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 

As Seasons Pass

It has been a funny summer, not funny haha but funny strange. Everything in the garden was 2 to 3 weeks behind. There were virtually no June bugs but the clouds of mosquitos were vicious. Even the momma Raccoon, Rockie, kept her babies out of sight until they were only slightly smaller than her. Every season has its challenges, expectations and triumphs. And so followed my summer.

After my March of Dimes presentation to a group of ABI survivors my summer seemed to roll out before me like a straight and narrow pathway. Other than planning for two day visits from our Bermudian son and his wonderful girlfriend, and our dear friends from St. Augustine, Florida, I felt it was a good time to work with my doctor to make adjustments to my medication regiment. No matter how much they tell you it will be a challenging couple of months, I now know you have to personally go through it to understand the disruption these type of changes can cause. Moodiness, increased anxiety, wanting to escape from your family, close friends, even your therapists, the impact of noise, changes in weather pressure… and so on, I felt my days had been turned upside down. Has it been worth it? A resounding YES!

 As we approach fall, a new season of change, I am slowly beginning to feel closer to the me I was in my “New Normal”. It will still take another couple of months of adjustments to my dosages of medications but the difficult moments are becoming shorter and easier to manage. So if you are experiencing changes and challenges, as you move through this ABI journey, it will become easier, believe me, as someone who is going through it now.

Posted 237 weeks ago

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