Surviving Traumatic Brain Injury

SPEAK OUT! Itty-Bitty GIANT Steps

SPEAK OUT! Itty-Bitty GIANT Steps

SPEAK OUT! Itty-Bitty Giant Steps will provide a venue for brain-injury survivors and caregivers to shout out their accomplishments of the week.

If you have an Itty-Bitty Giant Step and you would like to share it, just send an email to me at donnaodonnellfigurski@gmail.com.

If you are on Facebook, you can simply send a Private Message to me. It need only be a sentence or two. I’ll gather the accomplishments and post them with your name on my blog approximately once a week. (If you do not want your last name to be posted, please tell me in your email or Private Message.)

I hope we have millions of Itty-Bitty Giant Steps.

Here are this week’s Itty-Bitty Giant Steps.

Sara Catherine Birch (caregiver)…An Itty-Bitty Giant Step this week – hubby is going back to his old job on Thursday. He will try a short shift to see if he could build up his hours slowly and get back his deputy title. Fingers crossed. His boss is keeping his hours low for the first couple of weeks so that his schedule won’t affect our benefits and he won’t have to worry about money.

Sara Catherine Birch (caregiver)…I’m very proud of hubby. I came home from work yesterday to find out how hubby’s looking after both kids (for the first time) went. As I walked in the door, I could hear the washing machine going. He had gotten both kids to bed, emptied and refilled the dishwasher, emptied the tumble-dryer, and put a wash on. Yeah, he definitely deserved the Domino’s pizza I was carrying.

Michelle Lee Bonnenfant (survivor)…Today I went to Walmart with my daughter and husband, despite the setbacks caused by my PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). I only panicked once! I got separated and forgot where I was in the store. Thank god, I had my cell phone! Small step, but I’m trying. Any store is bad for me. I can’t believe that I did a big, busy store! Needless to say, I’m exhausted and have a pounding headache. No pain, no gain!

Sidney Chronister (survivor)…I’m feeling super PROUD of myself. Today has been the first time ever (since my TBI four years ago) that I managed to cook all by myself. I even read a recipe all by myself (LOL)! I’m progressing very slowly. Let’s just hope I can do the same thing tomorrow – or in a week. Let’s pray for that. Thank you all once again for all the ENCOURAGING words you give me DAILY (especially in the days of bad weather). May God give us all more strength (He knows we have it), more patience (we NEED IT), and less crazy anger-outbursts. God bless you all, and have a blessed New Year’s. Happy 2015!!!

Ellie K. Payton (caregiver)…Today Claus Nowell, my 20-year-old, 10-months-post son, took his first steps in a walking frame. There were nurses and therapists “acheerin’.”

This is a huge Itty-Bitty Giant Step – one I’ve been waiting for with so much hope.

YOU did it!

Congratulations to all contributors!

(Clip Art compliments of Bing.)