Brainstorming

By Isaac Peterson III

Unveiling Resilience: A Stroke and TBI Survivor's Journey

"Brainstorming" is a profound collection of essays born from the life experience of Isaac Peterson, a remarkable survivor of a near-fatal stroke that left him grappling with a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Isaac's journey through recovery led him to explore, research, and share his insights, offering a beacon of hope and wisdom to others on a similar path.

Within these essays, drawn from his highly-regarded and globally recognized TBI blog, you will embark on a journey through a wide spectrum of topics related to strokes and TBIs:

Stroke Prevention: Learn valuable insights and tips on how to protect yourself from the devastating effects of a stroke.

Setting Goals in Recovery: Discover the power of goal-setting in the rehabilitation process, inspiring hope and progress.

The Role of Positive Mental Imagery: Explore the profound impact of positive mental imagery on the road to recovery.

Self-Care: Gain practical advice on self-care and nurturing your well-being during challenging times.

Extraordinary Stories: Encounter stories of survival and resilience, including one about a man with a steel rod through his head, shedding light on the complexities of brain function.

Tackling Stigmas: Challenge stigmas and misconceptions surrounding TBIs, promoting understanding and empathy.

Mental Health and TBI: Delve into the intricate relationship between traumatic brain injuries and mental health.
Returning to Work: Navigate the journey of going back to work while managing a brain injury.

Unusual Outcomes: Explore fascinating cases of TBI survivors suddenly speaking with foreign accents.

Pet Brain Injuries: Even learn how to recognize and respond to brain injuries in your household pets.

Isaac's writing style is approachable and "conversational," making complex subjects accessible and engaging. "Brainstorming" offers a treasure trove of valuable information and inspiration, not only for stroke and TBI survivors but also for their families, friends, and caregivers. Moreover, it provides valuable insights for those who seek to understand the world of strokes and traumatic brain injuries.

Join Isaac on his inspiring journey of recovery, resilience, and unwavering determination after surviving a massive stroke and traumatic brain injury.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Oct 16, 2023
• ISBN: 9798350927320

Book preview

Brainstorming:

Copyright 2023 Isaac Peterson

Published by BookBaby

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Paperback ISBN: 979-8-35092-731-3

eBook ISBN: 979-8-35092-732-0

Cover Design: Kim Thompson

Back Page Picture: Erin Lambert

Book Layout & Design: Frank Byrum

Disclaimer

I am not a medical professional or an expert in traumatic brain injury (TBI). The contents of this book, including the blog posts and personal experiences shared by the author, are based solely on their individual journey and perspective. The information provided in this book should not be considered medical advice or a substitute for professional healthcare.

Every person’s experience with TBI is unique, and what works for one individual may not work for another. It is important to consult with qualified healthcare professionals, such as doctors, therapists, and specialists, to receive personalized advice and treatment options based on your specific situation.

The author of this book is sharing their personal story and opinions to raise awareness and provide support to others who may be going through a similar experience. While efforts have been made to ensure accuracy and reliability, the author and the publisher cannot guarantee the completeness or suitability of the information provided.

Furthermore, the author and the publisher are not responsible for any actions taken or decisions made based on the information presented in this book. Readers are encouraged to use their own discretion and judgment when applying any concepts or advice discussed herein.

Lastly, it is important to note that recovery from TBI is a complex and ongoing process. Progress may vary from person to person, and outcomes cannot be guaranteed. This book is intended to be a source of inspiration, encouragement, and shared experiences, but individual results may vary.

By reading and utilizing the information in this book, you acknowledge and accept that the author and the publisher shall not be held liable for any damages, losses, or injuries arising from the use or misuse of the information provided.

Remember to always consult with healthcare professionals and make informed decisions regarding your health and well-being.

This book is dedicated to my dear friend Madison Bledsoe, who provided me with the inspiration and determination to finally get around to putting a book together.

Acknowledgments

There are so many people from throughout my life from whom I learned valuable life lessons, who provided light in times of darkness and from whom I received support and encouragement to carry me through the journey of my life, but whom I don’t have room to thank here. If you were there for me in any way and you’re not listed, please don’t think I’m ungrateful for what you did

First, thank you to my mother and father, Mary and Isaac Peterson, for getting me started in life on the right foot. Thanks to my sister, Cynthia Gresham and brother-in-law George, for sheltering me during the darkest days, and to my sisters Dorothy and Barbara for believing in me.

Thank you to Jeff Hartson, who prodded me to begin writing the essays that became this book.

Thank you to Kim Thompson, my editor, friend and designer of the stunning cover of this book.

Thank you both for believing in me early on and for being major positive influences in my recovery.

Thank you, Frank Byrum, for believing in this book and for doing all the technical work helping me assemble and format this book and getting it over the finish line.

Big thanks to my lifelong friend Steve Blackburn, for believing in me and my work and connecting me with Frank

Thanks to Nancy Mattson, who helped me get my feet on the ground after a near-fatal stroke and for supporting me every step of the way in my recovery.

Special thanks to all the readers who made my blog the international success that made this all possible

Table of Contents

Foreword

Introduction

Meet Isaac Peterson

Isaac 2.0

Traumatic Brain Injury and Brain Damage

Diagnosing Traumatic Brain Injury

In a Flash: The Moment I Realized I was Recovering from a Stroke

After TBI Advice for Family, Friends, and Caregivers

Body Talk

Memories

Words Matter What Not to Say

The Definition of Community

New Abilities after TBI

Lessons from Mom and Dad

Ambiguous Grief

Anticipatory Grief

Disenfranchised Grief

A Little Self-Inventory

TBI and Mental Health A History (Part 1)

TBI and Mental Health A History (part 2)

Be True to Yourself

Brain Injury Facts

TBI Treatment throughout History

Foreign Accent Syndrome

Dealing with Stigmas

Brain Injury doesn’t mean Social Isolation

Another Great Memory

Sensory Overload and Brain Injury

Learning to Live with Neuro-Fatigue

Setting and Achieving Goals A Guide

Coping with TBI

Plateaus with Brain Injury

Holiday Spirit Holiday Reality

The Continuing Adventures of a Stroke Survivor

Brain Injury and Celebrities

More on Sleep Daylight Saving Time Edition

Protecting Our Pets

Love Your Brain All about Brain Health

Stroke Prevention Tips

Traumatic Brain Injury and Aging

TBI and Going Back to Work

Visualization and Affirmations

Lucid Dreaming (Part 1)

Lucid Dreaming (Part 2)

What is Your Movie?

My Latest Self-Care Score

Foreword

Isaac Peterson is the storm.

That’s not a bad thing.

One of the definitions of a storm is a disruption in the normal atmosphere. The normal atmosphere for many brain injury and stroke survivors, along with their caregivers and families, is tumultuous, confusing, and frustrating. Isaac experienced that type of atmosphere after experiencing a major stroke at the end of 2016. Yet it wasn’t long after that he looked to be a disrupter to his own fate predicted by the hospital, and he succeeded exponentially.

When I first spoke to Isaac, I would have never predicted this.

As a nonprofit communications manager for the Brain Energy Support Team (BEST), a Washington State brain injury nonprofit, we had a small staff, and I wore many hats in the communications realm. Managing the website blog was one of my chief responsibilities, and I loved having guest bloggers in the brain injury community provide fresh voices to the blog. When I heard my colleague Jeff had a possible writer for me, I rejoiced!

He said, Isaac Peterson is in my support group, and I really think he would be a good writer for the blog. Could you talk to him?

Uh, yes please!

When I reached out to Isaac by phone to gauge his interest, I was met on the other end of the line by a man with a soft, slow-speaking voice, maybe a little tired-sounding, who asked thoughtful questions about the writing, yet didn’t seem particularly confident about his ability. We brainstormed ideas about what he could write about and left it there.

I honestly didn’t know what to expect and when to expect it.

Shortly after that conversation, I received an essay from him. He prefaced it as it being pretty rough and whatever feedback I had to make it better, to let him know. I assured him I could work with it, and not to worry.

I will tell you, Isaac had nothing to worry about. In fact, I had so little editing I even needed to do. Isaac had writing chops, and I was eager to get his work out there.

Over a short period of time of working together, the soft-spoken man I first talked to, had something to say.

He was inquisitive, curious, tenacious, witty, and had incredible personal stories to share. A fast friendship and working relationship formed.

I discovered Isaac was an award-winning investigative journalist and professional musician before the stroke, two professions on having and creating a distinctive voice. The stroke disrupted that; but not for long. He adapted that voice into a stroke and brain injury advocate through the written word.

Isaac became nothing short of prolific.

He outpaced me, throwing out ideas and writing. If he was out of ideas, while rare, I’d come up with a few and he would run with it. Not a jog, mind you, but a sprint.

* * *

Whether it was a poignant personal essay about his stroke, a researched article, a powerful interview, a valuable resource article, a humor piece, and so much more, Isaac put his all into writing. It wasn’t because of his past journalism career (though that explains high quality work and a fast pace).

He wanted to disrupt the normal status quo of the brain injury and stroke survivor to bring hope, inspiration, celebration and determination. To give them the confidence and voice they needed to thrive in the best way possible.

Simply put, it worked. Isaac’s articles and essays were celebrated and lauded, with his work garnering fans locally, nationally, and internationally. His writing touched hearts, minds, and spirits, and I am deeply honored and privileged to play a small part in getting them out into the world.

If you are a brain injury or stroke survivor, caregiver, or family member of a survivor, this book is for you. If you are not in the above categories, you most likely know a brain injury or stroke survivor. This book is for you, too.

Not in any category mentioned? This book will also be for you, because the reality is that stroke or brain injury may impact your life or the life of someone you know in the future.

Like Isaac, we should all aspire to be disruptors. Brain injury isn’t the storm; we are.

Kim Thompson

Nonprofit Communications Professional, Writer, Caregiver

Introduction

For as long as there have been people, there have been brain injuries. Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) have been described over millennia.

But until recently there hasn’t been much understanding of TBI, its causes or its effects. Even today, much of the public doesn’t really have a grasp on what a traumatic brain injury is. Traumatic brain injuries have been labeled as shell shock when a soldier acquires a brain injury on the battlefield, or punch drunk to describe the brain injuries boxers suffer. Participants in even modern day contact sports may experience brain injuries.

Many brain injuries happen in kids playing sports, commonly experienced as concussions. Children and seniors get the lions share of brain injuries. Professional football players experience a severe type of brain injury called chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE for short. CTE is severe damage to the brain caused by multiple violent impacts over time. Research into CTE continues to this day, looking for ways to make high impact sports safer.

Senior citizens, children and athletes are probably the largest groups experiencing brain injuries.

Many relationships, careers, hopes and dreams have suffered incalculable damage due to TBI. A brain injury can happen to anyone, and at any time, and it can be a life-changing experience.

I myself had no idea what a brain injury is all about until I had a serious, up close and personal brain injury of my own. My TBI education began on November 8, 2016. That was the day I underwent a massive stroke.

* * *

Until that day, to me a stroke was something that only happens to other people.

It turns out most people who experience an acute hemorrhagic stroke, the type I experienced, don’t survive the experience intact, particularly not aging black men.

After a month-long hospital stay following that stroke, I and my relatives were informed that I would require round-the-clock care, be mentally challenged and pretty much an invalid.

The doctors were wrong. I am none of those things and never have been. It seems they had  given me a generic prognosis that didn’t take into account the things that make me who and what I am. They gave me good medical care while I was there, but they hadn’t taken into account my spirit and my determination. Those qualities have served me very well in recovering from that stroke.

Doctors all along seemed amazed I even lived (strokes are a leading cause of death worldwide, and I came about as close as it’s possible to not living through it as it gets). Although, even after all this time I still have lingering aftereffects like constant fatigue, dizziness, balance issues and sporadic short term memory issues, doctors use terms like fantastic and amazing for the rate and extent of my recovery so far.

A major part of my ongoing recovery was writing a traumatic brain injury blog,