Hello, I’m Elisa
Welcome to my little section of the Internet! My life fell apart in 2016 after a brain injury and this is me- navigating various health conditions, writing about it, and hopefully helping others.
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Welcome to my blog!
If you’ve talked to me in the last year, you know this blog has been a long time coming. If you’ve never met me (and even if you have) this post is for you. I am a smiley, fun-loving person but Ima let you know right here and now, this post, this blog will discuss heavy and sensitive but very important topics.
Ok, now that you’ve been trigger warned, I will proceed.
I understand pain. I understand suffering. I understand how it feels to have your body betray you. I understand how it feels to have your thoughts dictate your happiness. I understand how it feels to cry until you no longer feel human. I understand how it feels to desire death more than anything else.
But I’m still here.
This blog is about sharing the past four years. Sharing thoughts, trials and hopes. This blog is about learning to live again and learning to dream again. And friend, this blog is about you too. Come here when you feel alone. Come here when you feel no one on earth could possibly understand you. Come when the person on the inside doesn’t match the one without.
Know this though, if you come here, whether it’s for one post or for all, my request of you will always be this: DON’T GIVE UP. If there’s anything to hold to in this life it’s hope, no matter your definition or spiritual inclination. That being said, welcome to my blog. Welcome to The Riverbend.
Love Always,
Elisa
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5 Things I didn’t know about concussions before I was concussed
- Great news: a version of this piece was published on The Mighty!
- A concussion is a traumatic brain injury (TBI)
The Centers for Disese Control and Prevention (CDC) describe a TBI as an injury, caused by a a bump, blow or jolt to the head, that disrupts the brain’s ability to function normally. To get down to the knitty gritty, brain injuries occur when your brain passes its comfy cushion of cerebrospinalfluid and hits your skull. TBIs are put into the categories of “severe,” “moderate,” and “mild.” Severe TBIs sometimes result in brain swelling, bleeding and/or blood clots, while the results of mild TBIs often occur on a cellular level and do not show up on CT scans or MRIs. Concussions are mild TBIs.
2. Your first concussion might not be your first concussion
Concussions often go undiagnosed- meaning an ER doctor or general practitioner (GP) never tells you, “you have a concussion”- or are self diagnosed- meaning you say to yourself, “I think have a concussion.” Both of these scenarios result in your precious noggan not getting the attention it probably needs. Think about how many times you’ve knocked your head in your life, whether it’s on a car door, cabinet or from a fall or sports-related injury. Your head immediately hurts and maybe the hit causes a headache for a couple days, but life is busy and soon you forget it ever happened. One of those times might have been a concussion.
Subsequent concussions can take longer to recover from and cause more symptoms. Originally, I thought the tennis ball to the head was my first concussion, but in looking back it was probably my third or fourth.
3. It’s impossible to predict the rate and longevity of recovery
Everyone’s body reacts differently to head trauma. Some people have brain injuries from car accidents and recover in a matter of months, while other people (me), get hit with a ball and take four plus years to recover. According to PubMed, people recover within 7-10 days in most cases, but others take longer. None of my healthcare professionals ever professed to know when I would be “better” and most put the probable answer in the medical mysteries category.
4. Post-concussion syndrome is a thing
I’m going to dedicate multiple posts to this topic, but here is the medical definition and symptoms right quick. Post-concussion syndrome is a condition affecting 15 to 20% of concussion sufferers in which the symptoms of the initial concussion last more than three months. These symptoms include but are not limited to: headaches, dizziness, vertigo, anxiety/depression or other mood changes, fatigue, insomnia, light and noise sensitivity, loss of concentration and/or memory, and blurry vision or other vision problems. I was diagnosed with post-concussion early on but still consider myself to have it now.
5. Medical professionals still don’t know a whole lot about treating concussions
Because the number of reported concussions in children and young adults has been steadily increasing over the last 10 years, research in the area has increased as well. While more research is fantastic, it doesn’t necesarily help those who are suffering now.
If your concussion symptoms last for more than a week, your GP will probably refer you to a neurologist or a concussion clinic. The problem with seeing a neurologist is the field is so broad. Neurology covers all disorders affecting the brain and nervous system including Alzheimer’s, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Demetia, Parkinson’s, Epilepsy and migraines, with concussions thrown in there. Chances are the neurologist in your area/insurance plan didn’t invest time in concussion recovery. The problem with concussion clinics is they usually offer one-size-fits-all programs run by doctors who studied either family or internal medicine (giving them the same qualifications and knowledge as your GP) or sports medicine. Unfortunately, these three field are also super broad.
My experience for the most part has consisted of being treated for what my neurology office considered as “migraines.” A physician’s assistant, after not examining my head or spine, would write me scripts for the latest pills, injections or not-covered-by-my-insurance medical devices. It took me three years to find healthcare professionals who specialized in brain injury recovery or knew enough about concussions to tackle the root problems instead of the symptoms.
Ok that’s five! If you’ve made it this far thanks for sticking with me! My intention is always to encourage, support and educate, and never to scare or burden. Feel free to comment below or send me a message if you have any questions or concerns!
Love Always,
Elisa
References:
My personal experiences and conversations with healthcare professionals
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/post-concussion-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20353352
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/concussion/symptoms-causes/syc-20355594
https://www.aans.org/en/Patients/Neurosurgical-Conditions-and-Treatments/Concussion
https://www.healthline.com/health/concussion-recovery
https://www.healthline.com/health/how-long-do-concussions-last#outlook
http://www.protectthebrain.org/Brain-Injury-Research/What-is-a-Concussion-.aspx
https://www.cdc.gov/traumaticbraininjury/get_the_facts.html
https://headcasecompany.com/concussion_info/stats_on_concussions_sports
https://medicalcityhealthcare.com/blog/entry/new-concussion-research
https://health.ucsd.edu/specialties/surgery/ortho/sports-medicine/concussion/Pages/default.aspx
- Great news: a version of this piece was published on The Mighty!
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This is my dream for the world
Written in the time of Covid-19 and the general sh*t show that is 2020
The hawk that lives in my neighborhood is upset. At all hours of the day I hear him calling out, crying out. He’s now sitting on the faded green telephone pole across the way, making excessive use of the lungs the Lord gave him. What does he cry for? Who is he trying to reach? Is it possible he knows what the world is like right now? Because he is how I feel on the inside. My mind flies in circles over the same territory, struggling to make sense of what it’s seeing. “I hate this, I hate this, I hate this,” my soul cries.
I always knew humanity was broken. I always knew we needed fixing. But not this broken requiring this much fixing! There is a virus out there which may or may not have been intentionally released into the planet. There are a butt ton of people sick who may or may not have been infected by going to restaurants with their buddies. Black people are being killed. All. The. Time. It feels like the country is falling apart. Why is there a Corona Virus? Why are so many people dying? Why did all this have to happen during an election year?
Just when I feel I’ve gained my equilibrium, something new happens, whether it be on a global or personal scale. Fires have erupted all over the west coast since I first started working on this piece!I’m writing this mostly to vent, but also to dream. Realistically I know things will get better than worse, then better in never-ending ebs and flows, but I dream of exponential positive improvement. I dream of a country with a genuinely good and non-power hungry person (preferably a woman) at it’s helm. A United States with united states, where its people stand together and built each other up, regardless of party preference.
I dream of a world where people treat one another with kindness and respect. A world that isn’t all about making money and climbing higher at others’ expense. I dream of a world where people celebrate one another’s differences and the word “racism” isn’t in the dictionary because it just doesn’t exist. People are clothed and fed and looked after by those more fortunate. A world where the social model of disability is the only model and accessibility is a given. A world where mental, emotional and spiritual health are just as important as physical health.
I dream of a world where viruses don’t get the chance to become pandemics.I know my dream for the world is an idealistic fantasy at best, and I suppose what I really want is heaven on earth, but I have to dream. WE have to dream. If we don’t then there is nothing between us and the scorching flames that are reality. If we don’t dream, we don’t hope and we must never stop hoping.
Have hope neighbor hawk, we’ll be OK.
Love Always,
Elisa
About Me
I am a 90’s kid who developed a love of writing at age 10. I went to school for communication and English/journalism and now I’m a spoonie advocate and a content creator.
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Elisa Jeannette 