Hi there, I'm sure there are plenty on here who will be grateful for the advice you will be able to give.
Welcome to the group.
I was hit by 2 cars one night 5 years ago when I was out for a bicycle ride without a helmet.
I too suffer from faceblindness and have had moments when I didn't recognise family members. My mother once when she straightened her normally curly hair. Oh well, People who know me understand now and the rest well they soon learn.

Holly one of my issues since 2nd tbi is balance. The hairs in my ear got damaged and something they cant fix. Do you have this problem too? Were yu always the type of person to make sure you did tings as well as you could? Sounds like it has been a long hard walk for you, so sorry you had to go through this as you have. Welcome to the group.

I like that term, "new reality" instead of "new normal." There is nothing "normal" about suffering from the results of a brain injury.

I'm glad you posted about the face blindness, as this is something Nat (above) deals with.

Welcome, Holly.

Thank you for your welcomes. Aust, to answer your question, I have trouble with my vestibular system ( balance) . I used to be on the ice skating team in college; now I can't' stand on skates. I know balance has a lot to do with your inner ear, so perhaps that's what's happening with you. My balance is better than it once was, but still no skating ( or ladders or heels ) for me. "Better safe than sorry".
My faceblindness goes beyond that in reality. I have No visual memory. The fusiform gyrus in my temporal lobe has be cut. This is the part of the brain that recognizes people and commits other visual things to memory. So anything visual ( books, TV shows, etc ) are forgotten in a matter of months. Because my temporal lobe was removed, the F gyrus was cut, so there's no "memory box" for what I see to be stored. The up side of this is that I don't have to buy new books, can watch all the TV I want , and , like Nat, meet "new" people all the time.
I'm amazed at your stories. It's a fact that once you've had one tbi, you're at greater risk for another. I guess we're all proof of that. However, recovery/ing is so much easier when there are people to share with. I look forward to talking to you more . -H

Welcome to the group Holly. I'm sure you have a great deal of knowledge to add to the group.

Thanks S. Seaeyes. I'm really not here to pass out "knowledge". I only have had the opportunity to have hit my head too many times. We all have knowledge of tbi , especially as it relates to us . Any "knowledge" I have has probably come from doing or saying embarrassing things over the years! ( just ask my family )

Welcome to the group! It is so helpful to hear from your own kind,and I must say, You sound like you can bring a great wealth of support yourself. I like what you said about normal being being a setting on a wasing machine. I hadn't thought of it that way before.

Welcome to the group Holly. I don't post here often but I do check in. This is a fantastic group of people.

I'm a caregiver. My husband had a TBI 23 (almost 24) years ago. He's only suffered from 1 and had a miraculous recovery but is now starting to deal with alot of the issues that face most people with TBI. We've been married 15 years and I'm only now starting to learn about what TBI really is. The people in this group have really helped me out. I hope you enjoy the board as much as I do.

Hi Muffindog. I'm sorry you husband is starting to feel tbi effects just now. Sometimes I think it's better to feel them when the tbi happens; that way you can see it's the tbi and not something you've just done to cause them.
Has he had neuropsychological testing? II'm sure I'm "preaching to the choir" here, as I'm sure most of us have had it. It tests All parts of brain function, from memory to spatial relations, to other things. I first had it done before brain surgery "to see if you're smart enough for us to remove what we want ". That was my baseline test that they now compare current tests to. I have this testing done every 5 years, and keep a copy of all tests so I can remind myself of how I'm doing.
My most recent test (3 years ago) showed that my right frontal lobe is atrophying. That's where "executive functions" are: organizing, planning, and most important ( for me) , socialization- specifically knowing when to talk and when to keep my mouth shut. I'm sure some people wouldn't want to know what's going wrong , but "power is knowledge" , and I find myself now already planning new strategies so I can minimize the effects this atrophying will do.
I wish the best for you and hubby. I think being the caregiver is sometimes harder than having the tbi. You're the ones that can really see our changes. I know how I'm changing ( and getting worse) because I have the "blessing" of a husband and daughters that say "you never did this in the past" . Oh well, at least they know me well enough to notice the changes. That counts for something!
I'm glad you're here and am willing to learn about tbi. It shows the love and compassion you have for your husband. I hope you find the information you need. - Holly

Welcome to the group Holly....I like new reality too....I didn't see myself as normal before BI...danced to my own drummer then...still do now...just to a different beat and at a different pace....slower!!!,