• Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Archives
  • Directory
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
The Brain Health Magazine
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Archives
  • Directory
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
The Brain Health Magazine
No Result
View All Result

There is Always Hope

Featured Content

in Concussion
June 9, 2020
0
There is Always Hope

by Amy Zellmer, Editor-in-chief

Spring is such a beautiful time of year, and a reminder that what once was dormant and ugly is now blooming and bright!

Recovery from brain injury can feel a bit like the changing of the seasons . . .  one minute you feel like you’re in the darkness of winter, and the next you feel like a bright, sunny summer day There isn’t always a rhyme or reason for this drastic change of season; it’s just how life is with a brain injury.   

This issue is particularly important to me. Dizziness is one of the most common symptoms I hear from survivors in my group . . .  as well as individuals who aren’t sure they’ve ever had a brain injury, but struggle with bouts of dizziness.

Dizziness can be completely debilitating. After my injury, I constantly felt like the world was moving and swaying around me. I never felt stable on my feet, and I didn’t trust my depth perception — I constantly ran into doorjambs or corners of tables (I still have the bruises to prove it).

I told every doctor I saw that I felt my dizziness was coming from my eyes. As a lifelong photographer I was unusually tuned-in to my vision and knew something was “off” with my eyes, but couldn’t quite put it into words. Doctors would listen and quickly dismiss me, saying,  “Oh, that isn’t really possible.”

Little did I know that I was actually on the right track and that traditional doctors genuinely don’t have a firm grasp on all that a brain injury entails. When your vestibular system isn’t working properly, and your eyes aren’t tracking together, your body is constantly trying to figure out where it is in space — is it upright or falling over!?!?

I was fortunate to stumble upon Functional Neurology, after two-and-a-half years of struggling with trying to get traditional doctors to listen to me — and believe me. Rather than take anti-depressants, I wanted to get to the root cause of my dizziness.

Functional Neurology truly saved my life; I was at the end of my rope. I didn’t know how much longer I could tolerate feeling the way I had been, especially since no doctor seemed to understand or believe me. Dr. Jeremy Schmoe took one look at me and validated everything I had been saying . . . my eyes weren’t tracking together and that was exactly what was causing my constant dizziness.

Through a course of exercises over a period of two or three weeks, I was finally catching a glimpse of the old me — the me that had been withering away for two-and-a-half years, the me that had given up hope on ever feeling normal again, the me that knew the medical system needed to take note and listen . . . not just hear, but listen. I finally saw a light at the end of the tunnel, and knew that I was in good hands.

It’s important that we listen to our bodies — they will tell us everything we need to know. It’s also important to understand that traditional doctors don’t necessarily know everything about everything. Many receive less than an hour of training on brain injury, so can we really fault them for not understanding such a complicated condition? It’s critical that you look outside the traditional box and seek out alternative healthcare providers who truly do understand brain injuries and how to help you get better. There is always hope . . . no matter how far out from your injury you may be.

Amy Zellmer is an award winning author, keynote speaker, and TBI survivor and advocate. She is Editor-in-chief of The Brain Health Magazine, and hosts the Faces of TBI podcast series, as well as TBI TV on YouTube. 

                                                                    

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare Via EmailPinterest
Next Post

Yoga: Triangle Pose

SIGN UP

BLOG

Yoga: Seated Cobra Pose

Yoga: Seated Cobra Pose

By Amy Zellmer, Editor-in-chief Yoga is a powerful tool for neuroplasticity. Contrary to some beliefs, everyone can do yoga — you don’t need to be super flexible, be able to balance, or even be able to stand up. The beauty of yoga is every pose can be modified to accommodate anyone. An important aspect of […]

Read more
Resilience After a Brain Injury

Resilience After a Brain Injury

By Dr. Shane Steadman, DC, DACNB, DCBCN, CNS Recovery after a brain injury can be a long journey. Working hard and hoping to get back to baseline often can be frustrating, and for some, unattainable. With the many doctor visits, exercises, rehab appointments, medications, and supplements, goals can become lost. However, amid recovering from a […]

Read more
The Resiliency of the Human Brain and Body

The Resiliency of the Human Brain and Body

By James A. Heuer, PA As a personal injury attorney for over 45 years, I have witnessed many of my clients successfully recover from a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Whether the TBI occurs from a car crash, a slip and fall, or blow to the head, the resiliency of the human body and brain is […]

Read more
Resiliency: Is It Just Personal or Part of Brain Chemistry?

Resiliency: Is It Just Personal or Part of Brain Chemistry?

By Deborah Zelinsky, O.D. The term resiliency encompasses “the range of personal protective factors, environmental supports, and resources, as well as self-regulatory processes, engaged in response to adversity,” according to investigators writing about recovery from traumatic brain injury (TBI) for the publication Disability and Rehabilitation. Indeed, author Mike Norton  said it best when he wrote, […]

Read more
Stress Away Essential Oil

Stress Away Essential Oil

By Amy Zellmer, Editor-in-chief A complementary tool that can help you achieve a healthy lifestyle, essential oils are easy to use and smell great, with a variety of uses. All oils are not created equal. I personally only trust the Young Living brand because I know they maintain complete control over their product from seed […]

Read more
Resiliency and the Courtroom

Resiliency and the Courtroom

By Jeff Heller Resiliency is one of the greatest attributes anyone can have. From an early age, parents teach their children, “if you get knocked down, you get back up.” Coaches teach their players, “when the going gets tough, the tough get going.” And one of the cornerstones of the underdog mentality is to “never […]

Read more
The Quality of Resilience

The Quality of Resilience

by Shauna Hahn Sometime in 2019, in the weekly “Healing and Recovery” therapy group I lead, we discussed the topic of the quality of “resilience.” When it came time for a patient to contribute, he said, “I don’t want to be resilient. I get tired of being resilient all the f**king time.” And I heard […]

Read more
Peanut Butter Protein Fluff

Peanut Butter Protein Fluff

By Amy Zellmer, Editor-in-chief What You Need: 1 cup (250g) full-fat Greek yogurt 2 tbsp. peanut butter or almond butter 2 tsp. stevia Favorite garnish (banana, granola, blueberries) Add the yogurt, nut butter and stevia into a small mixing bowl and whisk together using a hand mixer, until fluffy. Transfer the mix into a bowl […]

Read more
Arizona Man Overcomes Three Traumatic Brain Injuries and Gives Back By Building Adaptive Recreation & Socialization Program for Survivors

Arizona Man Overcomes Three Traumatic Brain Injuries and Gives Back By Building Adaptive Recreation & Socialization Program for Survivors

By Ed Roth Randy Elston is finally living his best life, which may be an odd thing to say about a Marine Corps veteran with three traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Recently named as the Brain Injury Alliance of Arizona’s new Adaptive Recreation & Activities Coordinator, Randy’s tours of duty in Iraq left him with a […]

Read more

INSTAGRAM

Follow Us!

    The Instagram Access Token is expired, Go to the Customizer > JNews : Social, Like & View > Instagram Feed Setting, to refresh it.

© Copyright 2019 | The Brain Health Magazine

  • Advertise With Us
  • Submission Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Contact Us

DISCLAIMER: THIS MAGAZINE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE - View PDF

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Archives
  • Directory
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used.