“What do I do now?”, “Can I really handle all of this?”, are questions you may be asking yourself after a traumatic brain injury (TBI). These were the very questions I asked my self when I was told that my husband was brutally beaten and put in a coma because of it. If any one has lived though a TBI and that includes family members as well, you are all survivors, and survivors I am here to say “YES you can! You really can handle all of this.”

Life does not give you more than you can handle, yes it seems like there is no way you can trudge through this debilitating condition, but you can! Although it will not be easy and it will take a lot of hard work – but you are a Survivor! All you need to do is take one day at a time.

In the hospital you fought for you life and won I might add or you would not be reading this right now. So now you must fight for your independence. One way to start is by listening to everyone who is positive and stay away from negative people. If you don’t trust your self find someone you do trust, your wife, husband, your parents, or one of your siblings. Let them be your “cheering squad” because you are going to need one.

I remember my husband did not trust me when he came home from the hospital. He would call his dad all the time. I felt very jealous to say the least, but I let my husband talk to his father and over time my husband began to trust me again. So spouses please if your wife or husband does not trust you try to put your differences aside and let him or her trust who they need to.

Make sure to be realistic about your goals and don’t set a time limit on them. This is very important because with a TBI you never know when you will accomplish your goals. For example- my husband had a TBI and for two years he could not walk, today he can now take two little baby steps on his own. Don’t give up!

This is also where your “cheering squad” will play a big role they will keep you going and working toward your goal by saying positive things to you such as “great job!” or “you were very close lets try it again” and my all time favorite one that I had to use with my husband, because he was very depressed and used to say to me “It isn’t going to work so why do it!” To which I replied “sitting on the couch isn’t doing it either” but I will worn you, you need to be positive when you say this sentence. I used to say it in a joking kind of way so that it would not be a negative thing and my husband would not take offence to it.