I created this blog with the hope that it will be helpful for people who have someone in their life who has a traumatic brain injury (TBI).
I am not an expert in TBI’s, apart from my own life experiences with my husband who has a TBI. Here, I plan to share our story, frustrations, joys, and thoughts.
After my husband received and was diagnosed with having a TBI that he was not fully recovering from, in 2010, I began to research and learn about TBIs. I needed to understand what they were, how they effected people or not, and what I could do as a loved one to help. I found a number of books on the topic, a few of which were insightful. I will link to these in the Resources. However, for all but one of the books the audience was the injured not the support person.
As I learned more about TBIs and sought counseling, to also learn more and to help myself deal with the loss I felt and the huge life change, I began to yearn for a support group, friend, or doctor who understood about TBIs and the unique beast they are. This way I would not have to spend the time explaining, or attempting to explain, what a TBI was. While I found a therapist who helped me sort through the stages of grief, I never felt like she really got it, really understood how life changing my husband’s TBI was and is.
In the year’s since, I have come upon one other wife who did get it and who I thought would be able to form a friendship with me. Her husband also suffered from a TBI. While his symptoms were different from my husband’s, we could relate on many things. Alas, both of us were so entrenched in our own lives that we never found the time to forge the friendship.
It is my hope that this blog will serve as a support system to the caretakers out there – husbands, wives, partners, significant others, children, friends, extended family, and more.
TBI Spouse (and Others) 
Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for creating this space.
My Husband has now had 2 TBIs. He is not a Veteran ( Thank you to all who serve).
His story is interesting. I, his wife, happen to be a Neuro Trauma ICU RN.
I am reaching out as I have not yet found a support group/ arena.
Is there one that is on Zoom that you find helpful for you?
Wives of those with TBIs are on a particular journey. I seek comradery.
Thank you for your website.
All the best to all who live this life,
Kathleen
Hi Kathleen. Thanks for reaching out and for your words of support. I am so glad you found the site. I have not found a Zoom group or local support group either. The closest I have gotten was one that is no longer active but was offered through a nearby Vet Center. The target audience was the wives of veterans. If you find anything, will you let me know?
This past May, I got my BSN/RN. I am working in homecare and enjoying it immensely. One of my instructors while I was in school told me that she could see me being a neuro nurse. I think if we lived closer to a hospital with a good neuro unit; I might consider it.
It would be interesting to talk with you about nursing as well as how your personal experiences with your husband play into your work.
If you want to ever get on a Zoom call or start emailing privately, let me know. It might be worth giving it a shot to see how it goes.
With school, I had let my blog go to the wayside. Your comment though put some fire back into me to keep it going. Thank you for that. I may begin to post again soon.
-Erin