Brain Injury to Brain Upgrade | Natalie Forstbauer | TEDxChilliwack
TLDRIn this moving speech, the speaker recounts her journey after a traumatic brain injury that left her with memory loss and a redefined sense of self. She describes the challenges of relearning everyday tasks, the emotional turmoil of forgetting her baby, and the shift in her approach to healing. By embracing her new reality and practicing self-compassion, the speaker transforms her injury into a 'brain upgrade,' illustrating the power of acceptance and gratitude in the face of adversity.
Takeaways
- 😔 The speaker experienced a traumatic brain injury that left her initially unaware of her identity and accomplishments, such as writing books.
- 🤔 She struggled with memory and cognitive functions, including aphasia, photophobia, and a lack of connection with loved ones.
- 🔍 Despite regaining some memories within 48 hours, she continued to face challenges in daily tasks and self-care due to her brain injury.
- 🌿 The healing process involved a combination of Eastern and Western medicine, but the speaker still grappled with the lasting effects of her injury.
- 📚 She likened her cognitive state to a disorganized filing cabinet, where she had to consciously work through simple tasks step-by-step.
- 👶 The speaker had difficulty remembering her baby, leading to dangerous situations and the implementation of safeguards in her home.
- 🔄 The speaker's journey showed that healing from a brain injury is not linear, with improvements often slowing or stopping after the initial years.
- 🌟 She emphasizes that healing is not about returning to a pre-injury state but embracing the current self with compassion and grace.
- 🌱 The speaker discovered that true healing involves accepting one's current state and focusing on what one can do, rather than what one has lost.
- 🤝 She encourages embracing the ups and downs of life, practicing gratitude, and living in a state of grace, which can transform adversities into opportunities.
Q & A
What significant event occurred in the speaker's life that altered her memory and identity?
-The speaker acquired a traumatic brain injury, which resulted in memory loss and an inability to recognize herself or her accomplishments, such as writing books.
How did the speaker initially react when she was told her name and about her book?
-The speaker was uncertain at first but eventually held the book to her heart and sobbed, realizing that writing a book had always been her dream.
What challenges did the speaker face in her daily life after the brain injury?
-The speaker faced challenges such as aphasia, difficulty with multitasking, photophobia, and a disconnection from her loved ones despite knowing she loved them.
How did the speaker's perception of multitasking change after her brain injury?
-The speaker, once a master at multitasking, found it extremely difficult, slow, and often impossible after her brain injury.
What is the condition the speaker experienced that made it difficult for her to find words and form sentences?
-The speaker experienced aphasia, which is a language disorder that affects a person's ability to communicate.
What strategies did the speaker implement to cope with her memory issues, especially regarding her baby?
-The speaker used safeguards such as locking the bathroom door with an old latch lock and placing objects in front of the door that she had to move to exit, to remind her of her baby's presence.
How did the speaker's experience with her brain injury change her perspective on healing?
-The speaker shifted from trying to fix herself to embracing who she was in the moment, valuing her current abilities and self rather than focusing on what she had lost.
What is the estimated number of people who acquire brain injuries each year according to the Journal of Neurosurgery?
-According to the Journal of Neurosurgery, approximately 69 million people acquire brain injuries every year.
What is the speaker's view on the nature of healing after experiencing her brain injury?
-The speaker views healing as an ongoing process similar to tending a garden, where one must plant seeds, remove weeds, enrich the soil, and allow for growth and blooming.
How did the speaker's brain injury affect her approach to life and her relationships?
-The speaker's brain injury led her to practice gratitude, self-compassion, and grace, which in turn deepened her relationships and allowed her to connect with a deeper purpose.
What does the speaker mean by 'brain upgrade' and how does it relate to her healing journey?
-The term 'brain upgrade' refers to the speaker's transformation of her brain injury into an opportunity for personal growth and self-improvement, rather than a setback.
Outlines
😢 Traumatic Brain Injury and Rediscovery of Self
The narrator describes waking up from a traumatic brain injury with no memory of her identity or achievements, including her authorship of a book. A man she trusts helps her remember her name, Natalie, and her passion for writing. Despite regaining some memories within 48 hours, she struggles with everyday tasks and grapples with the reality of her condition. She incorporates various healing methods but learns that healing is not just about recovery but also about embracing her new state of being.
📝 The Struggle with Daily Tasks Post-Injury
The speaker details the cognitive challenges she faces after her brain injury, such as aphasia, photophobia, and the inability to multitask. She describes the painstaking process of performing simple tasks like cutting a cucumber, which now requires her to consciously think through each step. The impact of the injury on her personal life is profound, as she even struggles to remember having a baby and must implement safeguards to ensure the child's safety.
🌟 The Invisible Nature of Brain Injuries and the Journey to Acceptance
The narrator discusses the invisible nature of brain injuries, which can be as debilitating as physical injuries but are often overlooked because they are not visible. She shares statistics about the prevalence of brain injuries and the common challenges faced by survivors, including the longing to be the person they were before the injury. The speaker's personal journey involves a shift from trying to 'fix' herself to accepting and valuing her current state, leading to a new perspective on life and healing.
🌱 Embracing Healing as a Journey of Growth and Self-Compassion
The final paragraph focuses on the speaker's realization that healing is not a destination but a continuous process of growth and self-acceptance. She likens healing to gardening, requiring nurturing and patience. The speaker emphasizes the importance of living in gratitude, practicing self-compassion, and extending grace to oneself and others. She concludes by suggesting that adversity, including brain injuries, can be transformed into opportunities for personal growth when approached with compassion and grace.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Traumatic Brain Injury
💡Aphasia
💡Photophobia
💡Multitasking
💡Healing
💡Memory
💡Self-Compassion
💡Invisibility of Brain Injury
💡Embrace
💡Gratitude
💡Grace
Highlights
The narrator experienced a traumatic brain injury and struggled to regain her identity and memories.
She was initially unable to recognize her own name and that she had authored a book.
The journey of healing involved both Eastern and Western medicine.
The narrator faced aphasia, difficulty with language and finding words.
She experienced photophobia, sensitivity to light and screens.
The narrator had to relearn basic tasks and had difficulty with multitasking.
She had to deal with the emotional impact of forgetting her baby and the fear of harm.
The struggle with the invisible nature of her brain injury and the lack of external understanding.
The narrator's realization that healing is not about fixing but embracing the current state.
The concept of healing as a garden, a nurturing process rather than a destination.
The importance of self-compassion and accepting the current self in the healing process.
The narrator's shift in perspective from fighting her condition to embracing it as a 'brain upgrade'.
The power of gratitude and living in the moment as part of the healing process.
The idea that adversity can be transformed into opportunities for growth and connection.
The narrator's message of hope and the potential for healing and connection despite challenges.
Transcripts
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