July 18, 2015

Hi everyone. Welcome to my blog where I talk about the present. I'm presently exhausted. You see, I started water therapy once again. It's great cause you can actually walk in water, but man, it's tough. I don't know if you remember what I told you, but the therapists put weights on your ankles and throw you in the deep end of the pool (just kidding). They do put weights on your ankles and lower you into 4 feet of water. There's two instructors who hold you up as you walk across the pool. It's pretty cool. Feels great to walk once again. And when you fall, well, you just end up going under water. You don't hurt yourself. It's been about a year since I did water therapy. There was, I notice, a huge improvement with it. I don't shake as much. And I don't have to wear pasties. Just kidding about the pasties. I did think it was funny to get a pair and wear them in the pool, but my mom told me to stop acting like a 10 year old. So I behaved.

The other thing I did to get out of my routine was to go out to lunch with my friends. It's always good to break up your routine when you have a traumatic brain injury. Just something as simple as going out to lunch can become an olympic event. It's tough but worth it.

I told you before that I've become more aware of where I am and more aware of how I am. It's good and bad. I can't believe how bad off I am. It brings on a little depression, but you know, you suck it up and move forward. Think positive.

I told my mother I need another dog. She freaked out. I was just kidding.

Anyway, hope you have a good week. Love you and miss you all. Love, B. Nice

Oh yeah, here's the link to my other blog.

July 7, 2015

Oh man! Brutal! I'm telling you, humidity really affects me. When you have a traumatic brain injury, different things will affect you and humidity is kicking my butt. On top of that, I ventured out to do some clay work. You know, work with my hands. I made a plate. It's good to get out of your routine when you have a traumatic brain injury, but it's tough. Just a change in scenery can make you really tired. But, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Lately I've been thinking I've got to push it to another level. Just the slightest thing is like a giant step when you have traumatic brain injury. For example, right now I'm trying to do a sit up. Just a simple sit up. Sounds easy right? Well, just a simple sit up is like doing a marathon.

Another cool thing is, some friends of mine from Australia, are stopping by. It will be great to see them. I miss Australia. It was a great place to live. I was there like eleven years.

Hey, check it out. It was the 4th of July the other day. Having a traumatic brain injury in this situation is a bonus. I see double so I saw twice the fireworks. It was pretty cool. The fireworks were great because they have all new colors. Pinks and blues. There's lots of neon. Pretty cool.

So I've been talking to some of my therapists, you know, physical therapists and occupational therapists. They have encouraged me to go a little further. Remember I said I thought I should step it up a notch. Well, they agree. And there are simple things like doing transfers from the bed to the chair on my own. Feeding myself on my own. Driving to the local liquor store on my own (just kidding). The point is, I gotta never give up. Don't use the word plateau. Always keep moving it forward. I can see why people would just give up. I mean just the other day I was using my Up 'n Go (it teaches you how to walk again). It was tough just taking a few steps. Remember, this is my third time learning how to walk again. I can see why people say, "I quit. I'll just stay in the chair." But I'm not gonna do that. Anyway, I've said all this stuff before. It's super hot here and I feel like a little lethargic. I'm gonna stop here.

This is B. Nice signing off. I'm gonna go get a marguerite. Talk to you later. Love, B. Nice

Oh, here's the link to my other blog. It's a quick posting. I just tell a joke.

July 3, 2015

Hi everybody. Welcome to the blog where I talk about the present. My friend here presently has hay fever. You know, seasonal allergy. I was laughing because I can't sneeze. In other words, I have a hard time sneezing. It starts out with a big gasp for air and then all sorts of mutations of the face. Then it goes into me convulsing and trying not to look at any bright objects. It ends with the most pathetic lip biting sneeze you've ever heard. Kind of funny, but not.

Let's see. What else can I talk about? Well, my little one was here. Let me tell you. A little love goes a long long way. I can't believe how much this kid has grown up. It's amazing and a good gauge of time. Cause, you see, I really don't have a good sense of time. I mean it feels like I had my first operation a few months ago, but it was six years ago. Like I said, it's not bad if you have a good DVD collection. You say to yourself, "Hey! I've never seen this one before."

So check this out: I'm officially an advocate for people in wheel chairs. I'm meeting with the town council to walk down main street and show them what should be done for people in wheelchairs. Pretty cool. Should I wear my viking outfit (just kidding). It is a good opportunity to raise awareness for handicapped people. I think it's cool anyway.

The other thing that's new for me is I've been sleeping on my stomach. It sounds a little pathetic but it's a big deal for me. I still wake up at night kind of freaked out and I don't know where I am, but it's a positive step for me. Before my injury, I used to sleep on my stomach all the time. Speaking of sleeping, I actually have been sleeping less and less. It's kind of a drag. I wake up about 4 am. and I can't get back to sleep. Not sure what that's from. Family stress. Not sure. Just an observation. And another pleasant side effect of traumatic brain injury.

I'm not sure if I told you this. I thought it was pretty funny, but thank god my health aid was here. There was me with traumatic brain injury, my eight year old daughter, and an 83 year old father. We were all staring at the Weber grill trying to figure out what we should do. It sounds like giving a monkey a box of razor blades, right? Well, my health aid had common sense to say, "Everyone get back. I'll fire up the grill." He fired up the grill and we cooked a great meal. On that note, I'm gonna sign off. I'm gonna sit in a corner and do nothing. My little one just left and I have no more energy.

Have a good week. Love, B. Nice

Link to the blog about the past.

briannice.com

June 17, 2015

Hi everybody. Welcome to my blog where I talk about the present. You know, being a traumatic brain injury survivor, I don't get much sleep. I lie in bed or wake up early thinking about things. One thing I can't get out of my mind is I can't believe how some people just dismiss how I am. I mean, when you're like this you can't begin to describe how you feel. It's like a living hell. You know I'm 100% cognitively there, it's just that I'm physically messed up. I guess I'm on my soapbox screaming but, no one could understand what it's like unless they walked in my shoes. Enough of that. I just had to get it off my chest.

Other than that, I've had a pretty good week. My little one is finally here. And I've been having a great time with my little one. I found a place where I can walk with my Up n Go. It's a device that helps you walk. One needs a smooth and long surface to walk on. I actually found a cool gymnasium that will let me work there. It will give me a long uninterrupted, surface to walk on. And my goal is a martini at the end (just kidding about the martini, although it is a good idea).

I'll tell you, it is tough though, watching people walk around, do stuff. You know, I'd love to just get up and do chores, like do dishes, cook, clean. Who'd ever think I'd be jealous of people doing that?

I'm gonna start up on my swimming again. You know, you can walk in the water, with assistance from someone else. It's pretty cool. I've done it like three times already, meaning, I've started over three times. It's a great way to learn how to walk again.

Oh yeah, I want to share something with you before I go. My little one pulled out a board game and opened it up at the coffee table. She said, "Daddy, have you ever played this before?" And she held up the box cover. It said, "Shoots & Ladders." I said, "My dear, I've been playing that game for about six years now." She just looked at me blankly like, "What the heck are you talking about?"

That's it for now.

This is B. Nice signing off. Here's my link to my other blog. Love you and miss you.

12 June, 2015

Hey everybody. Welcome to my blog where I talk about the present. Every morning I wake up and have a little art show. See the example above. They are pictures I paint every day or so at five with my father. The heart is for my daughter who I really miss.

I'll make this blog short cause it's hot and humid as hell and it really affects me. It seems different things will affect you if you have traumatic brain injury. I think I mentioned this before but, I've been doing the Up n Go almost every day. It helps you learn how to walk again. I highly recommend it. You do have to constantly stand up about every hour or so, you know to get your joints used to weight bearing your body weight. Remember, I've been sitting down a long time. It's also like the 3rd or 4th time I've had to learn how to walk again. It seems like every time I get to walking it's like BANG, back to square one. Let's hope I have a good run this time (no pun intended).

Here's my link to the blog about the past. Hope you have a good week. Love, B. Nice