Everyone has problems from time to time. Some are minor while others are of major concern. However, for someone who has suffered an anoxic brain injury, even the otherwise minor problem magnifies to enormous proportions if compensatory strategies are not used to control the situation.
Since I have been adjusting my life to compensate for my brain injury for many years now, I make use of my compensatory strategies on a regular basis to deal with cognitive problems. Cognitive rehabilitation makes living with brain injury tolerable and enables a more satisfying life.
Larry and I usually ride together if we are going to grab a bite to eat. Due to my lack of peripheral vision, which makes driving a challenge, Larry usually does the driving. On this day, he had been doing some electrical work around the house and was tired, so I offered to pick up lunch at Sonic. He agreed and I was on my way with the list of what to order (another strategy).
When it was time to leave Sonic, my car wouldn’t start. Anyone who is familiar with brain injury is not surprised that my first reaction was panic. “Oh no! – Why is this happening to me? What do I do now?”
Then I took a deep breath and asked myself to pull out the strategy tool chest. After determining which strategies fit the situation and which to use first, I reached for my phone to call Larry to let him know what had happened. He was soon on the way to the rescue with jumper cables. In the meantime, I retrieved my owner’s manual from the glove box just in case it was not just the battery (planning ahead). Rather than becoming emotional, I was trying to figure out how to best solve the problem. That’s a big change from when I had no strategy to remain calm and develop a plan.
The car did not start with a jump so we had to leave it there overnight while we figured out what needed to be done. I informed the manager of the plan to temporarily leave my car there. He was very understanding and told me he would make sure it was not towed away before we returned.
The next morning, after reading the manual and doing some research on the internet, we replaced a fuse and my car started after another jump. I drove it home and pulled into the driveway just prior to a very cold rain.
Though it was not a pleasant to deal with, there’s always a silver lining to an unfortunate situation. Here's a few things I was grateful for:
Since I have been adjusting my life to compensate for my brain injury for many years now, I make use of my compensatory strategies on a regular basis to deal with cognitive problems. Cognitive rehabilitation makes living with brain injury tolerable and enables a more satisfying life.
Larry and I usually ride together if we are going to grab a bite to eat. Due to my lack of peripheral vision, which makes driving a challenge, Larry usually does the driving. On this day, he had been doing some electrical work around the house and was tired, so I offered to pick up lunch at Sonic. He agreed and I was on my way with the list of what to order (another strategy).
When it was time to leave Sonic, my car wouldn’t start. Anyone who is familiar with brain injury is not surprised that my first reaction was panic. “Oh no! – Why is this happening to me? What do I do now?”
Then I took a deep breath and asked myself to pull out the strategy tool chest. After determining which strategies fit the situation and which to use first, I reached for my phone to call Larry to let him know what had happened. He was soon on the way to the rescue with jumper cables. In the meantime, I retrieved my owner’s manual from the glove box just in case it was not just the battery (planning ahead). Rather than becoming emotional, I was trying to figure out how to best solve the problem. That’s a big change from when I had no strategy to remain calm and develop a plan.
The car did not start with a jump so we had to leave it there overnight while we figured out what needed to be done. I informed the manager of the plan to temporarily leave my car there. He was very understanding and told me he would make sure it was not towed away before we returned.
The next morning, after reading the manual and doing some research on the internet, we replaced a fuse and my car started after another jump. I drove it home and pulled into the driveway just prior to a very cold rain.
Though it was not a pleasant to deal with, there’s always a silver lining to an unfortunate situation. Here's a few things I was grateful for:
We were not together and have two vehicles, so I could call Larry for help.
I had compensatory strategies that helped me remain calm and able to think.
I had my cell phone with me.
I was not far from home.
I was parked in a place where the jumper cables could reach.
I was able to explain things to the manager who was understanding of my dilemma.
We were able to work together to find and correct the problem which was not costly.
We made it back home prior to bad weather.
Be as prepared as possible for the unexpected and always plan ahead for any trip. You never know what challenge you may face when least expected. Compensatory strategies help compensate for what was lost as a result of the brain injury.
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