I have been open on this blog to share with the over 4500  in a private group on line about the progression of my concussion.  It has been over l6 months and counting.

I have ridden myself of poor help, and by my own good luck, and wonderful doctors, I have come upon a perfect team. What I am saying as a professional, and as individual with a concussion, is that we have to help take charge.

What does that team look like?

I have a very special primary physician who is adept and published and does not let me do strange things, when I am not up to snuff, which I am not.

He has recommended a top Neuro-opthamologist, who teaches, and is one of the top in his field in the country.

Thirdly, I now engaged with a top Ophthalmologist, who just spent hours going over my eyes, finding things, that are wrong and probably changed as a result of the concussion December l, 20l5.

I have also decided to do what I can do for myself.  I know my limits, my good improvements, what needs work, and where I need help, and the psychological/social side of any injury, or health problem.

I have mentioned this before, but people weather it be family, friends, or acquaintances tend to take leave of your friendship, and relationship.  The psychological reasons why, are plain.  They do not want to hear about it, and it takes too much effort to be supportive, and if it can happen to you, then it can happen to them.  Many of this is added by having answers to everything, when you and you alone, know what is best for you.  The bottom line of this issue, is simple.  People tend to leave people socially and psychologically, when they feel that they have to understand and be empathetic.  This is not only true with concussions, it is true with health problems in general…..People do take leave, which is discounting, and makes for feeling of abandonment.

So, what can you do?  You can get the best medical help that you can.  If not being helped, it is not helpful to go from doc to doc, or alternative medicine.  Concussions take time, time.  And they take speech therapy, physical therapy if needed, and help where you feel, and your doctor feels, that you have been injured.

It is also our responsibility to find out what is available for each of us.  If you are having trouble with balance, it is up to us to get help.  The YMCA has balance classes, and most of the local hospitals affiliated with Major institutions, like universities, have Physical Therapy, that runs classes in balance.

If you are having speech issues, there are speech therapists.

In otherwards, it is not just up to the medical profession, but up to us to see where we are deficient and need help.  Sometimes, we refuse to look at our own deficiencies, which makes it .difficult to discern..  Many of us are good at denial, but a concussion needs time, and we also need every assistance that we can get our hands on. There are wonderful groups on line

What I am saying is that is most important that we listen to our doctors, and if they are not helping then you need to think about a different avenue.

I have also found out through medical knowledge, that there are many cottage industries that have grown out of our very special needs, when most of the time, we need therapeutic intervention, and things to recover our own issues, not running from doctor to OTHER SPECIALISTS.  Your own private doctor whom you trust, should be able to refer you to whom you need  to assist you with balance, depression, memory, or anything that you have now that you did not have before.

As time moves on and I continue to read the private group I am on line with, is that a concussion not only takes times, but individuals feel robbed of their old selves, and want their lives back, and want the symptoms to go away.  People who have had special professions, who cannot work in them, are having a difficult time re-adjusting to a new work environment.  Teachers, have spoken they are fatigued, and worn out, and other professions that take physical, emotional, and being equipped to deal with major issues, whether it be life saving, say that they too want to return to their own lives. People have had to make serious changes in their lives.

There are also many reports within the group that people share, where they feel they are better, and feel that this is good as it gets, with their concussion.

There is wonderful support on line to be shared with each other about prisms, anger, processing what has happened. depending on how one gets the concussion, or where your brain was injured, There is constant talk of light sensitivity, dizziness, fatigue, light headed, and feelings of being overwhelmed in markets, and busy stores. There is always a place to vent about the length it takes to make improvement, and the challenges, and the things I see as a psychologist, which is the fact that family and friends do not get it, and leave friendships, and family who are hurt.  That is so sad, but it is true. As time goes on with me, I will continue to post, as a person who suffered a bad concussion, plus my own help as a psychologist.  DI