You get into a motorcycle accident while wearing a helmet and the crash is not your fault. Another driver pulls out in front of you, but you still wind up in the hospital with a traumatic brain injury (TBI). You survive and partially recover, but the doctors warn you that TBIs don’t always fully heal. When you head home, you’ll have some significant changes with which to cope.
It’s important to know how to adjust to your new life. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- While your condition may keep improving at home, it’s not guaranteed. You need to have realistic expectations. Many people get frustrated because they keep wondering when they’ll feel “normal” again, but that day may never come.
- Going home can actually feel overwhelming. It’s a big change. You lose your professional caregivers. You really start to notice the limitations you have. People want to come visit you. While you thought going home would be relaxing, it may all be too much.
- The rest of the world will go back to normal. Friends and family members will fall back into their old routines. They resume hobbies and attend work and school. You may still feel like you’re dealing with a lot, but everyone else slowly shifts back to what life was like before. This can be frustrating and emotionally draining.
- You may still need care. Going home does not always mean you’re again able to take care of yourself. Your relationships with family members can change, or you may need to hire a caregiver.
These are just a few things to consider, but they demonstrate clearly how drastically a TBI can change your life. If you want to seek financial compensation after the crash, make sure you know what steps to take.
