What are the circumstances you need for a good brain day? I thought I knew…
- Enough sleep
- Healthy food
- No visual or auditory overstimulation
Last week I went out of town to Illinois with my daughter, Kylie, to a friend’s Navy graduation. We flew in on a Wednesday. It was a busy day full of travel, noise, and nerves. That night I get a good night sleep.
Early Thursday we got up and ready to go to a place and situation I had never been in but was blessed to experience. There were 801 Navy graduates, and bleachers filled with I don’t know how many thousands of family members. It was definitely a stimulating situation. Being with Kylie is a relaxing experience for me. She may not feel like this on the inside, but what I see is a calm, confident, poised woman ready to take on the world. I can relax in her presence because I know I will be safe.
She winks at me in crowds and holds her hand out for me to hold often. Her energy is not that of an uptight person like myself. I love this incredible adult she has spent many years creating.
Anyway, the auditorium was packed, and I was excited to be there. After the graduation Kylie and I had to stand in a parking lot for an hour or more waiting for our graduate to meet us so we could leave. The graduate, her mom, Kylie, and I went to a restaurant. It was not too loud or busy for my senses. I usually stumble over my words when around new people, but my words came out smooth, not stuck. I enjoyed the conversation and even kept up with it. Neither my eyes nor my ears were overstimulated.
As I sat relaxed in our hotel room later that evening, I thought back about our busy day. It was about 11 hours long. We did quite a bit:
- We watched the sailors march and perform.
- We spent one to one and half hours standing outside waiting for our lady sailor.
- We ate and sat in a restaurant for a couple hours with music in the background.
- We drove and wandered in stores while our sailor shopped for the first time after 10 weeks of basic training.
- While in the car going from place to place, the radio was blaring because our sailor did not get to listen to music in 10 weeks, either.
Kylie acknowledge the loudness with a look of apology, knowing the loud noise is hard for me.
But I didn’t have a worry in the world. I was along for the ride. My brain took in the sounds, the sites, and the movements of a long day and I never did get overwhelmed. I don’t know what was different about that day, but it seemed like my thoughts were clear, smooth, flowing, seemingly better. I was comprehending everything on a much larger scale than usual. It seemed like that was the best brain day I had in 16 years.
If I could only replicate whatever took place in my brain to keep up with everything around me that particular day, I sure would. Feeling that present and caught up in my surroundings without losing my words and still processing everything around me was such a pleasure. It seemed as if I didn’t have a brain injury at all. I thought, “What a secret I have kept. I didn’t even seem brain injured to me.” How glorious!
UNTIL…
I almost forgot one detail that blew my cover.
We arrived at the mall toward the end of our outing. I looked at all the Entrance doors, and for some reason I couldn’t see any handles on them. They blended in, in my mind. All my brain saw was great big windows. SO, I stood there and there it was- MY BRAIN INJURY MOMENT.
I said OUT LOUD,
“OH NO! HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET IN!?”
What did you expect? I’m still me.
If you would like to learn more about our family as Veronica and I live with our brain injuries, Please read my book titled,
A Miracle a Day, One Day at a Time: Hope After Traumatic Brain Injury
You can find it many places online. Here is one:
My book has been read, reviewed, and recommended by neuropsychologist Michael Nunley, PhD and Clinical Psychologist Kenneth Allred, PhD and will thankfully soon be on the list of resources put out by the Brain Injury Association of America.
Just be who you are. Your best is always good enough.
Dawn Corbelli 