After my AVM cerebral bleed, craniotomy, and partial recovery I was allowed to return part time back to my job, as I continued to recover inch by inch over a long period of time. After a couple months of that I went back to full time, because my
sick leave was exhausted and I had to go full time, or quit my job.
I have related how some of my duties I remembered perfectly well while others I had to relearn from scratch. I also enjoyed talking again to the other employees,
although truly I was not a big outgoing person, and I was naturally much better
at writing than talking to others.
But one day I was talking to a doctor that I worked for sometimes, and he was a few years younger than I was, but we could usually relate pretty well to each other. I told him that it was good that the AVM had struck me instead of him because he had so much more to lose intellect wise that I did. I did not have to improve so very much to get back to where I had been, compared to him. Inside, I had like a sly little smile, but he didn't know whether he should smile or what and he didn't know what to say! It was my little joke, but it was also true, because I suspect that someone like him would have really big problems coming back from what many of us here have had to recover from.
It is good to still have some sense of humor after what we have been through, and it is a sign that somewhere hidden inside is that old personality from
my "first life"!
I’m glad you returned to work. It sounds like you enjoy your job. Due to my deficits, I’m having a hard time trying to fit back in the world I make jokes about being retired at 38 but truth is it kind of sucks sitting in this chair watching from the sidelines. Best wishes. I hope we all continue to improve:)
I worked for another 3 years and then retired at 58. I understand what you say about not fitting in. There are people that don't seem to understand us and they make it hard for us
to fit in. People should give us a chance because we can contribute in ways that they
may not anticipate. Finally after 4-5 years I got back close to where I once was,
and I feel like I am "human" again. I hope that some of those who don't understand
us do not get their own AVM and bleed. I would not wish that on anyone.
But I do wish for you and others on this site a full recovery and that you all will fit in again fully.
Hi John So true, you must keep your sense of humour no matter what.
When I had my AVM removed and the subsequent scar on my head for all to see, the looks people give you are amazing. I sometimes think they had just seen Frankenstein's monster!!!
It used to make me feel a bit low at times, so to counter this, I used to play it up, especially to nosey neighbours who were dying to find out what happened but too timid to ask.
If any of them caused any noise, or revved their cars or basically were a pain in the backside, I used to go out and have a word. NONE of them stood their ground and all went back into their House's very apologetically. They knew I had Brain surgery but what for they will never know.....
I am sure they think I am an Axe wielding maniac!!! GOOD FUN.
After my surgery I lost control of my left eye and they gave me an eyepatch. When people came to visit in recovery, I’d tell them it was to cover the big hole they had to make for the brain surgery then dramatically proceed to the reveal. The cringing was priceless.
Stuart, So priceless! Many of them had no idea what we had become after our major brain surgery
and so it would not be nice of us to disappoint them completely, would it? For us
to appreciate the humor in all this is, I think, a good sign of recovery coming.
John