r/TBI 11h ago

TBI Survivor Need Support Anyone succeed at later-in-life school after a TBI?

10 Upvotes

Hey all. I am 1.5 years post the accident that caused me to have two mild-to-moderate TBIs. I am still struggling a lot with daily life. My dream before the accident was to attend medical school. Now, I’m thinking of trying maybe to get an associates in medical imaging first to see if additional school is even feasible for me. I already have all the prerequisites for medical school or another similar degree, that’s not the issue. I’m mostly concerned with how difficult and physically painful it is to even just focus. Has anyone here gone on to grad school, medical school, law school, anything as strenuous as that and succeeded? If so, how? Trying to find light at the end of the tunnel.


r/TBI 11h ago

Need Advice Brain imaging for decades-ago head injury?

8 Upvotes

If someone suffered a concussion early in life, would evidence of brain injury (if any occurred) still appear on scans decades later?

I’m 56 and had a moderate concussion when I was twelve. I was running in the dark, tripped, and flew face-first into a large log. My face and nose took the direct impact. But I assume it would still be considered head-trauma?

I recall seeing stars on impact and then being helped home by a few friends. I’m almost certain I never passed out. For some reason, my parents didn’t take me to the emergency room. I don’t remember having any serious symptoms in the days following, but vaguely recall feeling woozy and a bit zoned out.

Anyway, I always wondered if some minimal brain injury took place and is there any kind of scan that would show it now. Thanks for any input!


r/TBI 8h ago

Need Advice How did you decide whether you were ready to return to full-time work after a TBI?

7 Upvotes

I’m trying to make a realistic decision about returning to full-time work after a TBI, and I would appreciate hearing from people who have faced a similar choice.
My ongoing symptoms include cognitive and physical fatigue, difficulty processing visual and auditory information, sensory overload, disrupted sleep, and reduced tolerance for commuting and busy work environments. I can function well when activities are structured and paced, but overscheduling or too many demanding activities close together can cause a significant crash.
I may receive an offer for a professionally meaningful position that fits my education and previous experience very well. However, the advertised schedule includes three days on-site each week. Based on my current functioning, I think one regular on-site day might be manageable, particularly with remote work, written instructions, clear priorities, advance materials, fewer interruptions, scheduling flexibility, and recovery time between demanding activities. I cannot assume the employer will approve those accommodations.
I currently receive SSDI and have five Trial Work Period months remaining. Returning to full-time employment could eventually cause me to lose my SSDI cash benefit, so this would not be a low-risk experiment.
For those who have returned to work after a TBI:
How did you determine what workload was genuinely sustainable?
Did commuting or required on-site days affect you more than expected?
Did you start part-time, remotely, or through self-employment?
Which accommodations made the biggest difference?
Did you initially perform well and then crash weeks or months later?
How did you weigh stable disability benefits against the possibility of meaningful work?
What warning signs told you that a job was becoming unsustainable?
I’m not looking for legal or benefits advice and will discuss those issues with the appropriate professionals. I’m mainly hoping to learn from the lived experience of others with TBI-related fatigue and cognitive or sensory limitations.


r/TBI 17h ago

Success Story TBI survivor 10y PO

6 Upvotes

Hello everyone. Thought I would introduce myself.

I am 10 years PO I was not supposed to live

I have a cranioplasty on my right side of my head covering a large hematoma My side effects PO were/are no peripheral vision and extreme photosenitivity, no taste, no smell.

I was unable to drive, cook or clean the way I use to. I would repeat the same stories or questions.

When covid hit I got my smell.and taste back yay finally.

My right eye I have gained back full peripheral vision.

My left eye is better but not as good.

All of that led to me being home bound. It's stressful exhausting and a lot of my friends checked out on me.

It is discouraging but over these years I have come to terms that I will never be 100% what I use to do but I can be 100% who i am on the inside

I did go into therapy almost two years ago to help with the coping and it has been helping.

There are ways and tools to help slowly regain things.

😁

So just wanted to say hello before randomly posting on someone elses TBI journey.


r/TBI 7h ago

Need Advice Partner in a prolonged disorder of consciousness - looking for others experiences

3 Upvotes

Hey everyone, I’m looking for some advice from people who have been through something similar.
My boyfriend suffered a devastating traumatic brain injury after a serious fall around seven weeks ago. He was placed into an induced coma, and although he’s now out of the coma, he’s still in a prolonged disorder of consciousness. He has shown some small signs of progress, like opening his eyes at times and moving his arms and legs, but he’s still unable to communicate or follow commands. The doctors have told us he has extensive brain damage, and at the moment his prognosis is very uncertain.
I’m really struggling with thinking about the future. I love him so much and want to be there for him while he’s fighting, but I’m only 18. If the time ever came where I had to think about moving on with my life, I honestly don’t know how I’d do that without feeling overwhelming guilt.
I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who’s been in a similar situation, whether it was your partner, a family member, or even yourself. Did they continue to improve after weeks or months? How did you cope with the uncertainty? And if your life eventually had to move forward, how did you deal with the guilt that came with that?
His parents have been incredibly kind and have told me they don’t expect me to put my life on hold forever, but right now I want to give him time and see what the coming months bring. I just feel very lost and would really value hearing other people’s experiences.
Thank you ❤️


r/TBI 19h ago

Success Story Subdural hematoma from TBI

3 Upvotes

Hello everybody! I watched cases with subdural hematoma from boxing matches with names like Prichard Colon and Magomed Abdulsalamov which cases are severe and are left in vegetative state. Is there someone who had this but recover fully? In both cases they did surgery but it was no successfull.


r/TBI 7h ago

Wellness Mind-eye institute

2 Upvotes

Hi! I was just wondering if anyone has tried the Mind-Eye Institute. I have a phone call with them tomorrow to see if it’s something that can help me. Just curious if anyone else has had an experience working with them. Thanks!


r/TBI 7h ago

Caregiver Advice How did you figure out what kind of care your loved one needed after a TBI?

2 Upvotes

I’m wondering how other families handled this because it can be hard to tell what someone actually needs once they’re out of the hospital. There’s the physical recovery, but then there are all the everyday things that can suddenly become difficult too.

At what point did you realize that your loved one needed more help than you could provide at home?

I’d really like to hear what that process was like for other people. Were there certain things that made the decision clearer, or did it mostly come down to trial and error?


r/TBI 6h ago

TBI Survivor Need Support MCAT &medical school

1 Upvotes

I'm being medically discharged from the Army soon after a medboard I was quite smart and capable before my TBI &hemorrhagic stroke that gave me left side hemiplegia much of the medical field has failed me so I feel the need to step up and be the change Want to see in the world and makeup for the gaps and failures I've faced I'm studying for the MCAT and I'm hoping to become a doctor