Keep calm and Grinch on............

 

Okay, stick with me here.  Hubs and I find the characters on "The Big Bang Theory" whimsical and amusing.  Probably more me, than the Hubs, but he humors me and we watch it together. I got the biggest kick out of a character, who is likely autistic, comment about the Grinch. It goes like this Sheldon Cooper says, "No, on the contrary. I found the Grinch to be a relateable, engaging character."  As a child I loved the old Dr Seuss cartoon that played before Christmas, it was nostalgic and exciting to watch TV, which we normally didn't do a lot of! I, of course, wanted to "love the stuffing" out of that Grinch! I wanted to convince him he could be loved.

 As an adult with a brain injury my world is often a numb place.  Whether it is the injury to my brain or the result of just trying to survive on any "normal day", Christmastime now overwhelms me with everything being so busy, busy, busy. And I still struggle a great deal with making and coordinating plans!  All my usual parking spots at stores are taken, merchandise rearranged, lights flashing, bells ringing, its a sensory overload night mare. I tend to park in the same place and shop at the same stores to make up for some short term memory gaps! My family teases (out of love) me about being a "Grinch". If you came to my house right now you may agree! The tree is up (minus ornaments, its a fake prelit one, don't judge, it's survival, and my mom sent me little 'scent sticks' to put on it so it smells like a real tree) because poor hubby couldn't take it any longer.  The rest of the decorations? Still safely in their tub! It all takes energy I don't have and decisions I don't have the energy to make and it is frustrating at times trying to make my "hand and a half" (stroke curl) work together! And, this year I don't even want to talk about the 60 degree weather squashing my idea of a warm, fuzzy snow covered Christmas! Let's hope the heat savings equals the Amazon ordering (aka, the only way I will Christmas 'shop'.) Dear Mr Grinch, I can kinda get the living on a hill in a cave far from all the crazy overload in a quiet dark place with your dog for company (hehe.) I could never live like this all the time but just from November to January, it sounds mighty tempting!!!

   But, here is what I have come to love the most about the Grinch.  He has a change of heart.  He swallows this pride and bitterness and slides down that hill with all of the baggage and all of the wrong and returns. He drops his baggage and does not begrudgingly eat with the Whos in Whoville, he truly shares in their feast joyfully. The whos' don't shun him or "make him pay for what he has done. They forgive and invite him to dine.   "His heart grew three sizes that day!" It reminds me to let go of all that frustrates, and at times consumes, me this season and focus on the real reason for the season, The Messiah was born. He came to save me from my sin. The bitterness, the anger, the unkindness. He was born and died for me! And here's the even better news, he was born and died for you too! All you have to do is repent and believe and His shed blood will cover your sin too! 

  So, keep calm and Grinch on.           

"Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before!

"Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store."

"Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!" 

Let Christ the Savior change your heart and Merry Christmas!!!! 

I remember you....................

I'll probably never get used to "being remembered." Here's the story, I was at a specialist today (unrelated to the brain, specifically.)  I haven't been to this particular doctor since 2011 when I just decided I had too many doctor appointments and that they were running me ragged.  I made a change and didn't go to followups that weren't vital to my existence.  In that time, this office changed from paper records to digital ones.  Those patients not seen during the course of that year are now considered "new patients."  I called this office concerning a medication they had originally prescribed but they had no records for me. Over six months ago, I made a new patient appointment and today I went.  The doctor hasn't seen me for years but walks in and shakes my hand. He says, "I thought I had a new patient appointment, then I saw your name and realized it wasn't really.  It isn't often I remember a patient from years ago but, I remember you." Of course, I reply, "It's the aneurysm thing, right?" He confirms that indeed it is a very unusual story to a doctor. To a rather shy, and generally unnoticed gal, it is always astonishing that somebody "remembered you" for any reason.  I have always had quite a memory for people related things especially before my aneurysm. It is still pretty good but there are just too many other things to sort out and it isn't quite as good as it used to be! What can I say, I just find people interesting and I genuinely care about their lives more than most people do.  It is both my greatest asset and biggest downfall!
 Thank you Lord for always remembering me even when I feel invisible and insignificant in this busy, foreign world!

 "I survived, my hair grew back and I got strong again. I look relatively normal on the outside, but on the inside, I am still the same stitched back together little creature................." -Clare Bowen

Only in my wildest dreams, did I really believe I'd find a guy who, in all seasons of life, always remembers me, stays with me and loves me despite my many faults, I'm a blessed girl!

'stitched back together little creature'

And, the quote I am currently obsessed with is..................................

"I survived, my hair grew back and I got strong again. I look relatively normal on the outside, but on the inside, I am still the same stitched back together little creature................." -Clare Bowen

Brain Overload, The Real Deal: a short memoir

 

Several weeks ago my beloved Lab mix (who is 13, we think) had three grand-mal seizures (no previous history) in 12 hours and ended up at the emergency vet clinic. I have never been so happy to live "in civilization" and not the "boonies" that I grew up in.  Usually, my frugality wins but when it comes to this dog I can only see with my heart.  She was there to greet me out of the hospital and long before that nursed me through some pretty awful migraines. When I would shake and shiver in pain she "selflessly" would crawl into bed next to me until the shaking passed. She is an odd little dog full of anxious quirks. We just get each other even if nobody else does! So to say I had a stressful week adjusting to new medications and need to go out more during the day is a gross understatement! I was quite stressed.

It all caught up with me last week. I knew better than to run to BJs before my hair appointment (my summer pixie cut was growing a tail, Seriously, if you don't believe me ask my hairstylist friend.) So, I was determined to make it to my appointment! With list in hand, I foolishly entered the huge, overstimulating box store. About half way through, I knew it was a mistake.  I ducked down a 'quiet' aisle and took a few deep breaths trying to pull myself together enough to get out of the store at least! I was able to get out the door with my purchases. As I got in my Jeep I was done. I knew I was in no condition to drive and thankfully I had about an hour before my appointment since I all but bolted out of the store (yes, I paid, it's amazing actually.) So, I jumped in my Jeep and threw the seat back, dug out my "emergency chill pill"and took it . Of course, I grabbed the pillow I keep in my Jeep (not the first panic attack I've had folks) and began my deep breathing exercise, as the blanket I also keep under my seat served to block the rest of the assaulting sunshine from my closed eyes. Once my medicine kicked in I sat up and grabbed for my phone to check the time and to set an alarm so I didn't have to think about it! When I looked out my passenger side window and  saw parked in the spaces right in front of me was a blue pickup truck. Someone was sitting inside it apparently waiting for someone in the store.  If you remember my story you know that a blue pick up was reported leaving the scene of my accident.  Immediately, I knew it was a monument, a reminder from God He is in control and with His help I can keep going.  I'm not sure if you've ever been this exhausted and your brain so flooded you were convinced you could not go on.  That is where I was at that moment. It hasn't been quite this bad for me in awhile. It made me very thankful for a number of friends I knew would drop anything to come rescue me. But, this time I just needed a dark quiet car and the reminder of that blue pickup truck.  I literally didn't think I had the strength to get home! That blue truck sitting there "watching over me" somehow calmed me and reassured me, "this too shall pass!" Just as the Lord cared for me that fateful day, He continues to care for me daily!

After a short nap and a "God wink," as my friend calls it, I actually made my hair appointment (with a friend who 'gets it') and my tail was taken care of!

     The ordeal reminded me of a conversation at a wedding this summer.  We were seated with people from our church we didn't know well. After hearing my story, the curious friend asked me, "Do you think you will ever go back [to finish your Master's and to teaching]." I replied that I no longer wondered if it was my calling I can't even handle the organized chaos of a store by myself. Why would I ever enter a classroom again and be responsible for all the precious lives in my care. I have an amazing peace that it is not the place the Lord desires for me. I don't regret my choice of careers.  It prepared me, not for teaching in a classroom, but to help in my own recovery.  I had a lot of different strategies already in my memory and I loved learning, which came in really handy since there were and still are many things to relearn or learn for the first time!  At one point, just before my aneurysm be began to  I regret choosing Elementary Education as a major. I think the Lord was stirring my heart for what he had prepared my journey to be. I certainly haven't figured it all out yet but I am much more content with exactly where I am than striving to fit in a place that wasn't meant for me.

On that same note, you'd think a girl who wakes up every morning truly thankful for life and breath. Thankful that all her arms and legs move when her brain asks them to would be much better at "living in the moment." Perhaps, my conservative upbringing made me cringe at first when I heard this, but I am not good at this concept.  When I talk about "living in the moment" I mean enjoying and being thankful for what the moment, you are in, provides. You see, while I am truly thankful I notice that the moment is often spoiled with fears and anxiety about what might be around the next corner. So, in a way I'm not enjoying moments but anxiously fretting the next obstacle, test, trial.  My beloved and ancient dog has been teaching me this. She is still here and walking around, eating, drinking and living. Now I have moments of weakness when the reality of the situation hits me and I am teary, sad and anxious but, we take short walks every day. It has always been her favorite thing and I often use my own fatigue as an excuse to tell her, "not today!" But, this fall we take walks every day and she seems happy to smell all the creatures who walked around before we got there.  She even prances down our driveway and wears as much of a smile as a dog can wear. So, I have had almost an "extra month" of walks and pictures and spoiling her rotten, which she is pretty sure should have been her treatment all along (don't let her fool you, she was always spoiled by this tenderhearted, dog loving girl who always felt some responsibility cater to her anxious ways. I mean,  if we left I always brought her to my parents house (usually a two hour trip in the opposite direction,) where it was familiar to her and I was sure she would be taken care of exactly as I wished!)   Here is to many more days of spoiling and many more moments truly enjoyed!!

Click here for a really great explanation of "Brain flooding"

Just another day in the life of Lisa!

     It has been a rough week, I need comic relief so here you go. I'm sure you had to be there but I'll do my best. I was a the library last week helping with books that were being discarded (missing pages, or they haven't been checked out for years, space is limited so they must go.) I had a cart of them and headed out to the dumpster myself, because it was a nice day! The stick that was made to hold up the dumpster top has long since gone missing and in its place is a flat metal tool with a long handle, I imagine is really used for chipping or scraping ice or removing shingles on a roof.  I have no problem figuring out how to wedge it to hold the plastic top open, Yeah, I was pretty proud of myself since my spacial planning ability was all but lost with my rupture.  I began throwing books into the dumpster when, I just had to peek in to see what else had gone in there.  Way in the back I spot it..................the Anne of Green Gables complete set, and they looked to be in pretty decent shape. I LOVE ANNE OF GREEN GABLES! I really want the set. It was the first book I read after my aneurysm. Since I tested at a 5th grade reading level I thought it appropriate to start with something familiar that I knew I already loved and was written for youth. You see, I love the beloved stories so much, I actually convinced my hubby to go to Prince Edward Island (the setting of AGG) for our honeymoon. We got as far as Maine, and loved it so much we decided to just stay there as we were exhausted from all the wedding/college (I had just graduated) stress anyway. It ended up being a good decision as I got sick and we came home a week earlier than we planned! Ah, but I digress! So, there I am calculating how I am going to retrieve that set from the back of the dumpster! I devise a plan to use that "long handled ice scraper thingy" holding the top open to gently pull the books to the front of the dumpster where they might be easier to retrieve!  Thankfully, there is a Pickett fence around the dumpster preventing patrons and colleagues from watching my silliness! With my curled left stroke hand I am now attempting to hold up the dumpster top while using my "good hand" to reach the books with that "ice scraper thingy". Of course, this overloads my brain circuits and I drop my tool in my attempt to reach the books. Just at that very moment, our maintenance guy walks around the corner to make sure I had figured out how to keep the top open. I burst out laughing and am forced to confess that I have dropped the tool in the dumpster. He has no problem reaching over the top and getting the tool. But, THEN I had to confess that I wanted those books in the back of the dumpster and am not leaving without them!  I am about in tears laughing at myself, he is good-natured and acts like it is totally normal while graciously trying to help drag the books to the front of the dumpster with, said tool. In his attempt to help the set ended up rolling over and even further back.  Knowing that I'm not going back inside without them he offers to go get a ladder so he can crawl inside. By now, I'm ALMOST embarrassed and don't want him to bother with a ladder. I feared it might bring too much attention to the situation! Using my "haymow skills"(yes, if only they could be added to a resume......"is capable of navigating a  wall of  precariously stacked hay bales." I may still be in a bit of denial about my current balance & spacial planning issues!!) I saw a bracket on the side of the dumpster that I could use to crawl in. Of course, the poor innocent bystander discouraged me from my own silliness, but I insisted so he stayed to witness it and make sure I got back out (I didn't realize a pick up was scheduled for that day!) I assured him I had "mad skills" and climbed in, grabbed my books and even got out without a mishap! So, that is how I got the complete set and still have no idea why they were thrown out after being donated to the library for the book sale that weekend.  I'm guessing their slightly yellowed pages don't sell well at a book sale, but they were good enough, for this crazy girl, to go "dumpster diving" for(*please note: this dumpster is a 'fiber' one and paper is all that is put in it, so I merely crawled over discarded books and recycled paper)!!!!!!!!!

Aren't they beautiful...hehehe

I mean really, the original box and all!!

"Tell me it gets better"

Summer has been busy, I haven't written in awhile. Not because I haven't pondered and formulated blogs in my head.  I just had too much cognitive fatigue to even desire trying to write them out!

Today "superhubs" took me to a walk for Brain Injury Awareness. Today also happens to be exactly 10 years ago that I was in my last 23 hour brain surgery. 2015 and  I am walking across the Hudson River. All by the Grace of God!!  There were hundreds of survivors, caregivers, friends and family (I had cousins even drive hours to join me, I was humbled and honored by their presence) All of us touched and changed in some way by Brain Injury.  It always overwhelms my tender, caring heart when I am surrounded by so many TBI stories. I wish I had the time and energy to know every single one! But today, because of the wonders of social media I got to meet, in person, another young brain surgery survivor (hers a tumor instead of an aneurysm.) We share the same first name too!! After talking recovery for a few minutes, I went to leave and let her (and me)  rest  (it was a really long, busy day for a survivor!) Just before walking away, she looked at me with tired eyes and said, "Tell me it gets better!" I was glad for dark sunglasses hiding the tears that began to form in my eyes and I took a deep breath and told her it honestly does get better! It will be slow and it isn't fun or easy but IT WILL GET BETTER! I still have to carefully manage my energy or I get migraines,dizzy or nauseous. But it happens less than it used to! My internal thermostat still doesn't work perfectly nor is my blood pressure always regulated perfectly by my brain. However, it has been years since I have literally panicked over the dysfunction so badly that my doctors ordered scans, just to put all of our minds at ease (I do have routine ones still. )I can even take a shower most days without needing an immediate nap from all the sequencing, IT DOES GET BETTER! And, I was reminded why I expend so much energy to get to these events.  I truly love advocating and raising awareness but the real reason I do it is so I can tell somebody what I so desperately needed to hear from another brain surgery survivor......You can live a happy, productive, fulfilling life if you let go of whatever image you had in your head before this and my friend, IT DOES GET BETTER, hang on!  You learn how to deal better with your own limits and accept them for what they are. Don't be like me, insecure and WAY too hard on herself. Give yourself some grace and time to heal!  You are here walking and talking about it and your life has purpose, "Be brave and keep going" (I have a necklace that says this and it is one of my favorites!)

As I prepared for and prayed over this walk, you see, I wasn't even going to go until a few weeks ago. The summer had been so busy I just wanted to write off anything not essential to living.  But, the Lord brought to mind my prayers of 13 years ago.  I was a newlywed and had just graduated from college with my education degree.  Life was great but, honestly, I was lonely.  I missed my college friends and my sister that I had gotten to see on campus every day for my last two years.  I missed a soul that wasn't drying up. I prayed for friends. I prayed for a career that would impact others lives for good. I prayed that I could find a place where my soul would heal and be real again instead of being driven by duty and stated meetings and I longed for a bit of rest, a place to thrive with my new hubby, not because we "had to" but because we "wanted to &we loved to." Two aneurysms, three brain surgeries, and a stroke later I see how my prayers were answered in the most mysterious ways! Honestly, if I had seen the whole picture I might have stopped praying and missed the glorious struggle.  Chasing after a career I didn't love, stuffed in a box that did not fit me and who God created me to be.  It doesn't look like the box most people get, but we always knew that :-)I think others can finally begin to see what I kinda always knew!  So I end my tired babbling thoughts being thankful for friends, freedom and room to grow, and a story I love to share if it will help others!

Day 3,748

Survival: the struggle is still very real.  I have some sort of cold/respiratory infection going on along with migraine aura #2 for the week. I'm tired, anxious, and just trying to survive the day! I'm clinging to the One who has overcome and praying for extra Grace! God Bless all!