Brain Injury and Relationships

[frankduff]

I had brain tumor surgery and I have brain injury from the surgery I am very greatful just to be alive! I am having problems relating ideas and I repeat thing and obcess about certain thingsa that I get on my mind my rommate has noticed this andshe was really cocerned we had a disscussion and she is mad at me for saying that I am not dead and I have needs to she said that she provides evrything for me except Physiacl needs. She is a very loving person and Yes I do love her she is my Best Friend I quess she still is. I dont do well with arugements, I have been very upset all day. Because I know she wont say anything is she didnt care. I quess its just hard to be around me sometimes. I am doing the best I can do. akot of people I found out with brain Injusry are not doing as goodn as I am. I need help with this and I have told my VA Case Manager that I wanted a thearapest to talk sbout my issues and my Recovery isues in the Brain Injury Area. I know I need help it has also affected my sexual fuctions I can get an erection but I cant come. This is really embarising and I have talked to my case manager about it and my Nero Doctor at thje VA too, the only thing they said was Did I have someone I could ask out to see a movie or just hang out and I said no.She said what about your roommate and I sad she has been working hard and doesnt hve time for me right now. She has her ex boyfriend whatever he is now over here and I am alone agian They are having a caroling thing at the AA clubhouse tonight but I am not driving again today I have taken my pain meds Perocet and right now I am still in pain just from walking sround today taking pictures of downtown which is something I have wanted to do and i myspace.com/frankduff here so if you look under photos then the downtown folder it is there.This is one of the hobbies that I am trying to devlop so that I will have something to do. I wish I could drive there tonight but I dont want to take the risk of getting a ticket for DUI. ao I will stay home again Alone it sucks not dating and thats what we were talking about she thinks I dont need to date I need to focus on my medical issues and get them resolved well that could be another year before I would even have a chance of a hip replacement and that is not even been put in the VA system as a treatmaent option yet. I have a flrou injection scheduled for march of next year 2008. That seems a long way off when you are in chronic pain, and even the medications are not working I just wanted to get out today and if I did go back tonight It is going to be cold and I know what the pain is like in the cold so driving is out, which means I cant go, the cold if I did go, and the being alone here even if I have a roommate they are staying in her room and not around me. I feel real alone this christmas she is mad at me I dont have any other friends, I dont have a Girlfriend to call up I did call someone who I meet on myspace and she is only one hour away 60 miles so I am hoping that after the holiday we can get together I dont have anyoine in Gainesvilee that I can pick up the phone and call to come over ands see me. We just talked and she said that I am repeating things and I need to get to my own AA meetings i cant go with her to all the same meetings so I just want to go with her so that I can take my Pain meds and be not in pain.

[love2laugh]

Is there any sort of brain injury support group in your area ? Can you call up the Neuro Psychology/Psychology/Psychiatry department at you VA hospital and ask if they have any support groups for people with brain injuries, or just groups/programs to help with people who have certain cognitive or social issues (ei a memory group/program ) . If the VA doesn't, try calling any local hospital, the united way and other similiar groups. You can also ask your case worker about this or see if they will refer you to therapist.

Hang in there !

[Ellie]

Florida Support Groups - Traumatic Brain Injury

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can result from any number of different accidents or traumas. The one thing all individuals suffering from TBI need is support. Fortunately, help is available in Florida in the way of support groups.

Conducted by people with experience in dealing with traumatic brain injury, these support groups in Florida offer assistance to the patient, their family and caregivers. To find a TBI support group for a particular county in Florida, check out the listing below.

Brain Injury Association of Florida

BIAF Support Groups, by County

Alachua
Wendy Alexander
Gainesville
Phone: (352) 338-0091
Pager: (352) 491-7659

Bay
Tracy William Harris
Panama City
Phone: (850) 785-7124

Brevard
K. Dorn Williamson
Melbourne
Phone: (407) 253-0131

Vikki Weinberg
Rockledge
Phone: (407) 268-5103

Broward
Carolyn Rocchio
Pompano Beach
Phone: (954) 786-2400

Dr. Scott Rusman
Sunrise
Phone: (954) 749-0300

Dade
Dr. James Nadell or
Co-Leader, Dr. Rhonda Vivas
Miami (Healthsouth)
Phone: (305) 259-6433

Diane Netto
Miami (Jackson)
Phone: (305) 585-1268

Lisa Kaplan
Miami (Biscayne)
Phone: (305) 932-8994

Mayra Miro
Miami (MIP) – Spanish Group
Phone: (305 596-6654

Escambia
Joe Grossi
Pensacola
Phone: (850) 494-6180

Hillsborough
Brella Mae Ford
Tampa
Phone: (813) 632-7144

Steve Klemz
Tampa (VA Hospital)
Phone: (813) 972-2000 ext. 6663

Virginia Green
Tampa
Phone: (813) 251-7610

Lake
Barbara Milazzo
Leesburg
Phone: (352) 343-8008

Lee
Marti Tabor
Ft. Myers
Phone: (941) 277-1447
(888) 343-6991

Leon
Teddy McQuat
Tallahassee
Phone: (850) 421-3890

Marion
Joanne Harper
Co-Leader, James Fortier
Ocala
Phone: (352) 368-2596

Okaloosa
Martha Bayer
Ft. Walton Beach
Phone: (850) 244-1310

Orange
Pat Gay
Orlando
Phone: (407) 277-3664

Palm Beach
Jill Pando
West Palm Beach
Phone: (561) 582-4876

Pasco (East)
Ray Dykeman
Zephyrhills
Phone: (352) 588-3685
(813) 788-0411 (Med Ctr)

Pasco (West)
Joan Tavares
Hudson
Phone: (727) 375-5395

Elaine Bolen (Hdo)
Phone: (352) 683-2152

Pinellas
Rugh Oiler
Clearwater
Phone: (727) 771-1002

Steven Frank, Ph.D.
St. Petersburg
Phone: (727) 341-2626

Pam Dimuccio
Largo
Phone: (813) 586-2999 ext 5807

Polk
Jane Saks
Winter Haven
Phone: (941) 678-1046

Sarasota
Joy A. Mullen Foss
Sarasota
Phone: (941) 371-1563

Jolly Mullen
Sarasota
Phone: (941) 377-4078

St. Lucie
Brad Bernauer
Port St. Lucie
Phone: (561) 337-0077

Sumter
Margie Sovercool
Sumterville
Phone: (352) 793-7841

Volusia
JoAnn Clements
Daytona
Phone: (904) 238-8638

Tom Dockery
Deland
Phone: (904) 532-9670

Independent TBI Support Groups by County
Alachua
352-265-5491 x70199
Gainesville
Rose Mary Storch

Bay
850-271-9480
Panama City
Tracy W. Harris

Brevard
321-984-4600 ext. 492
Melbourne
K. Dorn Williamson

321- 268-5103
Rockledge
Co-chair John Dillon or Vikki Weinberg

Broward
954-987-2020x4725
Hollywood
Cheri Surloff, PhD, PsyD

954-776-5010
Pompano
Mark E. Todd, PhD

Collier
239-436-6888
Naples
Vanessa Crawford

Dade
786-596-6578
Miami (Baptist)
Michelle Vigoa

305-259-6433
Miami (HealthSouth)
Co-leader Dr. Rhonda Vivas or James Nadell

Duval
1-866-529-2474 -Toll-free
Jacksonville
Jane M. Elkins

Escambia
850-494-6100
Pensacola
Susanne Deaton

850-457-2870
Pensacola
Peggy Henshall

Hernando
352-683-2152
Hudson
Elaine Bolen

Hillsborough
813-715-9155 Tampa James M Bicknell

813-657-9712
Tampa
Daralene Pondo

813-972-2000x6663
Tampa (VA Hospital)
Steve Klemz

Indian River
772-299-4460 or cell 772-342-6830
Vero Beach
Susan Bykofsky

Lake
352-343-8008
Leesburg
Barbara Milazzo

Lee
239-277-1447
Fort Myers
Anne Edwards

239-403-8883
Fort Myers
Howard Kalter, PhD

239-369-2601
LeHigh Acres
Lynda Kendrick

Leon
850-421-3890
Tallahassee
Teddy McOuat, RN

Okaloosa
850-244-1310
Ft. Walton Beach
Martha Bayer, RN, MA

Orange
407-290-2655
Orlando
H. Robb Fiedler

Palm Beach

561-848-7200
West Palm Beach
Monika Marino

Pasco (West)

727-375-5395
Hudson
Joan Tavaras

Pinellas
727-588-1861
Largo
Steve Fox

727-322-6123
St. Petersburg <br>Steven Frank, PhD

Polk
863-292-4070 or
863-292-4061 x4937
Winter Haven
Linda Rumrell or
Pat Mulder, RN

Sarasota
941-351-9545
Sarasota
Gregoria Halley

St. Lucie
772-337-0077 or cell 772-342-1167
Port St. Lucie
Cynthia Francoeur

Sumter

352-793-7841
Sumterville
Margie Sovercool

Volusia

386-677-7559 or cell 386-299-8633
Daytona
Dawn Leuck

386-532-9670
Deland
Tom Dockery