I don't get the lawn chair thing...

Don't worry! We are all confused.

In late June 2017, the weather was getting warmer. I figured that since I would have a lot of down time this Summer with Stella, I should buy a lawn chair for the backyard. Driving to the store was too overwhelming for me, so I did the next best thing and went on Amazon. (I love Amazon!) After what felt like hours of searching, I found the perfect chair for a very reasonable price. Or so I thought...

The thing with concussions (aka "mild traumatic brain injuries" or "mTBIs") is that they can leave you terribly confused. I mean we've all been confused at one time or another, but the crazy thing about concussion confusion is that you are so confused that you don't even know that you're confused. Confused yet? Good! Stella is confusing!

A few days later (Amazon is so quick), a package arrived for me, but it was the size of a book. (You'd think I would have clued in at this point that something wasn't right, but I was confused, remember?) I opened the envelope and stared at a journal with a picture of a lawn chair on it (see picture). I was convinced I had been the victim of fraud. How could Amazon do this to me? It didn't take long for me to review the Amazon advertisement and my confirmation emails to realize that I had somehow mistaken a journal with a picture of a lawn chair on it as a lawn chair. It was a cheap chair, but a pretty expensive book.

Stella - 1, Kirsten - 0

Comments

Do you know what a Spoonie is?

The theory was developed by Christine Miserandino to explain what it is like living with a chronic illness or disability (the whole spoon thing may seem weird to you, but she was in a diner when she came up with the analogy and my guess is that knives would have been a bit more dangerous to play with): “The difference in being sick and being healthy is having to make choices or to consciously think about things when the rest of the world doesn’t have to. The healthy have the luxury of a life without choices, a gift most people take for granted. Most people start the day with unlimited amount of possibilities, and energy to do whatever they desire, especially young people. For the most part, they do not need to worry about the effects of their actions… I used spoons to convey this point.” A healthy person will have an unlimited number of spoons, but a Spoonie, someone with a chronic illness or disability, will wake up in the morning ...

Happy New Year!

What. A. Year. Am I right? Looking back on 2018, a few words come to mind: exhaustion, setbacks, gratitude and perspective. The last 12 months didn’t come without its share of challenges. I lost my job, broke up with my boyfriend, and moved in with my parents. My headaches, migraines, fatigue and visual snow were debilitating and I spent more days in bed than not. Conclusion: It was a tough year. BUT, I am tougher (is tougher a word? Or is it like funner? And I should be saying more tough? In case you were wondering, I didn’t learn how to spell in 2018). Despite the above setbacks, actually I think it’s because of them, I am happier now than I have ever been. I have learned to stop, to feel, and to appreciate the beauty in my day to day life. Before my injury, I was never really present and was so focused on the one or two things I didn’t have. Now, I am just so grateful for every little thing (this includes you!). Thank you for all of your love, encouragement an...

No More UGGHS for this Girl

Hey y'all, Remember me? I did another guest article for the Brain Energy Support Team and I thought I would share it. Hugs! - K No More UGHS for this Girl! Editor’s note: BEST welcomes back writer, blogger and BEST guest blogger, Kirsten Short, who shares a terrific and informative article on some helpful tools and strategies to engage your goals and journey forward in 2019. Thank you Kirsten for your important words and support! -- KT Click here to read more.

Concussions and Lawn Chairs

Search This Blog