Thank you for walking beside me and listening to my wild ride.
Thank you for your time and energy as you patiently allowed me to express myself.
And because you did that, I received your love, inner peace, and the ability to completely forgive everyone and everything.
Thank You for helping me heal the wounds.
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I want to humbly thank all those Great People who helped pull me along, when I did not have the strength to pull myself anywhere.
May each of them remember they have a home with me, wherever I am. And to know that I will be the pillar they can lean on, should they ever need one as they catch themselves.
I want to toast all Brain Injured People and their Caregivers, their Families, and their Loyal Friends. Much respect and admiration to all of you, for what you go through regularly.
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Please allow me to share my various timelines; in case you need the information.
Timeline of my progress:
AVM (Brain Injury) happened overnight while I was sleeping. I lived alone. (Day 0).
Next morning, I phoned My Neighbor-Aunt to help dress me and take me to the hospital please. (No memory). (Day 1).
I also phoned My Hero Cousin to meet me at the hospital. (No memory).
My ICU time – 3 weeks. (No memory). (Days 1 to 22).
Followed by time on the Hospital Ward – 1 week. (No memory). (Days 23 to 30).
Total hospital time immediately after injury - 1 month. (No memory).
Home by My Hero Cousin, still mentally gone, for about 3 months since Brain Injury. (No memory). (Days 31 to 76).
Not mentally present but breathing on my own and in the total care of My Hero Cousin, My Favorite Nurse and The Other Nurses caring for ME.
‘Woke up mentally’ and taught to re-eat, re-feed myself, re-walk, re-bathe, re-groom etcetera. (Memories of events start). (Days 77 to 139).
Simply moving my lungs was huge. Getting any air into and out of them, took an enormous amount of energy and will. I was exhausted after that feat. It felt like climbing Mount Everest and visiting the Mariana Trench, all at once. Lots and lots of dense pressure.
By my Other Cousins and their young children. (Days 140 to 186).
Being cleared for international travel by My Saving Neurosurgeon and the only airline which would have me on their flights. And only after two employees guaranteed to allow ME to travel on their shift.
Brain Injury happened in March. Cleared for international travel and airline approval in October. Airline feared that I would have a re-bleed on their flight and scare their staff and other travelers. Point well taken.
My Father was having ME brought back to the USA.
A Kind Family takes me in, and The Butterfly and Big Heart help me. (Days 187 to 326).
Living on my own in an apartment and My Father spent weekends. Lived this way for 6 months. (Days 327 to 505).
It was during this time that I went to Rehab at that wonderful place, twice a week for 3 months.
Moving in with my two Alzheimer’s Aunts for 9 months. (Days 506 to 809).
Moving far away from everybody for 7 months, because I did not know where else to go. (Days 810 to 1025).
Moved in with another Aunt and my cousin, The Hidden Gem, because he said to “come” and I am forever grateful. I lived there for 1 year and 7 months. (Days 1026 to 1604).
I moved out 4 months after my Aunt’s death in May.
Lived on my own in a different town and embraced my many. Got medical help, support, part-time employment for 2 years. (Days 1605 to 2335).
Moved with My Father to another state. (Days 2336 to …).
My Milestone Timelines:
To bathe comfortably without concern of falling and taking less time to actually bathe myself – 6 years.
Being able to stand on my own with my eyes closed and not holding onto the wall or something solid – 9 years.
Better gait control with less drifting while walking – 9 years.
But still happens, so not a permanent time period.
Able to Happy Dance properly and not funnily, with eyes open and not losing my balance – 6 years.
Being able to start the washing machine and cook, in the same time period – 9 years.
No other multi-tasking allowed.
Making an aggressive effort to look good. Style my hair, appear stylish and wear lipstick when not wearing a mask – 6 or 7 years.
To start reaching out to people more and actively participating in connections – 9 years.
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My Thoughts:
Plenty Time + Love + Patience + Prayer = Healing
Keep Hope Alive.
Keep Moving Forward. God will halt your pace when you reach to where you are supposed to be.
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It is teatime.
Time to go enjoy a cup of tea.