There certainly are potential lifelong repercussions of a critical Traumatic Brain Injury, like mine, converse to my formerly uneducated & therefore falsely articulated statement. The more severe a Traumatic Brain Injury, the increased risk of developing a neurodegenerative disease later in life, like Alzheimer’s (2-4x the general populace) or dementia. Via research, I learned too, that for the general populace, Alzheimer’s is the predominant neurodegenerative disease, according to The National Library of Medicine. Again, my Traumatic Brain Injury was critical (the worst severity) :/. The ample medical research being done presently, to treat Alzheimer’s, does give me hope of potential prospective treatment of this disease however. I’d greatly prefer not to deal with any further diseases at all though – as if I haven’t dealt & am not now currently dealing with enough already – for a lifetime!
Initially, I refused to research further repercussions of my critical TBI as the symptoms present amidst the first 10 years of my recovery (the first stage) were more than enough to accept & battle! Now that I have become accepting (not without disdain!) & comfortable (no point in fighting reality) I’ve reclaimed my great lifelong interest in fervent self-eduction. Resultantly, I easily found the following information:
“The best data indicate that moderate and severe TBIs increase risk of neurodegenerative disease, like dementia, between 2-and 4-fold” articulates the National Library of Medicine. What’s more, further research illuminates that suffering a TBI in early adulthood may exacerbate aging-associated cognitive changes. I was 26, nearly 27 when I incurred my TBI :/.
The reality that I’ve avoided nearly all potential follow-up injuries within my first phase of recovery thus far, is unique for survivors & exceptional (I’m told, by professionals). I will share, that this success was in no way happen stance. I’ve been extremely careful of anything that would physically impair me, lifelong, the accident excluded OF COURSE. Safe practices were exemplified by my caregivers, whom I lived with for the 1st 1.5 years post hospitalization. I did have 3 seizures (hence, “nearly all”). For survivors who experienced any grandeur of TBI (discounting mild), seizures are not at all surprising to take place post hospitalization. Considering I incurred a critical TBI when I was 26, 2 months before I was 27, it’s no surprise to any of my doctors that I’m now epileptic. My fortune, even in this regard, has continued to prevail though. Every seizure of mine thus far, took place amongst parents whom I was with inconsistently -> seldomly (over time).
I do hope that my supreme fortune thus far, is upheld later in life. I’ll attempt not to take this fortune for granted, as I did before. I’ll call your attention to how I said “I’ll attempt” = realism. I strongly suspect (again, my neurological injury equates to me not remembering, nor will I ever have remembrance of that day) that the choice of mine to drive from the Sanctuary that fateful day, was likely prompted by the unsubstantiated (in that vein) assuredness I felt. I had extremely minimal driving experience (traversing from home or school to work & back). Yet, my comfortability driving at that time, resulted from the fantastic fortune I’d encountered in my existence lifelong.