Prior to her brain injury, ‘M’ was leading a busy, full life. She enjoyed her job teaching others, and was always on the go. Then, in the winter of 2015, M had a dissection of her carotid artery, which left her with a brain injury.
Unable to return to work, M felt lost and alone. She had difficulty describing her feelings and thoughts, found decisions overwhelming, and tired quickly from any form of concentration. Her ability to form short term memories and organize herself was impacted, and she found herself overwhelmed, flooded, and unable to cope with simple tasks. As a writer and a teacher, M had always been skilled in communicating, and the struggle she faced impacted her self-esteem and sense of purpose.
M contacted the Victoria Brain Injury Society in November, and thanks to funding from the Brain Injury Alliance, was able to sit down with a case manager within a week. The first session helped M to understand her injury. She went from feeling “unable to articulate” what it is she’s feeling, to being provided with knowledge, understanding and insight into her injury. She developed strategies for dealing with sound sensitivity and fatigue, her developing interest in meditation and yoga help to support her recovery.
After only a few sessions with her case manager, M now accesses other VBIS services and is a regular participant at several other VBIS programs. She hopes to return to work someday, but for now, she is happy to feel supported in her recovery from brain injury.
