As someone diagnosed with Hydrocephalus and living with a brain injury, this is a sore point, obviously. People don’t necessarily have to say they don’t believe your symptoms; their actions (or even inaction) speak loudly and clear enough. Seeing beyond an invisible illness or injury, is a difficult one,...
Articles with the Tag When life happens
Cognitive Impairment: Advice For Dealing With This Life Changing Event
My top piece of advice in this instance, NEVER give up on yourself! I feel like I’ve been neglecting my website, that includes anyone who follows this blog. For that, I do apologise. Unfortunately, it’s not entirely within my control. Nevertheless, I also know it is far from the...
From IT professional to brain injury survivor
I have worked in IT for more than 20 years of my life. After starting my career as a secretary, I soon moved into IT and learnt as much as I could, on the job. It was a field I felt drawn to. Over the years, I have successfully...
Reclaim your power
It’s easy to feel powerless when you’re diagnosed with an incurable and invisible condition like Hydrocephalus. And, having to learn to navigate life with a brain injury. When life changes within the blink of an eye and your circumstances are unrecognisable. When the person staring back at you in...
No one asks for a brain injury.
There are so many reasons why this happens to people: Concussions, domestic violence, sports injuries, motor vehicle accidents, etc. And yes, even brain surgery. You (literally) go from one moment to the next…injured beyond your own understanding. Like a butterfly, you have a rebirth of sorts. Becoming someone else...
Do you ever just feel like a waste of space?
In one of my previous posts: “How I cope is much the same as being like a duck”, I talk about the best advice I was given by my ex-manager Ian, after my diagnosis and first brain surgery. I struggled at work, to get back to a version of...
Surgery again…but, thankfully, not brain surgery..!
It’s been a while since I’ve been able to focus enough and write. Recovery from brain surgery #6 is still ongoing but, every day is getting better…The Vitamin B and Ginkgo Biloba that I’ve been taking, is certainly showing the benefits in terms of my cognitive function. Even though...
Cancer is not something I want to consider in my life but sometimes, there is no choice…
Surgery..again! It’s just over 3 months since my repeat ETV (brain surgery #6). I stared at a similar photo to the one at the top of this post last week, in my Endocrine surgeon’s waiting room. Having just had a consult with him and agreeing to go ahead with...
I get so tired of the fight, all it’s detours and juncture points.
It’s not always the same fight but regardless, I’m tired. To quote a fellow Hydro sister: “I know I am here for God’s purpose and He knows my days here yet, I am tired of having to force my physical body to do what my spirit wants to do.”...
I’ve been feeling like I can do this, get to full recovery in a month, but…
It’s been harder than I anticipated. Maybe I rushed it. Maybe I didn’t rest enough. Or, maybe this time, brain surgery has taken its toll on me. I’ve been feeling like I need to be stronger than I am, in all areas of my life: physically, mentally and spiritually....