Eureka! Brain Injury Defined????

I was driving my 5 ton truck with the cruise control engaged when I needed to make a right turn off the highway.  I disengaged to cruise control and made the turn and started to accelerate and then re-engage the cruise control.
As I did so the cruise control forgot what speed was originally set and settled on one that was 10K slower than the one I was at previously.

I had a chuckle as I realized the truck had as good a memory as I.

This isn't the answer to the definition of brain injury but it does help to have a sense of humor and not take your brain injury so seriously at times or you will find yourself all alone, frustrated and filled with anger as a result.

One can ask a doctor to define brain injury and unfortunately with all his degrees and devotion to healing the sick and injured, the actual role is not one to specifically define brain injury but rather to redirect you to a higher skilled individual.  Most doctors only get a smattering of education on brain functioning and are mostly trained to identify a possible brain trauma and then make referrals.

You may ask a neuropsychologist what brain injury is and you will be given a plethora of possible outcomes psychologically that the brain injured may present with over ones lifetime, yet, still no definition of what brain injury is.

You may ask a neurologist and would be introduced to a highly trained individual whom, like ones previous colleagues, would impress you on his or her expertise, and might be even more impressed by his or her bilingualism having spoken to you in both English and Latin, but alas no definition of brain injury.

Finally you may need to employ a neurosurgeon, the highest form of skilled purveyors of curing those with a brain injury, however still inept at defining brain injury.

PLEASE do not think for a moment that I am not grateful to these men or women who devote years to their profession in hopes to heal the less fortunate of the brain injury class.
I would not be here had it not been for Dr. Mackie, Dr. Cameron, and the wonderful nurses on 4 West of the Royal Jubilee Hospital back in 1977.  Without them I would not have the quality of life I presently have.  In fact I most likely would not have life at all.

Each and everyone of them are an asset to their profession and to the countless lives they in fact save.
It is not up to them to bring you back from your trauma, 100%, but in fact they are trying to bring you back with as much of your former-self as possible without causing further harm neurologically as possible.

It is a daunting task in many cases.  It may not be your fault for the position you now find yourself in, but it is also not theirs and one should hold the doctors up in high esteem, as it quite often is a thankless job that they do.

Having stated the above, one must ask then who has the answer to "What is the definition of brain injury?"

The answer is simple, ME.

I AM THE EXPERT!

And so are the millions of others who are likewise brain injured.

If you have not walked a mile in my shoes, then how dare you offer your expertise as being the ultimate, bar none, remedy to our plight of the brain injured?

I do not care if you have degrees, have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars educating yourself on TBI or ABI, unless you too are brain injured, you will fall short each and every time when it comes to understanding brain injury and how one reacts individually to that injury.

If someone asked me what I think of the plight of indigenous peoples or that of the African Americans with regards to race discrimination, I could not give them an honest answer unless like them the discrimination was equally thrust upon me.  Until then, I would ask them for the answer because unfortunately, they by experience, are the experts.

There is no definition as each is unique to that individual based upon where the injury occurred, what parts of the brain were damaged and also how that individual was brought up.
What do you mean, "How they were brought up?"

Each culture has certain aspects that differ from other cultures and that comes into play with the brain injured.

I responded to the passing of my parents as a celebration of life whereas in Italy, quite often with the older generation, the wife, adorns black for the rest of her life out of respect to he lost spouse.

Is it wrong?  Who am I to judge?

Do not get pigeon holed into thinking that there is a one fit for all mentality when it comes to brain injury.

Do not expect your brain injured person to either exceed or even meet a specific time span to achieve recovery.

Each is individual and they may never fully recover.  I haven't and its 36 years this October 31 since my last aneurysm ruptured.
This is why a I join brain injury support groups online.

Here are two that I belong too.  They are closed and one must be invited to join however, you may find a lot of information with regards to your brain injury.
TBISurvivorSupport.MyFriendsWhoKnow/

Brain Injury