Hope for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Stroke

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Do you know someone who has had a stroke or brain injury? Damage through Stroke and TBI are the leading cause of death and disability in NZ. These two events are not only common; our outdoor life and sporting focus encourages accidents.

After 50 we always thought that strokes could be due to lifestyle and build-up of plaque in arteries. Now the incidence of stroke is increasing alarmingly and younger people are developing strokes long before 50. These events affect a huge number of us. Even if we are not a statistic we are caring, as family member or friend, for someone who is. Recently, I have been talking to groups about rewiring the brain and I have been approached by many people needing hope.

After brain damage

Like many others, I always assumed that 'the system' would offer support I the case of any brain damage. My own experience of damage after a brain tumour was not sudden like that of stroke or TBI and I was always able to walk, talk and appear normal. The truth was that I needed to sleep a lot, had problems with 'short fuse', I was slow, and my memory was failing me amongst other symptoms. There was no support for that type of recovery. I was alive and I could function so I was sent out into the world to start again. I couldn't work but was self-employed; my husband (with no knowledge of brain damage) was my long suffering carer! The financial impact was enormous.

A recovery program

Luckily, I knew about the brain and developed my own recovery programme. This was six years ago and I believe I am not only back to normal, but better than before. I have rewired my brain over time. The brain does not rewire itself after damage, it takes hard work and a plan to re-build; but it can be done. I now share that knowledge with others to encourage and support their brain building.

I have learned that many others have had my experience. After twelve to eighteen months of support following TBI or stroke they reach the 'it's as good as it will get, better change your life' stage. Of course, it depends on the extent of the damage and the location in the brain. There are some cases where it would be unfair to pretend that there could be hope of complete recovery. On the other hand, there are many cases where recovery could be complete and even where the present state could be vastly improved.

My hope came from a book by Norman Doidge called 'The brain that changes itself'. A great book about real examples of people recovering from brain damage despite all medical opinion. His own father had a stroke and his experience was in helping him re-build his brain. This process is not easy or fast. It takes years and continues long after the official support has run its course.

I am now calling myself the Wiring Warrior with a mission to develop more warriors who can support those who need to build better brains. I am not a neuro-specialist, but someone who believes in self-help and hope. We are holding an introductory session in Parnell on 22nd of November.

If you are interested, you can download a PDF and pay online here or contact me by email here: janisg@xtra.co.nz.

Be a warrior, have hope, don't accept brain damage as a life-sentence, build a better brain.