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These excerpts from my last eleven years are here so that those of you with Brain Injuries will realize that you are not alone. Everybody I know who has had to cope with TBI or ABD/ABI (Acquired Brain Damage, Injury) has felt so terribly alone at some time. You are not. Ring or contact any of the survivor or carer support groups (or individuals if you find the idea of a group to daunting) We are "normal" people with "normal" worries too.

My motive for having these this pages is too show the Brain Injured and their families that life does continue and that every case will be different. After all each of us is unique. I have lived with the survivor of TBI since 1988 and sometimes it can be very frustrating dealing with all the issues. More so for my wife and caregiver !!!.

About me

I was head injured in a motor vehicle accident in 1988 and to compound problems received another knock to my head in October 1997 in a caving accident. Hopefully these pages will be of some use to somebody else and/or their family dealing with the results of HI. Want to know more about me ?

Thanks to Liz who has coped with ; dealt too and helped create our "new lives".

TBI affects the entire family in many different ways.

• Liz my wife has to deal with it
• Bryce my son often has difficulty relating to me (and vice versa) because of it
• Kirsty my daughter grew up with me and can handle it really well.

Your not going nuts !

• Like so many others my TBI was not diagnosed until later (Two years later)
• Every story is different yet so similar. Temper. Bright lights, Loud noises, Depression, plans, lost dreams,the list go’s on and on. yet it is all to real.
• You will survive it. I did.

Things are improving

• The "professionals" are more tuned into TBI now.
• There is more understanding of TBI in the Kiwi community now. Thanks to the effort of the NZHIS.

People don't understand

• They never will !
• They can sometimes accept it and work with you. (My wife and my bosses have)
• I don't.... how can they?

Allow yourself to make mistakes

• Easily said
• Don't worry about forgetting things. You don't have to have to had a TBI to be forgetful.
• Being forgetful can be convenient. Truly (Sorry I forgot to do the vacuuming/take the rubbish out..... Yeah right)
• Being forgetful can hurt

Give it a go

• Try
• A tiny bit of success goes a long way
• Try again. Work out ways for yourself to do it (Whatever)
• The success is in the trying!
• I can be very trying! Just ask Liz.

Victim or Survivor ?

• Are you a victim or a survivor ? It’s all a matter of attitude.
• I was a victim for five years.
• For the last six years I have been a survivor!!!
• All it takes to become a survivor is one small step at a time.
• One can cover a lot of ground by taking small steps.

Learn to play

• don't be so serious
• Humour is a great leveler
• At least I think it’s funny

Last update 30 May 2003