With the sunshine, the supplements, and the good sleeps ive been having lately, and not over stimulating myself, I can fully say my depression cloud has drifted away. I managed to swing a trip to kelowna for my initial vision therapy appointment which I thought forsure would have done me over for a week or more, but surprisingly it didnt!! And I even managed to hit COSTCO!! I'm still shocked about that. It's crazy how far I've come, the drive alone used to do me over for a few days! I've also noticed that my thunderclap headaches have subsided, finally..... after having them for almost 2 years from all of the residual blood left in my skull, this must mean that my body has maybe absorbed most of it by now? I don't actually know how that works haha I just know I don't get a pounding 30 second headache after working out anymore!
I'm also supposed to be having a neuropsych re-evaluation this summer. My insurance is asking for it because I'm still off work and they want to know what my potential outcome of me going back looks like. So when I called to schedule it, I was shocked to learn that the evaluations are not covered by bc medical, and that it's going to cost me $3500 to get re evaluated. So I'm waiting to see what my insurance says about covering that charge because there's no way in hell that I'm footing the bill for that!
My initial vision therapy assessment went super well, it was very informative. The doctor that did my test was shocked at how my results turned out. He said he's super optimistic about how my recovery is going to go, and that my results are way better then he thought they were going to be with my history. He's prescribed me 15-20 weeks of treatments with them starting summer awell as light perscription prism lenses to help with my depth perception, my spatial awareness, and to help my eyes especially my left one, relax. He says that my eyes are working way harder then they have to be and when I'm feeling like my left eyeball is enlarged, swollen or bulging is because it's over working. It's so crazy to me that technology has come this far to be able to perscribe glasses that help your eyes do All this stuff. What's even crazier is that im finding them SO helpful! For the first few days I've worn them outside, and they tint to help my light sensitivity. Im now switching to having them on inside and when I first put them on I feel like im in a fish bowl or something, but after a few minutes my eyes adjust and they feel normal. I also find that if I move my head too fast I do get a bit nauseous, im not sure if that's normal or not though! Anyway, I have a follow up with them in a couple weeks and I'll get more info! My over all experience with Okanagan Vision Therapy in Kelowna is a 10/10, they were so so good there and I'm so excited to continue working with them to get my eyeballs working in synch with my brain again!
As for my Occupational Therapy, that's going to continue! We've just started sessions that are more focused to my left hand, and I'm loving that. Don't get me wrong, it's still a little whacky but hopefully it'll get better with time!
I'm really loving all the progress I've been seeing lately, and I think that's obviously helping with my depression. I don't feel as down and stuck that I was feeling last month. I've come to just accept this as my new normal and I can finally say that im happy. Which is huge. I think whats also contributing to my happiness is the fact that the brain injury community has been amazing for support, sharing our story and making connections. I'm loving the fact that I can connect with like situated people with similar struggles. It's so good.
The sun is finally shining in more ways then it has in a while. I know that recovery process isn't linear and there's ups and downs all the time, but I'm just gunna enjoy the up direction that I'm on right now, and just have fun and be in the moment. ☀️☀️🙆🏻♀️
Things that I've found help break me out of my depression:
•Fresh air
•Moving my body
•Eating healthier
•Good sleeps
•Knowing my limits and staying within them
•My supplements
• Spening lots of time with my family
•Getting the yard ready for Gardening
•A change of scenery for a few days
•Seeing my sister that I don't get to see often
•Connecting with the TBI/PCS community on social media
I love that you’re feeling an upswing in the trajectory! Keep the positive momentum going, you’re a Rock Star ⭐️ 💫