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 

A Day, A Week, A Month… we do make it through!

We have all had them. A difficult day, week, month, that is challenging, a downer, an obstacle that we are unable to make our way through. Mine was this past month of December. 

It was a month filled with challenges, obstacles, not feeling well both mentally and physically. No different than what I experienced in my life prior to my ABI. But now I am living with the ramifications of an ABI, the steps to move forward can be like walking in quick setting cement. 

December was filled with a negatively impactful Independent Exam ordered by the Insurer, often a misnomer to call it an independent third party but I will not say any more. I had a serious fall, got a cold, endured the headaches from a constantly changing  weather pressure system, wrapping gifts (and, yes, by tradition, I also wrap all the gifts for our stockings), cooking our Christmas Turkey, and finally recovering from all the associated activities of the holidays.

Today I am on the other side of that difficult month. It is a new year, literally and figuratively, and I am feeling calmer and more grounded than I did a week ago. In the clarity of a new day I am able to see that those things that depressed and saddened me, that made me want to hide away from everyone, were filled with many positive outcomes. That IE is being reassessed, I am continuing on with my Yoga sessions, online Christmas shopping was my energy saver, this year I “did not” wrap our dogs’ gifts for their stockings, Christmas dinner was a  collaborative labour of love that involved my husband and sister, again remembering to breathe, and having the down time between Christmas and New Year was a welcomed respite.

We need to accept that life continues no matter what our mental, cognitive and overall health status is. There is always sunshine behind every dark cloud, and eventually it does break through, our mood lifts and life will continue to move forward.

Happy New Year!

Posted 254 weeks ago

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