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It's Better to Recover Fully than Push It Stories I tried to take charge of my recovery. I had my mom write down all my symptoms and keep track of what I did that day. But in the first few weeks, this didn’t really matter because doing nothing made my symptoms worse and since I was already doing nothing, I couldn’t really do anything less. So after two weeks of my symptoms not improving I became one of the 35% who don’t recover in the first two weeks. A Follow-Up Story: 8 Years Post Concussion Stories My last concussion was June 4th 2010. This was my 6th concussion, which occurred while waterskiing and had a major impact on my life. Although it has been 8 years since my accident, I can close my eyes and it feels like just yesterday that everything fell apart. Don't Let Your Struggle Take What's Right in Front of You Stories The world needs to catch up with the effects of concussions and break down the stigma. I dealt with a lot of wrath, a lot of scrutiny, and at times had to be dealt with delicately due to the fragile subject. It was not an easy thing for me to share, but I put myself to the way side and wanted to think of others. I have received so many messages from people I don’t even know thanking me for coming out about my struggles, stating they feel the same way, but feel alone. That was my biggest fear - the feeling of knowing no one understands what’s going on in my head. "I'm Fine" Stories This concussion was particularly difficult – and a prime example of how each concussion is different. The first concussion I had struggled with the physical aspect; the fogginess, haziness and difficulty concentrating. But this one took an emotional toll on me. Physically I healed much faster with this one, within about a month the headaches subsided. But the emotional side effects lasted much longer. I had put myself under immense stress and pressure but the concussion exacerbated my mental state. I had heightened anxiety, moments of depression, large amounts of self-doubt, mood swings, and even a few panic attacks. I was frustrated, because I felt physically normal, but emotionally I was drained. However, I suppressed these feelings and continued on insisting that “I’m fine”. I finally came to the realization that I wasn’t fine, and that that was okay. A Voice for Others Stories No matter how long you play, or how short of a term you have playing professional football, everyone goes out that exact same way. “Thanks for everything you did for the team, good luck in the future.” It was a really hard concept for me to grasp. I wish it sank in sooner that that’s the way it was going to be. You hear it as a young player but you don’t want to believe it, don’t want to accept that that is the reality. Supporting a Loved One Stories I remember days after games when Xavier could barely make it down the stairs, he would have to walk down sideways just to get down three stairs. He would take a day or in some cases a half a day to rest and he would be back in the gym. These were the signs I could physically see where the game left its mark. It wasn’t long after we met that his mental health took a downward spiral. I remember speaking to girlfriends who told me “He’s not acting right, you need to get away.” I stood there looking at the man I loved, the man who had the biggest heart of anyone I knew, the man who made me laugh and one of the only people who truly believed I was able to do more. I couldn’t just give up. I knew that the way he was acting wasn’t him, that there had to be more. Concussion Be Gone Stories The first week and a half that I began the daily exercises was terrible, I had pounding headaches, nausea, you name it I had it, but I persevered and did the workouts every single day. After that second week, I felt significantly better, better than I ever had before. I also changed my diet to become heavily plant-based and routinely did my vestibular exercises every morning. For the first time, I was seeing significant strides to a full recovery. As time went by, my setbacks became less frequent and my headaches decreased in severity. By August, I had gone one full week without any symptoms and by September I was completely symptom free and attended my first concert! Dear Concussions Stories You have been a part of my life for 11 years now. For as long as I can remember you have been here, but your presence was never wanted; it still isn’t. However, now I have learned how to live with you, even though I want you to leave me alone. I have been told that you will always be here, fighting me for the rest of my life. Learn from My Mistakes Stories Looking back now, it’s easy to say how foolish I was but at that stage in my life, my concussion knowledge and the long-term effects they can have on your brain and cognitive ability were minimal. There was a moment where I had accepted that headaches, pressure and other physical symptoms would be a part of my everyday life that I would have to endure. My ignorance, wishful thinking, and lack of knowledge resulted in me not treating my rehabilitation seriously. In my mind, I never associated concussion problems with severe cognitive impairment later in life and I didn’t realize the effects that drugs and alcohol can have on someone who is trying to recover from concussion symptoms. These are only temporary solutions and prolong recovery, negatively impacting you in the long run. Who Am I If Not an Athlete? Stories “Emilie, I think it would be best if you did not return to school for the remainder of the semester. I also think that it would be a good idea for you to quit ringette for good”. Those words still haunt me to this day. Immediately, I burst out crying. How could this possibly be happening? My plan of the perfect university experience crumbled before my eyes. The worst part was that she looked at me and said “I know how you must feel….”. and I don’t remember the rest of the sentence because of how offended I was that she thought she could possibly relate to what I was feeling. She did not know, and she had no right to pretend like she understood. Fish out of Water: Caring for a Child with a TBI Stories This experience has been life altering. We were like fish out of water, not knowing what to do or what to expect. She went from sleeping 22 hours of day, to falling asleep mid eating, to forgetting words, keys, glasses etc., outlandish odd behaviour, drugs, losing ALL of her friends, police calling the house, aggressive threatening behaviour, destructive behaviour, abusive behaviour + language, walking on egg shells, suicide threats, deep deep depression, mood swings, bad actors in her life, debt etc.. the list goes on. Michael’s Update Stories Hi, my name is Michael Corneau. It is May of 2019, I’m 20 years old, and since October 15th, 2016, I have suffered every single day with post concussion syndrome (“PCS”) due to a traumatic brain injury (“TBI”) I sustained during a hockey game. In 2017, the Concussion Legacy Foundation featured my story which can be viewed on their webpage at the following link: click here. In that article, I wrote about my early experiences with my concussion and about the many ups and downs throughout that period of time. Two and a half years of this rollercoaster ride brings me to write this update. Think of all you have achieved in the last three years, the experiences you have had, the money you have earned and the relationships you have cultivated - old and new. For me, the answer to these questions is simply … none. My life was put on hold in October 2016. Dodging Punches and Raising a Family Stories The best part of the recovery was to spend time with my kids and catch up on lost time. It also helped me to grow as a person, build a thicker skin, and to assume the consequence of my actions. It was also tricky at times: meaning that a 2 year old toddler doesn’t really understand the word “migraine” and my oldest loves to play and stay active. I box with my daughter and play hockey with my oldest son. For a kid that sees and talks with their dad, it’s all the motivation they need to find fun activities to do. We learned how to channel that enthusiasm. Road to Recovery Stories In the beginning it would take two nurses to get me out of bed. They would push my wheelchair to physical and occupational therapy. I rode that wheelchair for three months touching a balloon back and forth for balance. The Diary of a Concussed Stories After leaving my hometown and everything I’ve ever known (my family, my friends and my permanent teaching position), this is the second thing that took the most courage to do. My name is Stéphanie Ranger and I’m sharing my story in hopes to raise awareness and shed some light on TBIs (traumatic brain injuries). I am a firm believer in using your voice to share your experiences in order to help others… so here goes nothing! Heads Up - It Gets Better Stories Looking back on my journey, my healing process was based on three integral components; mind, body and soul. The first (mind) was linked to the emotional side of recovery. The second component (body) was the physical aspect of recovery. Nutrition, good sleep hygiene, water intake as well as moving my body was the first pillar of a healthy brain. The third component (soul) is linked to my spirituality. For me, my strong faith is what contributed to a significant part of my progress, especially towards the end of my healing process. Keep Your Head Up Stories We both always knew that we wanted to pursue a career in health given our personal concussion experiences. Our concussions led us to the field of public health. We always talked about working together to make a difference within the concussion community, and over the past year we have started to present our ideas. Over the last seven years, there has been so much progress in terms of building awareness of what a concussion is and how to identify the signs and symptoms. However, we still feel that there are a lot of barriers to accessing the support individuals need in a timely manner. The Orange Butterfly Stories The ability to find both hope in healing, and heart in transformation. The Orange Butterfly seeks positivity in darkness and difficult changes, to emerge from setbacks with grace and beauty in our eyes. A reminder to embrace new life, pathways and challenges with faith. Shattering the Stigma - It’s Time for a Hand Up Stories Intense experiences can be great teachers. I have been thinking for some time about what thoughts I can offer in this personal story that might be helpful to those who are struggling now either with post concussion syndrome, depression, anxiety or other mental health challenges. While I don’t claim to have any specific solutions to anyone’s problems, I can share an idea that I hope will lead in a positive direction. The objective is to ease the pressure on people in crisis through everyone recognizing their common humanity. An Advocate for Change: My Troubling Journey through Post-Concussion Syndrome and Probable CTE Stories An Advocate for Change: My Troubling Journey through Post-Concussion Syndrome and Probable CTE My Second Birthday Stories I am 34+ years since the injury I received. I am no less involved with my rehab as I was the day I was first wheeled into the PT department at Humana Hospital in 1986. And, like those first days in rehab, every day begins with the decision to work on what I can, try to apply what I learn, practice insight and maintain my self-awareness. In my world, this is what it means to be a TBI survivor. Believe 100% in Your Ability to Recover Stories The invisibility of our injuries doesn’t make it easy for others to understand and support us. No matter what stage you are in, ups and downs are part of the process. Recovery isn’t linear. If you start to believe 100% in your ability to heal, you will get better. How Honesty and Openness Create Hope Stories In the case of so many people like me, mental illness is a chronic problem that will be managed for years if not the rest of their lives. The key to managing these issues is speaking openly, candidly and honestly about mental illness. Things are no different with head injuries. Concussions and post-concussion syndrome can stay with us for extended periods of time, if not the rest of our lives. Talking about it without judgment or stigma is the best way to receive the help we deserve. This is what I hope to promote and support. Concussed in the Blink of an Eye Stories The inspiration that helped me push through recovery was knowing that I would eventually feel better. I look up to athletes like my friend Valerie Grenier who went through very painful injuries and came back even stronger.