My Journey with ABI

My name is Judy Johnston and my ABI story begins seven years ago. When it happened I had spent most of my adult life as Judith A. Johnston, a professional, a Licensed Employee Benefits Consultant and Vice President of a Life Insurance Brokerage. It took many weeks of being in hospital before I came to understand that I had been a victim of a car crash. The injuries I sustained have left me with Acquired Brain Injury, impaired vision, recurring back and neck issues, loss of hearing, the loss of my sense of smell and balance issues. 

It has been, and continues to be, a long journey to recovery, but I now call myself a survivor of a life altering event. Inside I am still that Judith Ann Johnston I was before the accident, and I am grateful for her qualities and strengths that have come through as I slowly make my way down this road I call my “New Normal”.  

Judy's Blog 

March 2019 - Waiting for Spring

The Ides of March is fast approaching, and certainly, for me, it can’t arrive soon enough! It has been a long and unforgiving winter, and so I think we are all hoping for Spring’s welcomed arrival, giving way to warmth, flowers, and sunshine.

The ups and downs of living with an Acquired Brain injury have taken their toll on me. From the day after Christmas until now I have had to struggle with the pitfalls of that big Hairy “F” word… FATIGUE. The snow and ice have hampered my ability to get out and about. I have relied on people close to me to pick up items I need. I have been to the community pool twice this winter which is not a good track record. And so my somewhat self imposed isolation has worn me down.

Sadly I am guilty of letting some of my strategies in dealing with ABI fall by the wayside, as I am sure we all have been guilty of to some extent. At least until these past two weeks. I am beginning to feel I am slowly getting back on track. 

Two weeks ago I had high tea with 4 of my sisters. It was wonderful and I felt I was making my way back into the family circle. A week later I had the opportunity to talk about FATIGUE to small group of ABI Survivors. A feeling of exuberance, sharing and joy energized me as we talked about various strategies on how to confront this beast more successfully. Then yesterday I had an outing with my sister and a friend. Companionship, settling back into the relationships I had before my accident, an outing on a sunny day, all helped to make me feel I was entering back into the real world.

And yet I know I will experience down days, days filled with the challenges of fatigue, changes in commitments or support, disappointments caused by unexpected denials or limitations. However, it is a journey as a brain injury survivor we must each take, one step at a time, one day at a time, where ever that journey leads us. Yes let’s take it one day at a time.

Posted 263 weeks ago

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