Perseverance

Sometimes we start things for one reason, and we continue for another. Veronica has a physical trainer at a gym near us. She originally began because a very unprofessional and unempathetic doctor told Veronica if she keeps going like she is she will weigh 400 pounds by the next year. “Get a trainer.” She said.  And so, we did.

As Veronica has trained, she has found a friend in her trainer (we will call her Jenni), who is trying to understand Veronica’s behaviors caused by her severe traumatic brain injury. So many times in the past month, Veronica has done things like break socially acceptable rules. She stands close to Jenni, and crosses Jenni’s personal bubble because Veronica no longer has a bubble. Veronica flirts with her even though she knows Jenni is married and not interested in her in that way. It is rarely heard about outside the survivor circle, but Veronica, since her injury, is confused about her sexuality; something she never questioned before. Veronica has shown public affection to Jenni that Jenni is surely not comfortable with. She calls Veronica out and every time Veronica ends up crying because she thinks her inappropriate behaviors will scare Jenni away. After all, that is what has happened with all but a handful of friends including Jenni, for the past 15 years. Veronica already had a couple friends that love her just the way she is, but friends like that do not come around very often in the life of a severely brain injured person. That’s just the way it is.

Veronica has finally found someone that, although Veronica doesn’t fit the cookie cutter, “normal’ person, wants to be her forever friend. With that said, Veronica is still untrusting of people who say they are her friend, because sometimes others say that’s what they want, yet get tired of the reminding and re-reminding her about behaviors they don’t want around or toward them, due to her short-term memory loss.

So, Veronica’s main goal was to lose weight. Now we have added a friend. Now, listen to this. Jenni is not just a trainer of exercise, she is helping veronica learn how to walk differently, since her walk is a brain injured walk due to her previously paralyzed left side. With learning this new walk she is also learning to run again. This kind of training is absolutely priceless in my eyes. I never notice Veronica’s walk because when I see her, she is absolutely perfect to me. I’m so proud of Veronica and all the effort she is putting into all these new activities. And I am proud of Jenni for taking the time to teach Veronica things she can learn and take with her for a lifetime. How wonderful it is to see the light in Veronica’s eyes and the pride in her smile as she practices all these new things. I can’t tell you how grateful I am that Veronica and Jenni have chosen the act of perseverance in their lives. Brought together for one reason, and staying together, bonding, for so many others.