Hello and welcome back to Second Chance to Live my friend. I am happy that you decided to stop by to visit with me. Recently, Brain Injury Radio presented a program – A New Spring – A New Me.
As brain injury survivors we may wonder if there will every be a spring time in our lives. In our search to find answers, we may have a difficult time wondering when our spring times will begin.
During the radio program, I shared several articles with the audience. I believe the principles presented with in these articles will serve to empower the spring time (s) in your life.
Here are the articles that I shared with the audience: Flight of the Butterfly, Small Successes and The Cracked Pot. To read each article, simply click on the title of the article.
As you take the time to read through the articles, please let me know how each of the articles speak to you my friend. For your convenience, here is my Contact Page. I look forward to hearing from you.
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When I sustained TBI in 2007 I was a Career Development Facilitator for the state. After 6 months I returned to my job with accommodations. Coworkers were understanding when I talked slow, couldn’t find the right words, made mistakes, etc. Lucky for me a few months later the governor eliminated the position because I was getting buried. I slid into a much less demanding position in the same office. 18 months later the governor eliminated that position too. That’s when I entered hell. This January I took another state position as a counselor with Vocational Rehabilitation. (I learned through staff & personal experience that this newly hired manager was a psycopath bully boss and 3 counselors had recently quit because of this) My new coworkers did not know I had TBI, I quickly got buried in work. I was hospitalized (suicidal) for 4 days, lost my job the next week and now have no income, no insurance, and I’m in quicksand.
Hi Teresa,
Thank you for writing to me and for sharing what you have with me. I am sorry that you have gone through what you have with me. I believe in the power of identification. I believe that as we know that we are not alone in our struggle we are empowered. I have written an article on what I believe about the power of identification. The Power of Identification. Here is the link to that article Teresa https://secondchancetolive.org/2007/04/18/the-power-of-identification/. I would also encourage you to read my 7 part series, My Journey thus Far. Here is a link to that series Teresa https://secondchancetolive.org/2007/02/18/my-journey-thus-far/. I believe you will be able to identify with me my friend.
Living with an invisible disability can be a struggle for sure. Here is a 4 part series, My Struggle Living with an Invisible Disability Teresa https://secondchancetolive.org/2007/02/18/my-journey-thus-far/. Here a follow up 2 part series Having an Invisible Disability — The Struggle of Denying my Reality https://secondchancetolive.org/2007/08/21/having-an-invisible-disability-%E2%80%93-the-consequence-of-denying-my-reality%E2%80%94part-1/. Another couple of articles that you may find to be helpful are Traumatic Brain Injury and the Double Bind https://secondchancetolive.org/2007/08/28/traumatic-brain-injury-and-the-double-bind/, Traumatic Brain Injury and the Identified Patient a 2 part series Traumatic Brain Injury and the Square Peg https://secondchancetolive.org/2008/04/12/traumatic-brain-injury-and-the-square-peg/.
Please remember that I am here for you Teresa. Not to make light of what you are experiencing in any way, however I wanted to let you know that I have been where you are and I found hope. You will also find hope my friend. More will be revealed to you with time. Please do not give up on the process, a loving God or yourself. Trust me on this one Teresa.
Thank you again for writing to me and may God bless both you and your family during this time and into the future Teresa.
Craig
Craig J. Phillips MRC, BA
Second Chance to Live
http://www.secondchancetolive.wordpress.com
Because our circumstances are not meant to keep us down, but they are meant to build us up!
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Hi Teresa,
I have another suggestion — as I did when I was faced with my reality — would be that you apply for disability and get an attorney to represent you. Apply for Medicaid and Food stamps ASAP. The benefits are set up for legitimate scenarios — such as the one (s) that you and I are facing Teresa. Go to your department of Social Services and your local Social Security Disability to apply for these benefits. Also apply for SSI — which is different than SSDI as I found out — at with the Social Security Administration office. The SSI monies may help you to fill in the financial gap while you wait. As I did, also apply to become a vocational rehabilitation client — as you meet the criteria as I did Teresa.
My strong encouragement would be to search out a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor who has a significant history working with traumatic / acquired brain injury survivors. I found that having a DVR counselor that understood brain injury — based on his or her history working with brain injury survivors — was very important so as to not be minimized or marginalized. I would also work — interview various counselors — with a counselor who has worked with high functioning brain injury survivors, who will not minimize or marginalize your situation — because of your academic achievements. Another suggestion would be that you would have your voc rehab counselor schedule you to have a neuro psychological exam and an EEG as the results will confirm your reality.
By doing so — as you know — you will have medical and psychological documentation for your attorney to present to administrative law judge with the Social Security Administration. I share this based on my experience.
I hope the above proves to be helpful. As you have questions, please ask. All questions are good questions.
Craig