My Pet Peeve - or was that a B? – It’s that Brain Injury Thing Again

Everyone has a pet peeve – at least one thing that just makes their skin crawl or frustrates them to no end. Well, one of mine is when I write (or type) a P when I intend for it to be a B (or vice-versa). That just happens to be one of the results of my anoxic brain injury. Fortunately, most of the time when I make the mistake, I know immediately what I have done and am able to correct it. However, there are still times when I’m in a big hurry, or not using my pay attention strategy, that it slips by me. Thank goodness for spell check!

Of course, the only spell check available when hand writing something is to proofread over and over and over again. Or, get a second pair of eyes to take a look. Both of these methods were picked up from my cognitive therapist at Timber Ridge Ranch rehabilitation facility. Not that I use either of them if I’m in a really big hurry. I guess it depends on the importance of what I’m writing as to whether I take time for proofing. For instance, a note I’m scribbling down to take to the store vs. an email or an article.

I’m writing about this today because it recently happened to me again. I usually just brush it off, but sometimes it really gets on my last nerve! It’s just weird that as a result of my brain injury, I sometimes choose the wrong one of these letters. I know it’s a small thing compared to many other more serious problems, but it’s definitely a source of irritation at times.

As long as we’re on the subject of pet peeves, I have another one. I’ll bet there are others that have the same frustration of having no, or limited, peripheral vision.

I have gotten much better about this one over the years. The key is to remember to scan left and/or right. Now this is of utmost importance when crossing a street, driving a car, or any other possibly dangerous situation. However, what I’m referring to here as a pet peeve is as simple as not seeing everything on the page of a book or the computer screen. Having no short-term memory (to remember to scan), I have used strategies for this problem as well. This strategy is explained in detail in our book too.

When you only see what is directly in front of you; you are not getting the whole picture or meaning intended. How frustrating to be reading a book or magazine and I can’t make sense out of what I’m reading because I am not seeing the entire sentence. I know that is probably hard for those of you who have peripheral vision to understand because most people don’t realize how great it is to have something until it’s gone.

In our book, Brain Injury Survivor’s Guide, Larry tells about our green beans meal shortly after I was released from the hospital. Back then, neither of us knew that I had this problem. The not knowing made it even worse. Although we now laugh about it, it surely was not funny at the time.

So, if you have one of these irritating pet peeves you can’t dismiss because it’s a permanent situation, first find a way to be amused by it. Don’t dwell too much on it either, but always be on the lookout for a compensatory strategy that just might make life easier.