Fallen

I trip, I fall

Down the stairs I tumble and come to rest in the hall

I’m concussed, confused

Nothing’s broken though, I feel bemused

The next day and the day after

Days merge into weeks.. is this my thereafter?

My grip, my grasp on life, my thread

My memory has gone, gone from my clasp

This ‘other’ me that is emerging, from somewhere outside of me

What did you say? Things feel different, can I still see?

Anger, fatigue, walking through treacle,

Doesn’t anyone understand me?

I’m lost, I’m gone, but wait….

Today, I remembered a song

It’s happening, I’m coming back

Wait, hold on….

It’s me, I’m on a different track

Words come tumbling out but I can’t put them together

It’s making more sense

People don’t look at me with that question…

Though my journey goes on. My threads I can gather

H – How am I going to cope now my brain isn’t working? A simple fall or so I thought. How fragile are our brains?

E– Everybody in my family is affected. Where is the capable Mum, Wife, Teacher?

A– Always striving to get better. Why can’t I understand more? Why am I so tired, confused and dazed? All these questions!

D– Dull headache on waking each morning. Paracetamol again. When will it get better? When will it ease? Here we go again, more questions…

I – Inspiration from my new friends at Headway. New bonds and understanding. How wonderful!

N – Now a year later, excitement at seeing the end of the tunnel. Headaches gone in the morning. Very slow progress but thank goodness PROGRESS!

J – Just because I can’t drive yet, or work, or multitask, it doesn’t mean I won’t soon.

U– Unless I keep my positive attitude, my new timetable on my whiteboard, my walking in the sunshine, I will not continue with this exciting new journey.

R – Rest is so important. My brain needs it to recover. How hard not to finish that pile of ironing, to say yes when asked out for dinner or to meet friends for a chat.

Y – Yes, I will get better. There will be a new me. How exciting! What next?