WEBVTT
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And you know, just take it one day at a time.
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And it, because we're in the thick of it, it can be hard to see how far we've come and the progress that we've made.
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But just remember, you're doing great.
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You're here, you're taking strides.
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Um, and yeah, just keep doing what you can to, to find joy, you know, and to, to bring joy into your life.
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Opinions shared by the guests of the show are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of the hosts bindwaves or the Brain Injury Network.
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This podcast is for informational purposes only, and it's not a substitute for professional medical advice, the diagnosis or treatment.
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Always seek the advice of a healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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Thank you.
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Hi, I'm Karl a TBI survivor, and a member of BIND.
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And hi, I'm Carrie, a stroke survivor, and a member of BIND as well.
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And today we're gonna welcome Tanika Connesero a brain injury survivor, health coach, doula, and a mother, a single mother of three boys.
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So welcome Tanika.
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Thanks So glad to be here with you guys today.
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We're excited to have you.
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So I guess just to get started, tell us and our listeners a little bit about you.
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Yeah.
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Um.
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I don't know.
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I'm a single mom.
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I have three kids.
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Um, in my family, we've all had a brain injury of one form or another, whether that was, it's been traumatic or non-traumatic.
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Um, yeah, I am a doula and a health coach and, um, just really trying to be a part of people's teams and, uh, support network to help them live their healthiest, happiest lives.
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So.
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That's great.
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And just so y'all know, so this is probably episode one of Tanika'cause we've got lots of other ideas maybe coming down the pike to have with her.
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So we're excited.
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Well, we understand that you're not the only one who's had a brain injury in your family.
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Can you expand on that and tell us a little bit more?
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Yeah.
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Um, so I had my brain injury back almost.
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It's been almost 10 years.
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Um, August 3rd, 2016.
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Oh, wow.
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Um, is when I had my, I fell and I got my concussion and, um, it was life changing.
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So the doctors told me, you know, Hey, it's, you'll be fine in a week.
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Um, you know, you'll be able to get back to normal life after that.
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And I wasn't.
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So, um, yeah, that, that was me.
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And then.
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My oldest son had had, um, some head injuries playing soccer and just kind of a random freak accident where he kind of passed out in the shower, um, one time.
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And then, um, my middle son has, uh, seizures.
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He has epilepsy.
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Okay.
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Um, so that's been ongoing for most of his life.
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Um, and then, um, and he also has autism and, um, intellectual development, disability.
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Um.
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Amongst other things.
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And then, um, my mom just recently this summer had multiple strokes on both sides of her brain, so
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Oh,
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oh Lord.
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Yeah, yeah, yeah.
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So you're not kidding, you say everyone in your family, you mean everyone in your family.
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So, yes.
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Um, this wasn't, and I had written down, but maybe think so.
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Do you think having had your concussion, um, I'm guessing, I don't wanna guess that.
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So let me rephrase that.
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Did you have your concussion before your oldest son had his.
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Yes.
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Okay.
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So that's what I was gonna say.
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Do you think that helped or hindered you with helping him progress with his symptoms?
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I think it most definitely helped me.
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Um, I mean, I was able to kind of know what he needed as far as like therapies went.
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Um, you know, at the time my.
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My middle son was already going to all of the therapies at Children's.
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Um, so we had a good working relationship with therapists there, um, OTs, PTs, um, speech therapists.
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And so I kind of knew, um, you know, not just from, from my perspective, but also, you know, in talking to them.
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And so we kinda knew what to do, how to get him help.
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Um, and then it also just helped me be able to advocate for him better, like when it came to school and the things that he needed.
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Okay, so the original question I was gonna ask, so you knew you had a concussion then your son probably, you know, from soccer concussions.
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Mm-hmm.
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How do you, and we know that you're not a medical doctor, this is just kinda your personal experience.
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How do you know that?
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If you think maybe you don't know for sure if they've had a concussion, what do you know about it or how do you decide I need to get.
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My son to the doctor.
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'cause I think he's had a con concussion.
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What?
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Absolutely.
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Yeah.
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What were the warning signs
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or the triggers for you to know, I guess is what I'm asking?
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Yeah.
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So, um, part of it for me is just seeing or knowing what that impact was, how hard of a hit or fall, um, did he, did they take right.
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Um, where was it that they hit?
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Um, so those are like a couple of the base.
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Questions or like assessments that I do.
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Um, I'll also look at like, okay, what are their eyes looking like?
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Mm-hmm.
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How is their speech?
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Um, what is, can they remember?
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Are they conscious?
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Um, you know, so there's, there's kind of a, a little bit of a list that I'll go through, um, and just kind of assessing like how they're feeling and what's kind of going on, um, in their system.
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Okay.
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So that makes sense
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to me.
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Good.
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More specifically, what steps did you take in particular with your brain injury?
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Concussion.
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And, and how were your sons different?
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I know you got, you were able to help them with your experience, but mm-hmm.
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Did they have different problems and did they have different things to handle?
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And, and how did they do with that?
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Yes.
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So for me, I felt like it was a lot harder because I didn't know anything.
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Um, the very first day that it happened, I jumped up, I grabbed all my bags'cause I was on my way to work, uh, when I fell.
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And I, all I could think of was, oh, I gotta get to work.
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I have all this stuff that I need to get done.
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So I didn't think about my health or what was going on at all, even though I was in immense pain.
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Um, you know, I couldn't listen to the talk radio.
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I couldn't like, just everything hurt in my body.
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Um, so I made it to work.
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Uh, I was there for a little bit and then I came home because I just, I couldn't handle it.
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And, uh.
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I had to take that trip in steps, um, you know, drove a little bit, parked, took a nap, drove some more, went home, took a nap.
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I didn't realize that I actually needed to go and get medical, um, seek medical attention.
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And so it wasn't until a couple of friends, um, had told my mom like,"Hey, yeah, you need to take her into the hospital.
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She could have a brain bleed.
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Anything could happen.
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Don't let her sleep.
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So, that was step one, like just not knowing, right.
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Um, you know, what to do in that event.
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So, um, you know, after that, of course, immediately, okay.
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You know, you hit your head, let's assess, let's, you know, get you into medical attention and just determining what level that needs to be, whether it's emergency or you know, a primary care.
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Um, I mean now we have neurologists, so we can try, just try to get in with them.
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Um.
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But that would probably be the biggest thing that's been different is just kind of knowing the signs of what a concussion is, um, and being able to kind of take almost immediate action.
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You were able to see it in your sons then you, you recognized they needed immediate attention, I take it.
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Yes.
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Yeah.
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Uh, yeah, absolutely.
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Um, I mean, one of my kids, um.
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It happened to just kind of slip and fall in the shower and he hit his head and so I was like, okay, like let's go.
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Right.
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Um, you just had an over precaution?
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Well, I mean, to be fair, he had, he was kind of clumsy because he was the kid that grew really tall really fast, but you know, didn't have a whole lot of great coordination.
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So he was always falling, I feel like, and getting.
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His head hit or getting concussions, you know, whether they were really mild or a little bit more serious.
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So with him, I just kind of knew.
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Um, and yeah, it, I, I guess that's basically kind of like the main way that things differed, um, between me and my kids was just kind of having that, that knowledge and also.
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The big thing with me, mine was not sports related, so it did take me a very long time to get in to actually see a neurologist.
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After having gone to the er.
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Um, it took me about a month
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Oh wow.
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To get in because nobody, everybody that I called, everybody that was recommended to me asked if it was sports related.
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And because it wasn't, I couldn't get in.
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Um, that's great.
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And so I just had to wait.
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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It was wild.
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So at that point, I was out of the acute phase, I was into the chronic phase.
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Before I, I really got any treatment.
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Um, and so just knowing how time is of the essence also, um, you know, makes a difference.
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Sure.
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Now, and so this, so you said your youngest son has epilepsy.
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So my middle son.
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Middle son.
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Okay.
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Mm-hmm.
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So that's totally different.
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I mean, that's not like a concussion.
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I mean, that's totally different route, right?
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It is,
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yes.
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Yeah.
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That is a non-traumatic brain injury.
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Right.
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Um.
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And basically some of his seizures are so long, they can be 20 minutes long.
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Oh, wow.
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Even after having given like rescue medication and things like that, um, he does sometimes have trouble with breathing, um, during some of his, uh, seizures and things like that.
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And so every time he would have a seizure, he would regress.
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Right?
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Mm-hmm.
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And his abilities and his knowledge and what his, uh, he was able to do.
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Um, and so it was always kind of the stair step, uh, with him.
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And so yeah, it, it's just, it's been different.
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I've been having to learn about the brain and Right.
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Neurology for the last 14 years, roughly.
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Yeah.
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In one way or
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another.
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Give a class on it.
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Uh, yeah.
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I it's, it's a lot.
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It's a lot for sure.
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Yeah.
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Absolutely.
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And do you think, you know, I'm gonna say probably not, but.
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One of the members asked this question, do you think, you know, when you have a concussion, the severity of it, it's probably smart not to think, you know, the severity, but to wait and get
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Yes.
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Medical advice of how severe or non-severe maybe it is
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Exactly.
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Yeah.
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Um, the majority of traumatic brain injuries tend to be mild.
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Mm-hmm.
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But that constellation of symptoms that one can experience, can.
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Come on gradually.
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Right?
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And so it's always hard to really know and to gauge yourself.
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Like for me, I was like, am I really forgetting something?
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Like I, my brain filled off, you know, I, I just, and so it was a more of a feeling then like, yes, this is for sure what's happening.
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Um, and then I knew for sure it was happening after a while.
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Right.
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But yes, that's definitely something that I, I would recommend going to a doctor, getting all of the assessments done.
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They can tell you.
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Right.
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Um, you know what the severity is.
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I know.
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I tell everyone if you fall, just I go, I say out of precau, you know, precaution.
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It doesn't hurt to go to care now.
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Yeah.
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And say, I like I had a pretty bad fall.
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Feel fine, but just check me out.
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Exactly.
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Well, you never know if there's gonna be a brain bleed or not, or you know.
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It could be anything.
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Yeah.
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Right.
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So,
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well, and we know,'cause you know, with being with the clubhouse, um, falls are the number one cause of brain injury and yeah.
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People fall for all kinds of reasons.
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It's not, you know, you're clumsy, you slip on the ice, you hit the curb wrong, whatever.
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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That I fell.
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Yeah.
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You know, I try not to step on my mom's one eye mini chihuahua, uh, after my head injury.
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The dog, if he was in my way, he got kicked.
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Sorry, y'all.
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No, I, you know, I understand.
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What are some common misconceptions then about your particular.
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Uh, brain injury, you know, it's, uh, you know, concussions are generally concussion is expected in a sports event, as you said, so you are denied therapy immediately.
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That's very sad.
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But what are, what can you say specifically, or are the events that surrounded your, you know, what, what did you experience as losses?
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Yeah, I mean, for me, I think some of the misconceptions and some of the things that I was told were number one, oh, you'll be fine.
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Don't worry about it.
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Just rest for a week.
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Um, you know, basically be in a cave in an absence of everything.
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Um, you know, and you'll be fine.
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Um, you know, now we know different, right?
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Mm-hmm.
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You need, you actually need to kind of have input and do things.
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Um, to help you recover.
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Um, and then I would say another big one for me was, um, you know, just, oh, you'll be fine.
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Like, recovery is the same for everybody.
00:14:04.503 --> 00:14:09.153
But we know that life factors play a part.
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Um, women tend to heal more slowly from brain injuries than men do.
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Um, whether that's from hormonal shifts or the amount of stress and just kind of lifestyle factors that impact us.
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Um, and so yeah, that, I feel like those were a couple of really big ones.
00:14:26.523 --> 00:14:28.957
Um, I'm trying to think.
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I don't know.
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Brain injuries are a tough animal, aren't they?
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So they're So you learn the hard way by having one.
00:14:38.342 --> 00:14:38.552
Yes.
00:14:38.643 --> 00:14:40.052
You never expect that.
00:14:40.322 --> 00:14:43.653
You don't learn in high school what to do in case you have a broke Mm.
00:14:43.653 --> 00:14:47.732
Brain injury and the learning process is half the battle.
00:14:48.092 --> 00:14:48.692
Absolutely.
00:14:48.692 --> 00:14:50.793
And you know, actually I remember now what I was gonna say.
00:14:50.793 --> 00:14:51.302
So.
00:14:51.857 --> 00:14:56.717
I had a doctor tell me, oh, well, you know, where you're at after two years is the end all be all.
00:14:56.807 --> 00:14:56.988
Mm-hmm.
00:14:57.258 --> 00:15:03.918
That, I feel like was the biggest misconception once I heard that and once I hit my two year mark, I, I was okay.
00:15:03.947 --> 00:15:09.107
'cause I was trying to fight and I was trying to like, you know, recover and then I just got depressed.
00:15:09.138 --> 00:15:10.668
'cause I was like, well, I'm at my two years.
00:15:10.668 --> 00:15:15.048
He said he and I just need to find a job at McDonald's basically.
00:15:15.557 --> 00:15:18.288
And you know, like, this is it.
00:15:18.707 --> 00:15:22.008
And I was 35, 36 at the time.
00:15:22.008 --> 00:15:24.467
I was like, I, and you know, had little kids.
00:15:24.947 --> 00:15:25.697
What am I gonna do?
00:15:25.788 --> 00:15:27.197
How Like this can't be
00:15:27.528 --> 00:15:27.888
right.
00:15:27.947 --> 00:15:29.567
I, yeah, that, I mean that's that.
00:15:29.567 --> 00:15:30.798
And Karl and I have talked about that.
00:15:30.798 --> 00:15:32.658
We tell new, new survivors all the time.
00:15:32.658 --> 00:15:37.413
That is the worst thing that I think doctors do is they give a time set.
00:15:37.413 --> 00:15:41.447
And we know from experience, like I said, I am 16 year.
00:15:41.822 --> 00:15:49.773
Post, you know, recovery Karl's 19 years, and we both know that we still continue to heal in different ways and recover.
00:15:49.773 --> 00:15:51.783
So it's a life time recovery.
00:15:51.783 --> 00:15:55.923
I mean, yes, it would be nicer if they said, you know, you might kind of see a plateau.
00:15:57.278 --> 00:15:59.707
At around two years, it doesn't stop.
00:15:59.707 --> 00:16:06.577
I mean, you do hit plateaus and kind of go into those peaks and valleys all throughout, but it doesn't ever, ever stop.
00:16:06.577 --> 00:16:08.857
That's what I try to always tell new survivors.
00:16:09.128 --> 00:16:09.457
Yes,
00:16:09.488 --> 00:16:14.107
the more you put into it, the more you're gonna get, and you just keep on keeping on.
00:16:14.107 --> 00:16:18.577
So that is, I think, one of the most mis frustrating misconceptions that.
00:16:19.592 --> 00:16:21.243
You're at a certain point, you're done.
00:16:21.302 --> 00:16:23.222
What you've got is what you're gonna get is not fair.
00:16:23.222 --> 00:16:34.023
I'm gonna take a quick little break and just remind our listeners to click that like button click, click that subscribe button, click that follow button, click the notify button on YouTube.
00:16:34.023 --> 00:16:37.562
If I missed a button, it has a thumbs up, just go ahead and click it.
00:16:38.192 --> 00:16:38.972
So, okay.
00:16:39.092 --> 00:16:48.363
Um, now I'm gonna kind of switch a little bit'cause kind of going off of both your brain injury, your concussion, and then your being a health coach.
00:16:48.368 --> 00:16:48.388
Mm-hmm.
00:16:49.187 --> 00:16:57.888
Do you think or does nutrition play a role in healing, helping the healing process from any brain injury?
00:16:57.888 --> 00:16:59.418
We won't just say concussion, but
00:16:59.717 --> 00:17:00.408
Yes.
00:17:00.408 --> 00:17:02.087
Yeah, most definitely.
00:17:02.508 --> 00:17:08.178
Um, you know, I always think of it and always say brain health is whole body health, right?
00:17:08.178 --> 00:17:09.557
And whole body health is brain health.
00:17:09.948 --> 00:17:13.278
So, you know, any good nutrition.
00:17:13.788 --> 00:17:27.678
Is going to help, you know, getting in your vegetables, you know, those good green leafy vegetables and fruits, um, you know, that's really gonna kind of help you and nourish your body, give you the things that you might need.
00:17:28.067 --> 00:17:34.998
Um, a lot of times when we get sick or when we, um, get injured, we're already depleted, right?
00:17:34.998 --> 00:17:37.847
Of nutrients and minerals and things like that.
00:17:38.208 --> 00:17:40.817
So just bumping that up.
00:17:41.192 --> 00:17:48.873
And just giving your body the opportunity to do what it needs to do and to try to heal and to try to work more optimally is always gonna be key.
00:17:49.173 --> 00:17:57.903
Um, also there are certain nutrients and vitamins and minerals that have been shown to actually help, um, heal the brain and heal the body.
00:17:57.962 --> 00:18:00.633
Um, you know, one of which is magnesium, right?
00:18:00.633 --> 00:18:00.722
Mm-hmm.
00:18:01.202 --> 00:18:05.823
Magnesium is used for hundreds of different processes in the body.
00:18:06.153 --> 00:18:10.472
So if we're deficient in that, then you know, it just, it's a little harder.
00:18:11.103 --> 00:18:12.063
Um, yeah.
00:18:12.423 --> 00:18:12.752
Okay.
00:18:12.752 --> 00:18:18.272
And like I said, that might be another episode later on that we get a little more focused on that, so, yeah.
00:18:18.752 --> 00:18:19.143
Okay.
00:18:19.833 --> 00:18:25.113
What are some of the signs that somebody may have had a concussion brain injury?
00:18:25.113 --> 00:18:31.442
Do you have any specific signs that, well, you've, you've seen problems with your sons, so,
00:18:32.073 --> 00:18:32.702
yeah.
00:18:32.762 --> 00:18:33.452
Um.
00:18:34.157 --> 00:18:40.397
Some big ones I would say are balance, um, issues or movement issues.
00:18:40.788 --> 00:18:44.478
Um, sensitivity to noise or to lights.
00:18:44.837 --> 00:18:48.317
Um, speech issues, right?
00:18:48.317 --> 00:18:56.178
Memory issues for me, and I know a lot of other people, um, it can be tinnitus or that ringing in the ears for me.
00:18:56.178 --> 00:19:02.087
I also had, um, my, I guess ears are, were so sensitive just to pressure.
00:19:02.432 --> 00:19:06.482
You know, coming in through the air vents in the car or the windshield wipers going.
00:19:06.843 --> 00:19:10.442
Um, so I call it kind of my superpower, right?
00:19:10.442 --> 00:19:11.522
I have hypersensitive hearing.
00:19:11.522 --> 00:19:14.343
I can hear water run through walls sometimes, or the electricity.
00:19:14.732 --> 00:19:19.803
Um, but yeah, those are some of the, the main big ones.
00:19:19.833 --> 00:19:30.093
I would say also, you know, headache, um, joint pain or pain, you know, from the fall, whatnot, that can also be, um, indicative.
00:19:30.873 --> 00:19:31.502
Interesting.
00:19:31.508 --> 00:19:31.678
Yeah.
00:19:31.682 --> 00:19:31.982
Yeah.
00:19:32.042 --> 00:19:34.653
Is, and I'm gonna ask a different question.
00:19:34.682 --> 00:19:39.303
'cause this question that I have written down is basically the same question you just asked, so I'm gonna skip it.
00:19:39.782 --> 00:19:53.492
Um, but I mean, I guess one of the key things that I'm kind of hearing, and I wanna make sure our listeners are understanding, I mean, we say it all the time, you know, once you've seen, met a brain injury, you've met one brain injury, they're all different.
00:19:53.492 --> 00:19:58.262
So, I mean, you've had a concussion, your son's had a concussion, but I mean.
00:19:59.252 --> 00:20:01.653
Y'all aren't, I mean, your symptoms are not the same.
00:20:01.653 --> 00:20:02.073
Correct?
00:20:02.073 --> 00:20:02.583
And your
00:20:02.673 --> 00:20:03.123
Yes.
00:20:03.423 --> 00:20:06.333
Steps to recovery, I'm guessing are probably different.
00:20:06.333 --> 00:20:11.222
Y'all had different paths to heal because there were different things that you needed to heal.
00:20:11.222 --> 00:20:11.673
Am I?
00:20:11.792 --> 00:20:12.363
Yes.
00:20:12.452 --> 00:20:14.553
And also my kids were younger, right.
00:20:14.553 --> 00:20:16.248
So I felt like mm-hmm.
00:20:16.347 --> 00:20:24.303
You know, again, not a medical professional, uh, but I feel like the brain, the younger you are, it's able to adapt.
00:20:24.887 --> 00:20:25.458
Right.
00:20:25.458 --> 00:20:32.807
And kind of make different connections a little bit more easily to kind of adjust and, um, kind of work around.
00:20:32.988 --> 00:20:33.198
Sure.
00:20:33.198 --> 00:20:35.087
Some of those, uh, deficits maybe.
00:20:35.478 --> 00:20:41.718
Um, but yeah, definitely, um, there, there definitely are differences we're, yeah.
00:20:41.718 --> 00:20:47.057
All kind of different in the way that we've come out, you know, on the other end.
00:20:47.057 --> 00:20:47.147
Sure.
00:20:47.327 --> 00:20:50.042
So, um, also I think the number of concussions.
00:20:50.673 --> 00:20:51.153
Okay.
00:20:51.242 --> 00:20:53.553
Can impact and make a difference as well.
00:20:53.553 --> 00:20:54.542
Yeah, that's probably true.
00:20:54.573 --> 00:20:57.032
'cause the more you have, the more damage you're gonna get.
00:20:57.153 --> 00:20:57.333
Mm-hmm.
00:20:58.292 --> 00:20:58.952
Think about that
00:20:59.192 --> 00:21:00.303
in different places,
00:21:00.663 --> 00:21:00.903
right?
00:21:01.472 --> 00:21:01.742
Yeah.
00:21:02.522 --> 00:21:02.643
Yeah.
00:21:03.303 --> 00:21:12.903
Um, also I did wanna say too, um, people that have brain injuries or concussions are also more likely to have, um.
00:21:13.488 --> 00:21:16.157
Behavioral or emotional changes as well.
00:21:16.307 --> 00:21:16.488
Mm-hmm.
00:21:16.847 --> 00:21:24.317
Um, things like depression or anxiety, or excuse me, or symptoms of A DHD or might exacerbate their A DHD.
00:21:24.617 --> 00:21:31.188
Um, so those can also be signs and like for me, I've noticed, you know, my tension might not be the same as it used to be.
00:21:31.548 --> 00:21:34.758
Um, you know, I kind of go down rabbit holes.
00:21:36.587 --> 00:21:37.188
Um,
00:21:37.428 --> 00:21:37.998
I get it.
00:21:37.998 --> 00:21:38.057
Yeah.
00:21:38.327 --> 00:21:38.718
Yeah.
00:21:39.048 --> 00:21:40.188
Been there, done that.
00:21:43.278 --> 00:21:44.057
Absolutely.
00:21:45.198 --> 00:22:00.137
And I know we kind of talked about this, but um, like what would you say are like some of the best ways that you advocated for yourself and for your child, your children, to make sure that you are being heard and that you are getting what you need?
00:22:00.137 --> 00:22:06.498
Because I feel like a lot of times as new brain injured, that's where we fall short and it's not.
00:22:07.248 --> 00:22:14.057
For lack of us wanting to, it's for lack of us knowing any better, knowing what we don't know exactly.
00:22:14.417 --> 00:22:17.417
And I feel like for me, that's a lot of it.
00:22:17.417 --> 00:22:26.567
I've done a lot of self-educating, a lot of reading, a lot of watching videos and um, conferences and things like that.
00:22:27.018 --> 00:22:28.667
Um, or attending conferences.
00:22:29.597 --> 00:22:42.198
And so I think that's really kind of the biggest thing that I've done, and just them being able to go to say the school and for instance, my oldest son his senior year had a concussion right towards the beginning of the year.
00:22:42.198 --> 00:22:42.857
Mm-hmm.
00:22:43.097 --> 00:22:45.917
Um, and so I had to advocate for accommodations.
00:22:45.978 --> 00:22:55.008
Well, in some states like Colorado, they will actually give you accommodations for a brain injury, which, I mean, think about it, you have a brain injury, so your brain, you are struggling to think.
00:22:55.012 --> 00:22:55.042
Mm-hmm.
00:22:55.998 --> 00:23:08.478
But in the state of Texas, or at least in our district at the time, they, because it's considered as a temporary, um, injury and not a permanent injury, it doesn't necessarily fall under the Americans with Disability Act.
00:23:08.988 --> 00:23:09.407
Wow.
00:23:09.498 --> 00:23:09.768
Yeah.
00:23:10.067 --> 00:23:18.107
And so I had to push and fight and ask for accommodations and get the letters from his therapists and everything like that to help him.
00:23:18.107 --> 00:23:20.178
And thankfully his teachers were willing to work with him.
00:23:20.508 --> 00:23:22.667
Um, but yeah.
00:23:22.907 --> 00:23:23.178
Yeah.
00:23:23.897 --> 00:23:24.438
That's interesting.
00:23:24.438 --> 00:23:25.127
I didn't know that.
00:23:25.127 --> 00:23:26.748
That's Now I'm, I'm sorry.
00:23:26.748 --> 00:23:32.178
My brain is spinning on other ideas for topics and because I didn't know that that's frustrating.
00:23:32.178 --> 00:23:38.478
I'm gonna have to find me some learning disabled teachers and get them in here and figure out what they know or don't know.
00:23:38.748 --> 00:23:38.958
Yeah.
00:23:38.962 --> 00:23:39.442
But um.
00:23:40.478 --> 00:23:43.778
I'll just ask before we wrap up, I'm seeing the sign over there.
00:23:43.807 --> 00:23:53.258
Um, is there any like last words or big, you know, tidbits of advice that you'd like to give to new survivors out there to let them know they're not alone?
00:23:53.438 --> 00:23:53.768
Yeah.
00:23:53.857 --> 00:23:56.228
Keep working or, you know, anything you wanna share.
00:23:56.468 --> 00:24:00.042
Um, I would say one, you are a walking miracle.
00:24:00.962 --> 00:24:01.442
Right.
00:24:01.593 --> 00:24:02.313
So
00:24:02.313 --> 00:24:02.613
Exactly.
00:24:02.883 --> 00:24:03.242
Yeah.
00:24:03.242 --> 00:24:04.053
Could be six
00:24:04.053 --> 00:24:04.682
feet under.
00:24:05.042 --> 00:24:05.853
Exactly.
00:24:05.853 --> 00:24:08.403
And you know, just take it one day at a time.
00:24:08.462 --> 00:24:13.833
And it, because we're in the thick of it, it can be hard to see how far we've come and the progress that we've made.
00:24:14.853 --> 00:24:16.923
But just remember, you're doing great.
00:24:17.252 --> 00:24:19.442
You're here, you're taking strides.
00:24:19.712 --> 00:24:28.442
Um, and yeah, just keep doing what you can to, to find joy, you know, and to, to bring joy into your life.
00:24:29.222 --> 00:24:29.762
Absolutely.
00:24:29.792 --> 00:24:29.972
Okay.
00:24:29.972 --> 00:24:31.353
Well thank you so much, Tanika.
00:24:31.353 --> 00:24:32.067
Thank you very much.
00:24:32.258 --> 00:24:39.452
Yeah, thank you for sharing your insights and like I said, I'm already thinking about what we could talk about next and we'll have you on again'cause I think that'd be exciting.
00:24:39.843 --> 00:24:42.363
And again, thank you to all our listeners for listening.
00:24:42.363 --> 00:24:46.083
And remember, you can find us on all your favorite platforms every other Thursday.
00:24:46.353 --> 00:24:47.702
So until next time,
00:24:48.465 --> 00:24:48.875
bye.
00:24:48.996 --> 00:24:49.635
Thank you
00:24:49.661 --> 00:24:52.432
Bye
00:24:55.702 --> 00:25:08.903
We hope you've enjoyed listening to BIND Waves and continue to support Brain Injury Network in our nonprofit mission, we support brain injury survivors as they reconnect into life, the community, and the workplace.
00:25:09.653 --> 00:25:13.222
And we couldn't do that without great listeners like you.
00:25:14.032 --> 00:25:16.432
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00:25:17.093 --> 00:25:22.702
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00:25:23.288 --> 00:25:28.837
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00:25:29.708 --> 00:25:44.407
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00:25:46.117 --> 00:25:47.438
Please continue watching.
00:25:49.357 --> 00:25:50.438
Until next time.
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.549
And you know, just take it one day at a time.
00:00:02.609 --> 00:00:07.980
And it, because we're in the thick of it, it can be hard to see how far we've come and the progress that we've made.
00:00:09.000 --> 00:00:11.070
But just remember, you're doing great.
00:00:11.400 --> 00:00:13.589
You're here, you're taking strides.
00:00:13.859 --> 00:00:22.589
Um, and yeah, just keep doing what you can to, to find joy, you know, and to, to bring joy into your life.
00:00:33.213 --> 00:00:41.764
Opinions shared by the guests of the show are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of the hosts bindwaves or the Brain Injury Network.
00:00:42.274 --> 00:00:50.643
This podcast is for informational purposes only, and it's not a substitute for professional medical advice, the diagnosis or treatment.
00:00:51.033 --> 00:00:57.543
Always seek the advice of a healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
00:00:57.904 --> 00:00:58.353
Thank you.
00:01:01.008 --> 00:01:04.697
Hi, I'm Karl a TBI survivor, and a member of BIND.
00:01:05.117 --> 00:01:08.507
And hi, I'm Carrie, a stroke survivor, and a member of BIND as well.
00:01:08.748 --> 00:01:17.537
And today we're gonna welcome Tanika Connesero a brain injury survivor, health coach, doula, and a mother, a single mother of three boys.
00:01:17.927 --> 00:01:19.278
So welcome Tanika.
00:01:19.468 --> 00:01:21.768
Thanks So glad to be here with you guys today.
00:01:21.768 --> 00:01:22.878
We're excited to have you.
00:01:22.878 --> 00:01:26.597
So I guess just to get started, tell us and our listeners a little bit about you.
00:01:27.347 --> 00:01:27.828
Yeah.
00:01:27.918 --> 00:01:28.608
Um.
00:01:29.748 --> 00:01:30.168
I don't know.
00:01:30.287 --> 00:01:31.787
I'm a single mom.
00:01:31.787 --> 00:01:33.018
I have three kids.
00:01:33.108 --> 00:01:42.168
Um, in my family, we've all had a brain injury of one form or another, whether that was, it's been traumatic or non-traumatic.
00:01:42.617 --> 00:01:56.388
Um, yeah, I am a doula and a health coach and, um, just really trying to be a part of people's teams and, uh, support network to help them live their healthiest, happiest lives.
00:01:56.388 --> 00:01:56.597
So.
00:01:57.003 --> 00:01:57.513
That's great.
00:01:57.513 --> 00:02:04.263
And just so y'all know, so this is probably episode one of Tanika'cause we've got lots of other ideas maybe coming down the pike to have with her.
00:02:04.322 --> 00:02:06.632
So we're excited.
00:02:07.533 --> 00:02:12.842
Well, we understand that you're not the only one who's had a brain injury in your family.
00:02:12.842 --> 00:02:15.932
Can you expand on that and tell us a little bit more?
00:02:16.383 --> 00:02:16.862
Yeah.
00:02:16.923 --> 00:02:21.962
Um, so I had my brain injury back almost.
00:02:22.668 --> 00:02:24.048
It's been almost 10 years.
00:02:24.168 --> 00:02:26.388
Um, August 3rd, 2016.
00:02:26.568 --> 00:02:26.807
Oh, wow.
00:02:26.987 --> 00:02:33.198
Um, is when I had my, I fell and I got my concussion and, um, it was life changing.
00:02:33.677 --> 00:02:36.978
So the doctors told me, you know, Hey, it's, you'll be fine in a week.
00:02:37.638 --> 00:02:40.548
Um, you know, you'll be able to get back to normal life after that.
00:02:40.548 --> 00:02:42.228
And I wasn't.
00:02:42.407 --> 00:02:46.337
So, um, yeah, that, that was me.
00:02:46.397 --> 00:02:46.782
And then.
00:02:47.627 --> 00:02:58.457
My oldest son had had, um, some head injuries playing soccer and just kind of a random freak accident where he kind of passed out in the shower, um, one time.
00:02:58.457 --> 00:03:02.627
And then, um, my middle son has, uh, seizures.
00:03:02.657 --> 00:03:03.677
He has epilepsy.
00:03:03.707 --> 00:03:03.737
Okay.
00:03:04.187 --> 00:03:08.687
Um, so that's been ongoing for most of his life.
00:03:09.018 --> 00:03:16.068
Um, and then, um, and he also has autism and, um, intellectual development, disability.
00:03:16.367 --> 00:03:16.698
Um.
00:03:17.312 --> 00:03:18.032
Amongst other things.
00:03:19.082 --> 00:03:24.663
And then, um, my mom just recently this summer had multiple strokes on both sides of her brain, so
00:03:24.717 --> 00:03:24.937
Oh,
00:03:25.502 --> 00:03:25.832
oh Lord.
00:03:25.893 --> 00:03:26.913
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:03:26.973 --> 00:03:30.483
So you're not kidding, you say everyone in your family, you mean everyone in your family.
00:03:30.513 --> 00:03:31.203
So, yes.
00:03:31.443 --> 00:03:34.592
Um, this wasn't, and I had written down, but maybe think so.
00:03:35.193 --> 00:03:42.302
Do you think having had your concussion, um, I'm guessing, I don't wanna guess that.
00:03:42.302 --> 00:03:43.353
So let me rephrase that.
00:03:43.383 --> 00:03:47.103
Did you have your concussion before your oldest son had his.
00:03:48.242 --> 00:03:48.782
Yes.
00:03:48.812 --> 00:03:49.143
Okay.
00:03:49.323 --> 00:03:49.983
So that's what I was gonna say.
00:03:49.983 --> 00:03:57.002
Do you think that helped or hindered you with helping him progress with his symptoms?
00:03:57.152 --> 00:03:59.462
I think it most definitely helped me.
00:03:59.643 --> 00:04:06.272
Um, I mean, I was able to kind of know what he needed as far as like therapies went.
00:04:06.573 --> 00:04:09.453
Um, you know, at the time my.
00:04:09.923 --> 00:04:14.603
My middle son was already going to all of the therapies at Children's.
00:04:14.962 --> 00:04:20.512
Um, so we had a good working relationship with therapists there, um, OTs, PTs, um, speech therapists.
00:04:20.512 --> 00:04:27.353
And so I kind of knew, um, you know, not just from, from my perspective, but also, you know, in talking to them.
00:04:27.353 --> 00:04:29.932
And so we kinda knew what to do, how to get him help.
00:04:30.293 --> 00:04:36.293
Um, and then it also just helped me be able to advocate for him better, like when it came to school and the things that he needed.
00:04:37.127 --> 00:04:44.838
Okay, so the original question I was gonna ask, so you knew you had a concussion then your son probably, you know, from soccer concussions.
00:04:44.987 --> 00:04:45.077
Mm-hmm.
00:04:45.348 --> 00:04:50.567
How do you, and we know that you're not a medical doctor, this is just kinda your personal experience.
00:04:51.168 --> 00:04:53.148
How do you know that?
00:04:54.228 --> 00:05:00.108
If you think maybe you don't know for sure if they've had a concussion, what do you know about it or how do you decide I need to get.
00:05:01.218 --> 00:05:02.718
My son to the doctor.
00:05:02.778 --> 00:05:04.577
'cause I think he's had a con concussion.
00:05:04.577 --> 00:05:04.877
What?
00:05:05.208 --> 00:05:05.898
Absolutely.
00:05:05.898 --> 00:05:06.108
Yeah.
00:05:06.137 --> 00:05:07.307
What were the warning signs
00:05:07.307 --> 00:05:10.398
or the triggers for you to know, I guess is what I'm asking?
00:05:10.458 --> 00:05:10.937
Yeah.
00:05:10.937 --> 00:05:24.017
So, um, part of it for me is just seeing or knowing what that impact was, how hard of a hit or fall, um, did he, did they take right.
00:05:24.317 --> 00:05:26.867
Um, where was it that they hit?
00:05:27.317 --> 00:05:29.867
Um, so those are like a couple of the base.
00:05:30.362 --> 00:05:32.853
Questions or like assessments that I do.
00:05:33.213 --> 00:05:36.122
Um, I'll also look at like, okay, what are their eyes looking like?
00:05:36.127 --> 00:05:36.358
Mm-hmm.
00:05:36.572 --> 00:05:37.862
How is their speech?
00:05:38.103 --> 00:05:40.773
Um, what is, can they remember?
00:05:40.773 --> 00:05:41.793
Are they conscious?
00:05:42.093 --> 00:05:53.163
Um, you know, so there's, there's kind of a, a little bit of a list that I'll go through, um, and just kind of assessing like how they're feeling and what's kind of going on, um, in their system.
00:05:53.612 --> 00:05:53.882
Okay.
00:05:54.062 --> 00:05:55.112
So that makes sense
00:05:55.533 --> 00:05:55.892
to me.
00:05:55.898 --> 00:05:55.918
Good.
00:05:56.778 --> 00:06:02.298
More specifically, what steps did you take in particular with your brain injury?
00:06:02.298 --> 00:06:02.958
Concussion.
00:06:02.958 --> 00:06:05.507
And, and how were your sons different?
00:06:06.168 --> 00:06:09.767
I know you got, you were able to help them with your experience, but mm-hmm.
00:06:10.007 --> 00:06:13.728
Did they have different problems and did they have different things to handle?
00:06:13.733 --> 00:06:15.718
And, and how did they do with that?
00:06:16.173 --> 00:06:16.983
Yes.
00:06:17.043 --> 00:06:21.723
So for me, I felt like it was a lot harder because I didn't know anything.
00:06:22.173 --> 00:06:29.822
Um, the very first day that it happened, I jumped up, I grabbed all my bags'cause I was on my way to work, uh, when I fell.
00:06:29.822 --> 00:06:32.252
And I, all I could think of was, oh, I gotta get to work.
00:06:32.252 --> 00:06:34.023
I have all this stuff that I need to get done.
00:06:34.382 --> 00:06:39.273
So I didn't think about my health or what was going on at all, even though I was in immense pain.
00:06:39.632 --> 00:06:43.413
Um, you know, I couldn't listen to the talk radio.
00:06:43.413 --> 00:06:46.233
I couldn't like, just everything hurt in my body.
00:06:46.653 --> 00:06:48.483
Um, so I made it to work.
00:06:49.413 --> 00:06:53.192
Uh, I was there for a little bit and then I came home because I just, I couldn't handle it.
00:06:53.673 --> 00:06:54.278
And, uh.
00:06:55.023 --> 00:07:02.942
I had to take that trip in steps, um, you know, drove a little bit, parked, took a nap, drove some more, went home, took a nap.
00:07:03.273 --> 00:07:08.733
I didn't realize that I actually needed to go and get medical, um, seek medical attention.
00:07:09.153 --> 00:07:15.483
And so it wasn't until a couple of friends, um, had told my mom like,"Hey, yeah, you need to take her into the hospital.
00:07:15.483 --> 00:07:16.622
She could have a brain bleed.
00:07:16.952 --> 00:07:18.002
Anything could happen.
00:07:18.002 --> 00:07:18.903
Don't let her sleep.
00:07:19.322 --> 00:07:23.387
So, that was step one, like just not knowing, right.
00:07:23.387 --> 00:07:25.098
Um, you know, what to do in that event.
00:07:25.098 --> 00:07:29.507
So, um, you know, after that, of course, immediately, okay.
00:07:29.658 --> 00:07:41.088
You know, you hit your head, let's assess, let's, you know, get you into medical attention and just determining what level that needs to be, whether it's emergency or you know, a primary care.
00:07:41.387 --> 00:07:45.677
Um, I mean now we have neurologists, so we can try, just try to get in with them.
00:07:46.067 --> 00:07:46.937
Um.
00:07:47.642 --> 00:08:00.153
But that would probably be the biggest thing that's been different is just kind of knowing the signs of what a concussion is, um, and being able to kind of take almost immediate action.
00:08:00.367 --> 00:08:06.632
You were able to see it in your sons then you, you recognized they needed immediate attention, I take it.
00:08:07.142 --> 00:08:07.802
Yes.
00:08:07.892 --> 00:08:08.192
Yeah.
00:08:08.432 --> 00:08:09.723
Uh, yeah, absolutely.
00:08:09.783 --> 00:08:13.773
Um, I mean, one of my kids, um.
00:08:14.523 --> 00:08:21.572
It happened to just kind of slip and fall in the shower and he hit his head and so I was like, okay, like let's go.
00:08:21.692 --> 00:08:22.023
Right.
00:08:22.083 --> 00:08:24.002
Um, you just had an over precaution?
00:08:24.543 --> 00:08:36.753
Well, I mean, to be fair, he had, he was kind of clumsy because he was the kid that grew really tall really fast, but you know, didn't have a whole lot of great coordination.
00:08:37.173 --> 00:08:39.182
So he was always falling, I feel like, and getting.
00:08:39.753 --> 00:08:46.052
His head hit or getting concussions, you know, whether they were really mild or a little bit more serious.
00:08:46.503 --> 00:08:47.852
So with him, I just kind of knew.
00:08:48.273 --> 00:09:03.437
Um, and yeah, it, I, I guess that's basically kind of like the main way that things differed, um, between me and my kids was just kind of having that, that knowledge and also.
00:09:04.368 --> 00:09:11.298
The big thing with me, mine was not sports related, so it did take me a very long time to get in to actually see a neurologist.
00:09:11.298 --> 00:09:13.187
After having gone to the er.
00:09:13.577 --> 00:09:15.138
Um, it took me about a month
00:09:15.227 --> 00:09:15.557
Oh wow.
00:09:15.677 --> 00:09:22.847
To get in because nobody, everybody that I called, everybody that was recommended to me asked if it was sports related.
00:09:22.847 --> 00:09:24.498
And because it wasn't, I couldn't get in.
00:09:25.187 --> 00:09:25.932
Um, that's great.
00:09:25.952 --> 00:09:26.868
And so I just had to wait.
00:09:27.138 --> 00:09:27.498
Yeah.
00:09:27.888 --> 00:09:28.187
Yeah.
00:09:28.337 --> 00:09:29.028
It was wild.
00:09:29.028 --> 00:09:31.847
So at that point, I was out of the acute phase, I was into the chronic phase.
00:09:32.508 --> 00:09:34.278
Before I, I really got any treatment.
00:09:34.697 --> 00:09:41.298
Um, and so just knowing how time is of the essence also, um, you know, makes a difference.
00:09:41.298 --> 00:09:41.717
Sure.
00:09:42.227 --> 00:09:47.087
Now, and so this, so you said your youngest son has epilepsy.
00:09:47.087 --> 00:09:47.837
So my middle son.
00:09:47.837 --> 00:09:48.258
Middle son.
00:09:48.263 --> 00:09:48.293
Okay.
00:09:48.293 --> 00:09:48.452
Mm-hmm.
00:09:48.587 --> 00:09:50.477
So that's totally different.
00:09:50.477 --> 00:09:52.577
I mean, that's not like a concussion.
00:09:52.577 --> 00:09:55.217
I mean, that's totally different route, right?
00:09:55.217 --> 00:09:55.638
It is,
00:09:55.878 --> 00:09:56.268
yes.
00:09:56.268 --> 00:09:56.508
Yeah.
00:09:56.508 --> 00:09:58.548
That is a non-traumatic brain injury.
00:09:58.548 --> 00:09:58.638
Right.
00:09:58.998 --> 00:09:59.658
Um.
00:10:00.243 --> 00:10:05.913
And basically some of his seizures are so long, they can be 20 minutes long.
00:10:05.942 --> 00:10:06.212
Oh, wow.
00:10:06.212 --> 00:10:16.352
Even after having given like rescue medication and things like that, um, he does sometimes have trouble with breathing, um, during some of his, uh, seizures and things like that.
00:10:16.352 --> 00:10:22.893
And so every time he would have a seizure, he would regress.
00:10:22.923 --> 00:10:23.013
Right?
00:10:23.133 --> 00:10:23.222
Mm-hmm.
00:10:23.462 --> 00:10:27.783
And his abilities and his knowledge and what his, uh, he was able to do.
00:10:28.368 --> 00:10:32.388
Um, and so it was always kind of the stair step, uh, with him.
00:10:32.597 --> 00:10:35.567
And so yeah, it, it's just, it's been different.
00:10:35.567 --> 00:10:38.087
I've been having to learn about the brain and Right.
00:10:38.087 --> 00:10:42.048
Neurology for the last 14 years, roughly.
00:10:43.038 --> 00:10:43.398
Yeah.
00:10:43.398 --> 00:10:44.028
In one way or
00:10:44.028 --> 00:10:44.357
another.
00:10:44.357 --> 00:10:45.618
Give a class on it.
00:10:47.177 --> 00:10:47.957
Uh, yeah.
00:10:48.018 --> 00:10:49.518
I it's, it's a lot.
00:10:49.518 --> 00:10:50.447
It's a lot for sure.
00:10:50.628 --> 00:10:50.837
Yeah.
00:10:50.837 --> 00:10:51.648
Absolutely.
00:10:51.707 --> 00:10:57.288
And do you think, you know, I'm gonna say probably not, but.
00:10:57.692 --> 00:11:07.293
One of the members asked this question, do you think, you know, when you have a concussion, the severity of it, it's probably smart not to think, you know, the severity, but to wait and get
00:11:08.163 --> 00:11:08.493
Yes.
00:11:08.523 --> 00:11:12.903
Medical advice of how severe or non-severe maybe it is
00:11:12.993 --> 00:11:13.923
Exactly.
00:11:13.923 --> 00:11:14.342
Yeah.
00:11:14.403 --> 00:11:20.702
Um, the majority of traumatic brain injuries tend to be mild.
00:11:20.913 --> 00:11:21.003
Mm-hmm.
00:11:21.753 --> 00:11:27.123
But that constellation of symptoms that one can experience, can.
00:11:27.467 --> 00:11:28.697
Come on gradually.
00:11:28.788 --> 00:11:29.207
Right?
00:11:29.207 --> 00:11:32.118
And so it's always hard to really know and to gauge yourself.
00:11:32.567 --> 00:11:35.778
Like for me, I was like, am I really forgetting something?
00:11:36.107 --> 00:11:45.437
Like I, my brain filled off, you know, I, I just, and so it was a more of a feeling then like, yes, this is for sure what's happening.
00:11:45.947 --> 00:11:48.738
Um, and then I knew for sure it was happening after a while.
00:11:48.738 --> 00:11:48.827
Right.
00:11:49.187 --> 00:11:55.727
But yes, that's definitely something that I, I would recommend going to a doctor, getting all of the assessments done.
00:11:56.238 --> 00:11:57.408
They can tell you.
00:11:57.648 --> 00:11:57.918
Right.
00:11:58.158 --> 00:11:59.778
Um, you know what the severity is.
00:12:00.677 --> 00:12:00.857
I know.
00:12:00.857 --> 00:12:05.927
I tell everyone if you fall, just I go, I say out of precau, you know, precaution.
00:12:06.018 --> 00:12:07.518
It doesn't hurt to go to care now.
00:12:07.788 --> 00:12:08.087
Yeah.
00:12:08.087 --> 00:12:10.607
And say, I like I had a pretty bad fall.
00:12:11.028 --> 00:12:13.638
Feel fine, but just check me out.
00:12:13.998 --> 00:12:14.807
Exactly.
00:12:14.898 --> 00:12:18.977
Well, you never know if there's gonna be a brain bleed or not, or you know.
00:12:19.727 --> 00:12:20.418
It could be anything.
00:12:20.687 --> 00:12:20.898
Yeah.
00:12:20.927 --> 00:12:21.317
Right.
00:12:21.587 --> 00:12:21.918
So,
00:12:22.008 --> 00:12:29.538
well, and we know,'cause you know, with being with the clubhouse, um, falls are the number one cause of brain injury and yeah.
00:12:30.182 --> 00:12:31.982
People fall for all kinds of reasons.
00:12:31.982 --> 00:12:37.322
It's not, you know, you're clumsy, you slip on the ice, you hit the curb wrong, whatever.
00:12:37.357 --> 00:12:37.648
Yeah.
00:12:37.863 --> 00:12:38.222
Yeah.
00:12:38.312 --> 00:12:39.123
That I fell.
00:12:39.212 --> 00:12:39.423
Yeah.
00:12:39.423 --> 00:12:46.802
You know, I try not to step on my mom's one eye mini chihuahua, uh, after my head injury.
00:12:46.863 --> 00:12:48.692
The dog, if he was in my way, he got kicked.
00:12:49.533 --> 00:12:50.102
Sorry, y'all.
00:12:50.187 --> 00:12:53.133
No, I, you know, I understand.
00:12:54.092 --> 00:12:58.923
What are some common misconceptions then about your particular.
00:12:59.447 --> 00:13:12.738
Uh, brain injury, you know, it's, uh, you know, concussions are generally concussion is expected in a sports event, as you said, so you are denied therapy immediately.
00:13:13.067 --> 00:13:13.967
That's very sad.
00:13:13.967 --> 00:13:24.467
But what are, what can you say specifically, or are the events that surrounded your, you know, what, what did you experience as losses?
00:13:25.697 --> 00:13:34.187
Yeah, I mean, for me, I think some of the misconceptions and some of the things that I was told were number one, oh, you'll be fine.
00:13:34.187 --> 00:13:35.238
Don't worry about it.
00:13:35.238 --> 00:13:36.677
Just rest for a week.
00:13:37.067 --> 00:13:42.888
Um, you know, basically be in a cave in an absence of everything.
00:13:43.337 --> 00:13:45.528
Um, you know, and you'll be fine.
00:13:46.217 --> 00:13:49.368
Um, you know, now we know different, right?
00:13:49.427 --> 00:13:49.518
Mm-hmm.
00:13:49.758 --> 00:13:52.638
You need, you actually need to kind of have input and do things.
00:13:53.133 --> 00:13:54.903
Um, to help you recover.
00:13:54.932 --> 00:14:02.283
Um, and then I would say another big one for me was, um, you know, just, oh, you'll be fine.
00:14:02.283 --> 00:14:03.618
Like, recovery is the same for everybody.
00:14:04.503 --> 00:14:09.153
But we know that life factors play a part.
00:14:09.452 --> 00:14:14.013
Um, women tend to heal more slowly from brain injuries than men do.
00:14:14.342 --> 00:14:20.462
Um, whether that's from hormonal shifts or the amount of stress and just kind of lifestyle factors that impact us.
00:14:20.673 --> 00:14:26.102
Um, and so yeah, that, I feel like those were a couple of really big ones.
00:14:26.523 --> 00:14:28.957
Um, I'm trying to think.
00:14:30.452 --> 00:14:30.903
I don't know.
00:14:31.923 --> 00:14:34.202
Brain injuries are a tough animal, aren't they?
00:14:34.202 --> 00:14:38.253
So they're So you learn the hard way by having one.
00:14:38.342 --> 00:14:38.552
Yes.
00:14:38.643 --> 00:14:40.052
You never expect that.
00:14:40.322 --> 00:14:43.653
You don't learn in high school what to do in case you have a broke Mm.
00:14:43.653 --> 00:14:47.732
Brain injury and the learning process is half the battle.
00:14:48.092 --> 00:14:48.692
Absolutely.
00:14:48.692 --> 00:14:50.793
And you know, actually I remember now what I was gonna say.
00:14:50.793 --> 00:14:51.302
So.
00:14:51.857 --> 00:14:56.717
I had a doctor tell me, oh, well, you know, where you're at after two years is the end all be all.
00:14:56.807 --> 00:14:56.988
Mm-hmm.
00:14:57.258 --> 00:15:03.918
That, I feel like was the biggest misconception once I heard that and once I hit my two year mark, I, I was okay.
00:15:03.947 --> 00:15:09.107
'cause I was trying to fight and I was trying to like, you know, recover and then I just got depressed.
00:15:09.138 --> 00:15:10.668
'cause I was like, well, I'm at my two years.
00:15:10.668 --> 00:15:15.048
He said he and I just need to find a job at McDonald's basically.
00:15:15.557 --> 00:15:18.288
And you know, like, this is it.
00:15:18.707 --> 00:15:22.008
And I was 35, 36 at the time.
00:15:22.008 --> 00:15:24.467
I was like, I, and you know, had little kids.
00:15:24.947 --> 00:15:25.697
What am I gonna do?
00:15:25.788 --> 00:15:27.197
How Like this can't be
00:15:27.528 --> 00:15:27.888
right.
00:15:27.947 --> 00:15:29.567
I, yeah, that, I mean that's that.
00:15:29.567 --> 00:15:30.798
And Karl and I have talked about that.
00:15:30.798 --> 00:15:32.658
We tell new, new survivors all the time.
00:15:32.658 --> 00:15:37.413
That is the worst thing that I think doctors do is they give a time set.
00:15:37.413 --> 00:15:41.447
And we know from experience, like I said, I am 16 year.
00:15:41.822 --> 00:15:49.773
Post, you know, recovery Karl's 19 years, and we both know that we still continue to heal in different ways and recover.
00:15:49.773 --> 00:15:51.783
So it's a life time recovery.
00:15:51.783 --> 00:15:55.923
I mean, yes, it would be nicer if they said, you know, you might kind of see a plateau.
00:15:57.278 --> 00:15:59.707
At around two years, it doesn't stop.
00:15:59.707 --> 00:16:06.577
I mean, you do hit plateaus and kind of go into those peaks and valleys all throughout, but it doesn't ever, ever stop.
00:16:06.577 --> 00:16:08.857
That's what I try to always tell new survivors.
00:16:09.128 --> 00:16:09.457
Yes,
00:16:09.488 --> 00:16:14.107
the more you put into it, the more you're gonna get, and you just keep on keeping on.
00:16:14.107 --> 00:16:18.577
So that is, I think, one of the most mis frustrating misconceptions that.
00:16:19.592 --> 00:16:21.243
You're at a certain point, you're done.
00:16:21.302 --> 00:16:23.222
What you've got is what you're gonna get is not fair.
00:16:23.222 --> 00:16:34.023
I'm gonna take a quick little break and just remind our listeners to click that like button click, click that subscribe button, click that follow button, click the notify button on YouTube.
00:16:34.023 --> 00:16:37.562
If I missed a button, it has a thumbs up, just go ahead and click it.
00:16:38.192 --> 00:16:38.972
So, okay.
00:16:39.092 --> 00:16:48.363
Um, now I'm gonna kind of switch a little bit'cause kind of going off of both your brain injury, your concussion, and then your being a health coach.
00:16:48.368 --> 00:16:48.388
Mm-hmm.
00:16:49.187 --> 00:16:57.888
Do you think or does nutrition play a role in healing, helping the healing process from any brain injury?
00:16:57.888 --> 00:16:59.418
We won't just say concussion, but
00:16:59.717 --> 00:17:00.408
Yes.
00:17:00.408 --> 00:17:02.087
Yeah, most definitely.
00:17:02.508 --> 00:17:08.178
Um, you know, I always think of it and always say brain health is whole body health, right?
00:17:08.178 --> 00:17:09.557
And whole body health is brain health.
00:17:09.948 --> 00:17:13.278
So, you know, any good nutrition.
00:17:13.788 --> 00:17:27.678
Is going to help, you know, getting in your vegetables, you know, those good green leafy vegetables and fruits, um, you know, that's really gonna kind of help you and nourish your body, give you the things that you might need.
00:17:28.067 --> 00:17:34.998
Um, a lot of times when we get sick or when we, um, get injured, we're already depleted, right?
00:17:34.998 --> 00:17:37.847
Of nutrients and minerals and things like that.
00:17:38.208 --> 00:17:40.817
So just bumping that up.
00:17:41.192 --> 00:17:48.873
And just giving your body the opportunity to do what it needs to do and to try to heal and to try to work more optimally is always gonna be key.
00:17:49.173 --> 00:17:57.903
Um, also there are certain nutrients and vitamins and minerals that have been shown to actually help, um, heal the brain and heal the body.
00:17:57.962 --> 00:18:00.633
Um, you know, one of which is magnesium, right?
00:18:00.633 --> 00:18:00.722
Mm-hmm.
00:18:01.202 --> 00:18:05.823
Magnesium is used for hundreds of different processes in the body.
00:18:06.153 --> 00:18:10.472
So if we're deficient in that, then you know, it just, it's a little harder.
00:18:11.103 --> 00:18:12.063
Um, yeah.
00:18:12.423 --> 00:18:12.752
Okay.
00:18:12.752 --> 00:18:18.272
And like I said, that might be another episode later on that we get a little more focused on that, so, yeah.
00:18:18.752 --> 00:18:19.143
Okay.
00:18:19.833 --> 00:18:25.113
What are some of the signs that somebody may have had a concussion brain injury?
00:18:25.113 --> 00:18:31.442
Do you have any specific signs that, well, you've, you've seen problems with your sons, so,
00:18:32.073 --> 00:18:32.702
yeah.
00:18:32.762 --> 00:18:33.452
Um.
00:18:34.157 --> 00:18:40.397
Some big ones I would say are balance, um, issues or movement issues.
00:18:40.788 --> 00:18:44.478
Um, sensitivity to noise or to lights.
00:18:44.837 --> 00:18:48.317
Um, speech issues, right?
00:18:48.317 --> 00:18:56.178
Memory issues for me, and I know a lot of other people, um, it can be tinnitus or that ringing in the ears for me.
00:18:56.178 --> 00:19:02.087
I also had, um, my, I guess ears are, were so sensitive just to pressure.
00:19:02.432 --> 00:19:06.482
You know, coming in through the air vents in the car or the windshield wipers going.
00:19:06.843 --> 00:19:10.442
Um, so I call it kind of my superpower, right?
00:19:10.442 --> 00:19:11.522
I have hypersensitive hearing.
00:19:11.522 --> 00:19:14.343
I can hear water run through walls sometimes, or the electricity.
00:19:14.732 --> 00:19:19.803
Um, but yeah, those are some of the, the main big ones.
00:19:19.833 --> 00:19:30.093
I would say also, you know, headache, um, joint pain or pain, you know, from the fall, whatnot, that can also be, um, indicative.
00:19:30.873 --> 00:19:31.502
Interesting.
00:19:31.508 --> 00:19:31.678
Yeah.
00:19:31.682 --> 00:19:31.982
Yeah.
00:19:32.042 --> 00:19:34.653
Is, and I'm gonna ask a different question.
00:19:34.682 --> 00:19:39.303
'cause this question that I have written down is basically the same question you just asked, so I'm gonna skip it.
00:19:39.782 --> 00:19:53.492
Um, but I mean, I guess one of the key things that I'm kind of hearing, and I wanna make sure our listeners are understanding, I mean, we say it all the time, you know, once you've seen, met a brain injury, you've met one brain injury, they're all different.
00:19:53.492 --> 00:19:58.262
So, I mean, you've had a concussion, your son's had a concussion, but I mean.
00:19:59.252 --> 00:20:01.653
Y'all aren't, I mean, your symptoms are not the same.
00:20:01.653 --> 00:20:02.073
Correct?
00:20:02.073 --> 00:20:02.583
And your
00:20:02.673 --> 00:20:03.123
Yes.
00:20:03.423 --> 00:20:06.333
Steps to recovery, I'm guessing are probably different.
00:20:06.333 --> 00:20:11.222
Y'all had different paths to heal because there were different things that you needed to heal.
00:20:11.222 --> 00:20:11.673
Am I?
00:20:11.792 --> 00:20:12.363
Yes.
00:20:12.452 --> 00:20:14.553
And also my kids were younger, right.
00:20:14.553 --> 00:20:16.248
So I felt like mm-hmm.
00:20:16.347 --> 00:20:24.303
You know, again, not a medical professional, uh, but I feel like the brain, the younger you are, it's able to adapt.
00:20:24.887 --> 00:20:25.458
Right.
00:20:25.458 --> 00:20:32.807
And kind of make different connections a little bit more easily to kind of adjust and, um, kind of work around.
00:20:32.988 --> 00:20:33.198
Sure.
00:20:33.198 --> 00:20:35.087
Some of those, uh, deficits maybe.
00:20:35.478 --> 00:20:41.718
Um, but yeah, definitely, um, there, there definitely are differences we're, yeah.
00:20:41.718 --> 00:20:47.057
All kind of different in the way that we've come out, you know, on the other end.
00:20:47.057 --> 00:20:47.147
Sure.
00:20:47.327 --> 00:20:50.042
So, um, also I think the number of concussions.
00:20:50.673 --> 00:20:51.153
Okay.
00:20:51.242 --> 00:20:53.553
Can impact and make a difference as well.
00:20:53.553 --> 00:20:54.542
Yeah, that's probably true.
00:20:54.573 --> 00:20:57.032
'cause the more you have, the more damage you're gonna get.
00:20:57.153 --> 00:20:57.333
Mm-hmm.
00:20:58.292 --> 00:20:58.952
Think about that
00:20:59.192 --> 00:21:00.303
in different places,
00:21:00.663 --> 00:21:00.903
right?
00:21:01.472 --> 00:21:01.742
Yeah.
00:21:02.522 --> 00:21:02.643
Yeah.
00:21:03.303 --> 00:21:12.903
Um, also I did wanna say too, um, people that have brain injuries or concussions are also more likely to have, um.
00:21:13.488 --> 00:21:16.157
Behavioral or emotional changes as well.
00:21:16.307 --> 00:21:16.488
Mm-hmm.
00:21:16.847 --> 00:21:24.317
Um, things like depression or anxiety, or excuse me, or symptoms of A DHD or might exacerbate their A DHD.
00:21:24.617 --> 00:21:31.188
Um, so those can also be signs and like for me, I've noticed, you know, my tension might not be the same as it used to be.
00:21:31.548 --> 00:21:34.758
Um, you know, I kind of go down rabbit holes.
00:21:36.587 --> 00:21:37.188
Um,
00:21:37.428 --> 00:21:37.998
I get it.
00:21:37.998 --> 00:21:38.057
Yeah.
00:21:38.327 --> 00:21:38.718
Yeah.
00:21:39.048 --> 00:21:40.188
Been there, done that.
00:21:43.278 --> 00:21:44.057
Absolutely.
00:21:45.198 --> 00:22:00.137
And I know we kind of talked about this, but um, like what would you say are like some of the best ways that you advocated for yourself and for your child, your children, to make sure that you are being heard and that you are getting what you need?
00:22:00.137 --> 00:22:06.498
Because I feel like a lot of times as new brain injured, that's where we fall short and it's not.
00:22:07.248 --> 00:22:14.057
For lack of us wanting to, it's for lack of us knowing any better, knowing what we don't know exactly.
00:22:14.417 --> 00:22:17.417
And I feel like for me, that's a lot of it.
00:22:17.417 --> 00:22:26.567
I've done a lot of self-educating, a lot of reading, a lot of watching videos and um, conferences and things like that.
00:22:27.018 --> 00:22:28.667
Um, or attending conferences.
00:22:29.597 --> 00:22:42.198
And so I think that's really kind of the biggest thing that I've done, and just them being able to go to say the school and for instance, my oldest son his senior year had a concussion right towards the beginning of the year.
00:22:42.198 --> 00:22:42.857
Mm-hmm.
00:22:43.097 --> 00:22:45.917
Um, and so I had to advocate for accommodations.
00:22:45.978 --> 00:22:55.008
Well, in some states like Colorado, they will actually give you accommodations for a brain injury, which, I mean, think about it, you have a brain injury, so your brain, you are struggling to think.
00:22:55.012 --> 00:22:55.042
Mm-hmm.
00:22:55.998 --> 00:23:08.478
But in the state of Texas, or at least in our district at the time, they, because it's considered as a temporary, um, injury and not a permanent injury, it doesn't necessarily fall under the Americans with Disability Act.
00:23:08.988 --> 00:23:09.407
Wow.
00:23:09.498 --> 00:23:09.768
Yeah.
00:23:10.067 --> 00:23:18.107
And so I had to push and fight and ask for accommodations and get the letters from his therapists and everything like that to help him.
00:23:18.107 --> 00:23:20.178
And thankfully his teachers were willing to work with him.
00:23:20.508 --> 00:23:22.667
Um, but yeah.
00:23:22.907 --> 00:23:23.178
Yeah.
00:23:23.897 --> 00:23:24.438
That's interesting.
00:23:24.438 --> 00:23:25.127
I didn't know that.
00:23:25.127 --> 00:23:26.748
That's Now I'm, I'm sorry.
00:23:26.748 --> 00:23:32.178
My brain is spinning on other ideas for topics and because I didn't know that that's frustrating.
00:23:32.178 --> 00:23:38.478
I'm gonna have to find me some learning disabled teachers and get them in here and figure out what they know or don't know.
00:23:38.748 --> 00:23:38.958
Yeah.
00:23:38.962 --> 00:23:39.442
But um.
00:23:40.478 --> 00:23:43.778
I'll just ask before we wrap up, I'm seeing the sign over there.
00:23:43.807 --> 00:23:53.258
Um, is there any like last words or big, you know, tidbits of advice that you'd like to give to new survivors out there to let them know they're not alone?
00:23:53.438 --> 00:23:53.768
Yeah.
00:23:53.857 --> 00:23:56.228
Keep working or, you know, anything you wanna share.
00:23:56.468 --> 00:24:00.042
Um, I would say one, you are a walking miracle.
00:24:00.962 --> 00:24:01.442
Right.
00:24:01.593 --> 00:24:02.313
So
00:24:02.313 --> 00:24:02.613
Exactly.
00:24:02.883 --> 00:24:03.242
Yeah.
00:24:03.242 --> 00:24:04.053
Could be six
00:24:04.053 --> 00:24:04.682
feet under.
00:24:05.042 --> 00:24:05.853
Exactly.
00:24:05.853 --> 00:24:08.403
And you know, just take it one day at a time.
00:24:08.462 --> 00:24:13.833
And it, because we're in the thick of it, it can be hard to see how far we've come and the progress that we've made.
00:24:14.853 --> 00:24:16.923
But just remember, you're doing great.
00:24:17.252 --> 00:24:19.442
You're here, you're taking strides.
00:24:19.712 --> 00:24:28.442
Um, and yeah, just keep doing what you can to, to find joy, you know, and to, to bring joy into your life.
00:24:29.222 --> 00:24:29.762
Absolutely.
00:24:29.792 --> 00:24:29.972
Okay.
00:24:29.972 --> 00:24:31.353
Well thank you so much, Tanika.
00:24:31.353 --> 00:24:32.067
Thank you very much.
00:24:32.258 --> 00:24:39.452
Yeah, thank you for sharing your insights and like I said, I'm already thinking about what we could talk about next and we'll have you on again'cause I think that'd be exciting.
00:24:39.843 --> 00:24:42.363
And again, thank you to all our listeners for listening.
00:24:42.363 --> 00:24:46.083
And remember, you can find us on all your favorite platforms every other Thursday.
00:24:46.353 --> 00:24:47.702
So until next time,
00:24:48.465 --> 00:24:48.875
bye.
00:24:48.996 --> 00:24:49.635
Thank you
00:24:49.661 --> 00:24:52.432
Bye
00:24:55.702 --> 00:25:08.903
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00:25:09.653 --> 00:25:13.222
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00:25:14.032 --> 00:25:16.432
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00:25:17.093 --> 00:25:22.702
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00:25:46.117 --> 00:25:47.438
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