101 Tips for Recovering from Traumatic Brain Injury: Practical Advice for TBI Survivors, Caregivers, and Teachers

By Kelly Bouldin Darmofal and Dr. Frank Balch Wood

Kelly Bouldin Darmofal suffered a severe TBI in 1992; currently she holds a Masters in Special Education from Salem College, NC. Her memoir Lost In My Mind: Recovering From Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) tells her story of tragedy and triumph. Kelly will be teaching "TBI: An Overview for Educators" at Salem College. Kelly's "tips" were learned during two decades of recovery and perseverance; they include: Ways to avoid isolation and culture shock post-TBI Tips for staying organized in the face of instant chaos Strategies for caretakers and teachers of TBI survivors Life philosophies that reject despair How to relearn that shoes must match Why one alarm clock is never enough, and A breath of humor for a growing population with a "silent illness"--TBI
Those who suffer from TBI should benefit from Kelly Darmofal's advice. She speaks often of the value of a sense of humor in dealing with TBI symptoms and quotes Viktor Frankl who believed that humor was one of the "...soul's weapons in the fight for self preservation." I strongly recommend her work.
--Dr. George E. Naff, NCC, LPC, Diplomate in Logotherapy
Kelly is a wonderful resource about TBI for survivors, caregivers, teachers, and the entire community. The wisdom gained from her own experience makes her believable; the frankness and sense of humor that she reveals as she writes makes her authentic... Kelly and her publications have become a trusted resource for our clients who are surviving from a TBI.
--Barbara Saulpaugh, Regional Executive Director, CareNet Counseling, an affiliate of Wake Forest Baptist Health

• Language: English
• Publisher: Loving Healing Press
• Release date: Sep 1, 2015
• ISBN: 9781615992836

Kelly Bouldin Darmofal

After suffering a severe Traumatic Brain Injury at age 15, Kelly returned to school in '92-'93 with multiple disabilities including double vision, memory loss, and aphasia. Undaunted, Kelly struggled to graduate from a school adapting to a new disability category -- TBI. Developing coping techniques on her own and with varied assistance, Kelly continued to persevere, completing both college and a Masters in special education at Salem College. She currently writes and teaches in North Carolina where she resides with her husband and son.

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Introduction

The following tips were compiled by TBI survivor, Kelly Bouldin Darmofal, whose memoir Lost in My Mind: Recovering from TBI was published in 2014 by Modern History Press. Some insights come from her mother/primary caretaker, Carolyn Bouldin, a teacher who choreographed Kelly’s reentry into public high school. Both Kelly and Carolyn experienced first-hand the perils and hardships experienced post-TBI by millions of Americans; TBI is a silent illness, many say, and the symptoms include long and short term memory loss, the inability to think and speak rapidly, the loss of muscle control, and other impairments that vary according to the severity of the TBI. Their life strategies may or may not apply to all TBI survivors, but they exemplify probable issues those with TBI may confront. Kelly’s main advice is Never give up!

Tips For TBI Survivors

1.REALIZE YOU ARE NOT ALONE because in America there are at least 2.5 million new cases of TBI yearly.

2.Let your fears motivate you to NEVER GIVE UP… face what you fear, one obstacle at a time.

3.DENIAL can both hurt and help you; however, you must learn to accept your body’s recovery pace.

4.SMILE at those who think they understand TBI while encouraging you to accept less than you desire from life.

5.ASSUME NOTHING – the disabilities of each TBI survivor are unique, yet similarities do exist. You will need to discover for yourself if you recall basic skills, such as matching shoes and clothing or reading and writing from left to right.

6.KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LOW IQ AND RETROGRADE AMNESIA - Not knowing basic things doesn’t indicate low IQ…it may indicate retrograde amnesia, or long-term memory loss.

7.DEVISE UNIQUE WAYS TO RELEARN FORGOTTEN SKILLS -

For example, you could sing rap lyrics to improve slow speech patterns.

8.SEPARATE YOUR WARDROBE INTO OUTFITS THAT YOU CAN SEE - Things in the back of the closet may be forgotten. For the TBI survivor, if you can’t see it, it may not

Reviews for 101 Tips for Recovering from Traumatic Brain Injury

[jackiepaulson1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book has tips for those who have or have had traumatic brain injury. Kelly Bouldin Darmofal, has a memoir called “Lost In my mind: recovering from Traumatic brain Injury” that would be helpful to you if you have also suffered. What I learned are the symptoms can include; long and short term memory loss, inability to think and speak rapidly, loss of muscle control and other impairments depending on the severity of the injury. I remember going to a Chucky Cheese restaurant and play area with my 3-year-old, as I looked away for one second, my daughter let go of the Ferris wheel handle and fell to the ground. She got a severe concussion and that scared me to pieces. So, even such a small incident can cause brain injury. I am a parent and my advice is that you can never be careful enough with children.This book is a necessary reading for patients, poets, professors, preachers, teachers, and anyone who has suffered from a traumatic brain injury. © 2016 Jackie Paulson