditation in the yoga tradition is almost exclusively concentration based. This was a pretty severe blow for me, since I derived so much satisfaction from meditation. It was only over the course of my recovery and discovering things that actually helped rather than hindered that I slowly started piecing together that the common thread seemed to be mindfulness and the cultivation of awareness. Once I realized that, I tried vipassana, just to see if I'd be able use it as a meditation technique. I found that not only was it successful as a meditation technique, even with my brain injury, but it helped significantly mitigate the symptoms I'd been experiencing for 1.5 years. For a time, I almost felt normal. And then I suddenly forgot all about it one day (thanks, brain injury) until about 6 months later. I picked it up again and noticed immediate improvement in all of my functions, and was determined to make it a daily practice. It worked, and after 4 months and finally feeling more like myself again, I added in more traditional forms of mindfulness during my day, both sitting practice and while active, and the results of using the two in tandem has brought me to a nearly full recovery. Something I had lost hope was possible until I discovered vipassana and mindfulness. It probably doesn't even need to be mentioned, but so enamored have I been with these practices, that I actually converted to Buddhism lol. Something I also didn't think I'd ever do.
Thank you for sharing this. I can connect with how you feel since I'm going through something a lil bit similar. Keep going on your mission . Much love Nathalie ❤️
I can relate with the doctor who didn’t take seriously the severity of the brain injury. I dealt with army doctors though. Yes, some of these are commonalities regardless of how the TBI happened. So much of your story is so relatable. God bless you.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience and knowledge. I’m so sorry this happened to you.
My TBI 1/25/23m yours similar to me right now, ocular issues every one tells me to get out of the dark, but its my haven , steps and ground coming up to meed me no night driving, hot all the time, Heart rate out of control, ambient sensitivity and at first medicine failed me, doing my own research as I could, I found Chrystabelle Braden and now you THank you!
I will pray for you ❤❤natdlee e very day your have a special beautiful heart
I discovered your videos a couple of years ago and I really liked them and I got good ideas from them of things I could try to improve my brain. Somehow I missed this one until today. I liked it a lot and I realized that I have improved a little bit in some respects. The injury is still there and I have to do the best I can. My injury wasn’t a physical injury but a chemical injury caused by Lupron, a drug given to men to slow down prostate cancer. Think twice before you allow a drug that lists a lot of possible bad side effects. Almost ALL of them happened to me.
Wow thank you so much for your video! I had a TBI back in 2018. I never heard anyone ever describe it as well as you did in your video, and seem to actually understand what it is like having such a hidden injury.
I feel less alone now.
Thank you Nathalie for all the information you're providing for people like me with TBI. Now that I'm able to watch short videos and even find videos about TBI I will try to watch all of yours in time.
I thank you for your video. As a survivor of multiple brain injuries, (I've lost count), most of the issues that you spoke of are what I face everyday now. There are so many things that I would like to speak of, but I can only type one word at a time and have to think about each word and thing I write about. And then re-read what's written and correct it. Just a tip I found out, playing Playstation after the first few hits improved my hand/eye co-ordination. I don't now, I get tired too quickly, and it affects what chores I have to get done on the family farm. I have to go now, getting exhausted brain. Thank you for your time, eh. And I love spellchecker and word prompter. Sure helps me get what I wanted to say !
Natalie thank you so much for sharing your story everything you have gone through is exactly what I am going through. I too are at a lost I struggle everyday I do my best to continue to stay positive I miss my old self I worked I drove I had family and friends I miss my life that was taken away from me through a doctors error yet her life goes on. I wish there was a way to find out more I just use my cellphone and found you on you tube !! thank you again for being an Angel to me in my world of darkness
Thanks for share your testimony, I've been 12 months on my journey of my TBI and hoping to overcome and be functional again.
Update?
Nearly twenty years later and I'm STILL figuring out how to identify, deal with and live with issues from my brain injury. I had a TBI from being hit by drunk driver and getting a subsequent fatty embolism that put me into a coma for a week. The more I learn about TBIs the more I'm convinced that I had one from when I was hit by a car when I was 10 yrs old and had a tooth knocked up into my upper jaw and suffered a ruptured spleen. No wonder I've never really felt "NORMAL
That makes a lot of sense Steve. It's amazing how many of us suffered concussions as children and well-meaning adults brush it off and think we will just bounce back. Some people don't, especially from multiple impacts. Thanks for watching and I hope these videos help you figure a few things out that make your life easier.!
Steve T I, understand, I never got help for my brain injury, I was told by family there was nothing with you, and I listen to them, Now I am, 56 now still lost and confuse.
Powerful story. Thank you for sharing
Good to see you again you beacon of hope
Thank you for this video.
Proud of you keep going sending luck and love from headway Nottingham UK x
Thank you for all you do.
You are welcome Betsy! I hope they help.
Good video. So very needed this message. Wish there was more about how her TBI was finally diagnosed and then which specialty of doctors were helpful.
IT's right here. Enjoy! czcams.com/video/Ukd_LwNjuQs/video.html
Thanks for sharing I also can't drive due to seizures brought on by tbi stay strong
I never even heard of a TBI, until I got one in 2018, after being hit by an SUV, while crossing the street.
2 months 21cm subdural hematoma. The day after i was injured i suffered several episodes of ephasia. I dont remember most of the first week. I was extremely aggravated and tied down in my bed. I forgot to mention they did a crainotomy as soon as i was in hospital. I feel comfortable in the quiet and dimmed room. Im told im lucky but the meds make me agitated and anxious. I know i have a long road to go. You give me hope.
Thank u for that video u made I have a brain injury now and let's just say it has been challenging sometimes
Thank you for sharing 🌺
You speak my language! I love your videos. Please don't stop. I could explain my story more... But I feel it's too much to type. The only advantage I had was my beautiful girlfriend (at the time). Wife now. I would say it's take years now to start to understand. About 7 years now. My teammate and rehab in the beginning was everything, even though I didn't understand it then. It makes sense now. Great videos. I have said this on your other videos as well. Got to love the invisible injury that is hard to talk about... No one truly understands, unless you are going through it. Every brain injury is different.
I don't think i ever got a scan, after my car accident where ons side of my skull was smashed and knocked me out at like 6-7 am i was sent home the morning at 9 am barely able to walk, im mostly home by myself not really going anywhere easily irritated maybe i should get checked but might not have the money to do so.
In the old days metal dashboards and drs never even x-ray, young drs think your lying about all of the car accidents you survived.
I am grateful for you Natalie.
Very inspiring! I am crying. No one believes me either.
You are courageous. Please let me know what type of professional diagnosed your TBI. My teenager had a concussion/TBI a year ago and your videos have identified many of the conditions she has.
Thanks for videos really expiring I get everything your saying having one myself well done keep doing videos keep me going x
I’m going through exactly the same thing.
i am right here too. same issues. trying to cope
Hello Ma'am ✨ Thanks for sharing this video. I know it's tough but stay strong and don't let negative thoughts work on you 🙏🏻🌸 🌠
Who diagnosed your tbi? I too have negative tests. I currently see a homepathy who is 1st one who told me a tbi. I would like to be tested, but not sure who to go to, as I know tbi doesn't show in a mri. I had ct scan and negative.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing your story.
You are helping thousands of suffers feel hope.
This was s wonderfully! I'm sorry that you out went through this. But I am grateful for what you give us.
Thank you Sheri. It is my honor to serve this community.
ER never even treated me. Hit at 80kph by a loose commercial van door into a load. Crushed.
WorkSafe BC did all the wrong things through their program. I am a bespoke designer. The tests are my everyday work processes. I told them that the testing was really about spatial gifts rather than ability changes. I am still medically dizzy with ocular occurrences, no stamina, no tolerance to stimuli, and inability to communicate the 'still brilliant' activity in my plastic brain. I could work but not at the manic pace of the design industry or assesment industries. So unemployable but not able to get disability in Canada because it's an invisible disability until we talk and walk together.
But the brain is incredibe.
I have hope as it heals.
Thank you for this. This is helpful for my father who had the hood of the car fall on him (the back of his head) about three weeks ago.
Thank you for your information it has really helped me understand my brain trams peace love and chill
Nathalie hi! The MIND-EYE INSTITUTE is something that I have come across recently. You may find it interesting. A must-see. Near Chicago. Thank you for sharing what you have experienced and what has been working for you.
I didn't know what was even happening to me and it took years for someone to figure out what happened but mine was a number of car accidents where they hit me, then I started to fall all the time hitting my head even more. Then another 2 car wrecks. migraines, panic attacks but without help I did learn to plan rest days but spent almost 5 yrs without leaving the house but. it was your video about glasses and earplugs,that alowed me to occasionally shop which before I'd panic and have to leave. So baby steps here. I also had bewn flooding my wife brain to shut down point. I also can't do much per day. Im in high desert California but with an HMO that seems to have no idea even about tinted glasses. I llisten to everything you put out and i love the intro song because it's so true trying to relocate to a wooded area in CO but not too far from town v and hopefully a rehab plus your videos.....lifesavers
This brought tears to my eyes. I am so so happy I helped you get out of the house for the first time in 5 years. That makes everything I've done worthwhile. I actually made these videos because I couldnt leave my house for years and was going crazy. I found a way to be useful from inside my house. Thank you so much for telling me this made a diffference.
Omg, Thank you so much.
Thank you.
100 %true
Like, even though your brain is hosed, you're absolutely awesome. You go, girl!
All these symptoms are what I have been experiencing for many years. Is it anxiety or a brain injury?
I wonder if your diet was a factor? I've been dealing with TBI for almost 8 years. I am working on my recovery and feel better since I had to start ignoring the shame.
I have studied nutrition for 35 years and always eaten healthfully. Since following a paleo diet, in the last year, I do function better. Great nutritional information here: czcams.com/video/4xH5OX0DMm4/video.html&list=PLyZCQFut7CKUZYcmtQuoZER5Hy0fcJ_ql&index=6
Hi have you fully recovered?
That’s really bad that the doctors didn’t assess well. How could they let her go home.
hi please reply me have you recover fully
It’s really helpful for me to understand what my mother will suffer. Thank you ! And can I translate the video in to Chinese and share to more people?
Julianna He I am so glad this helps! Please feel free to translate any of my videos. If you send me the translation to TheTBICoach@gmail.com I will post them for others as well. Thank you!
@@NathalieKelly, Could it be prevented? wearing Protective head Gears in life 24/7 perhaps? Cheers LDB
Your website seems to have been hacked. 😳
Any advice for someone who speaks online to understand,
TBI could happen to anybody at any time, so let's be careful out there. Cheers!