I’m not broken, I’m just finding my sparkle!
Finding My Sparkle journals and tips for living with a brain injury
I know that living with brain injury post-concussion syndrome can be a whole load of scary bananas and if you’re a brain injury warrior too I want you to know that you’re not alone.
Here in my blog you can take a deep dive into my mind as I share some of my Follow My Sparkle Journals. I started a journal after my accident as my brain injury gave me memory issues and I wanted to document what I was going through.
I shared some of my journals on social media as I couldn’t make sense of what I was going through and I felt like no-one in my life understood it either. It turns out there’s thousands of people living with post-concussion syndrome worldwide and I’m so grateful for the brain injury warrior community I’ve connected with. So now I’m sharing my experience here with you in the hope that it will help you too.
You’ll also find tips for living with Post-concussion syndrome which you might find helpful for other brain injuries and chronic health conditions too.
Please note that nothing on my website is medical advice and you should consult a doctor or other medical professional before following any tips that I mention.
I found my sparkle! Have you?
Hey warriors! It’s been a minute (ahem, 6 months) since I last blogged but I’ve been hearing a bit of a theme in my social media comments and DMs and I wanted to address something. Don’t worry, I’m...
Has my brain injury triggered a movement disorder?
Hey warriors! It’s been a minute (ahem, 2 years) since I’ve written a blog and I’m now back from my blogging hiatus with a health update. It wasn’t a deliberate decision to stop blogging. I’ve been...
A new challenge for 2021: Kayaking on Scotland’s lochs
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Coronavirus: 9 top tips to help you survive self-isolation
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5 tips to help you accept your new life with a brain injury
Five tips to help you accept your new life with a brain injury A traumatic brain injury is life changing and learning to accept your new life with a brain injury can be challenging. Many aspects of...
Where have you gone, girl?
Where have you gone, girl? Day 673: Sunday 5th January 2020 Where have you gone, girl? Where is your spirit of adventure? You used to love dragging your ass up the beautiful mountains of Scotland to...
Fun and laughter at Headway BRAW 2019
Fun and laughter at Headway BRAW 2019 Last weekend I had the pleasure of spending time with fellow badass brain injury warriors at Headway BRAW 2019. It was my first Best Relaxation and Activity...
Strength training helps my brain injury
Strength training helps my brain injury Do you want to exercise after a brain injury and feel like it’s never going to happen? Perhaps you’re so tired and in so much pain that it’s a massive effort...
Brain injury fatigue makes me sound like a robot
My brain injury fatigue makes me talk like a robot Headway Action for Brain Injury Week 2019 This week is brain injury association Headway’s Action for Brain Injury Week. This year its campaign...
Brain injury life is hard. Would not recommend.
Brain injury life is hard. Would not recommend Day 382: Wednesday 20th March 2019 Time for some real honest talk. Ever since I hit a year with my brain injury a couple of weeks ago I’ve been...
All the emotions of a year with a brain injury
All the emotions of a year with a brain injury It’s been a whole year since my accident and a whole year I’ve been living with my brain injury, post-concussion syndrome. I went away for a few days’...
11 months with Post-Concussion Syndrome
11 months with Post-Concussion Syndrome Day 329: Saturday 26th January 2019 It’s been a couple of months since my last blog where I said I would try to update you more often and, well, things don’t...
Crutches, accepting my brain injury and celebrating wins
Crutches, accepting my brain injury and celebrating wins Day 260: Sunday 18th November 2018 It’s now 8 ½ months I’ve been living with my brain injury post-concussion syndrome. It’s safe to say I’ve...
Not just a bump to the head: the fall that changed my life
UKABIF Film Award 2018 Not just a bump to the head: the fall that changed my life In March 2018 I had a fall in the snow and ended up with a brain injury, post-concussion syndrome. The United...
How my brain injury affects my walking and balance
How my brain injury affects my walking and balance Day 197: Sunday 16th September 2018 It’s been over 6 months since my failed surfing on snow attempt gave me a brain injury, post-concussion...
The highs and lows of 6 months living with a brain injury
The highs and lows of living with a brain injury for 6 months Day 183: Sunday 2nd September 2018 I cried myself to sleep last night, had a nightmare about going to prison and have woken up today in...
What my brain injury is teaching me about love
What my brain injury is teaching me about love Day 170: Monday 20th August 2018 I’ve been living with post-concussion syndrome for over 5 months now and recently I’ve questioned my ability as a...
How to deal with the emotions of life with a brain injury
How to deal with the emotions of Post-Concussion Syndrome Day 155: Sunday 5th August 2018 It’s just gone 6am, I shed a lot of tears last night and I’m stealing a line from Jessie J as a...
A new chapter in my Post-Concussion Syndrome recovery
Finding My Sparkle Day 143: Tuesday 24th July 2018 This morning I had my first appointment at the Brain Injury Clinic following my accident in March and I feel it marks the start of...
Trusting others to make better decisions about your life than you can
“Other people know you better than you know yourself” - Ahmed Khalifa It’s nearly 5am, I should be zonked out in the land of zzzzz and instead I’m wide awake like a kid at Christmas. We’re getting...
Do I have a bleed on my brain? Post-Concussion Syndrome update
Finding My Sparkle Day 131: Thursday 12th July 2018 Last Thursday I had a chat with my doctor on the phone. My walking had been worse since I saw him a few weeks before and he asked me to go in the...
Post-Concussion Syndrome: the phone call I’ve been waiting for
Finding My Sparkle Day 124: Thursday 5th July 2018 Today I finally got the call I’ve been waiting for and I can’t tell you how relieved I feel. I have a brain injury, post-concussion syndrome,...
Post-Concussion Syndrome: learning to accept when your brain says no
Finding My Sparkle Day 117: Thursday 28th June 2018 It’s mid-afternoon, my body is knackered, my hair is a state, my legs are so sore I want to rip the skin off them and I’m sitting in a garden that...
Referral to brain injury clinic lost in the post
Finding My Sparkle Day 116: Wednesday 27th June 2018 It’s been a few weeks since by last blog and I’d love to say that I have progress wins to report but I’m not really sure I’m making progress with...
Living with Post-Concussion Syndrome for 3 months
Finding My Sparkle Day 91: Saturday 2nd June 2018 This weekend marks 3 months since I took a tumble in the snow and ended up with a brain injury and I’m not really sure how I feel about that. I’ve...
Post-Concussion Syndrome: memory problems and learning to laugh again
Finding My Sparkle Day 6: Friday 9th March 2018 It’s 11:30 and I don’t know where the morning has gone. Time seems to move so fast. I had a bath with Epsom Salts which are meant to work their magic...
The day I was diagnosed with Post-Concussion Syndrome
Finding My Sparkle Day 5: Thursday 8th March 2018 Today was a bad day, a fucking bad day. Hopefully the worst I will ever experience in my life. I had a bad night’s sleep. Possibly only had a few...
