Too many days passed from when I hit my head to when I took the signals seriously. I went to work for five days after the fall. With a steadily increasing headache, a slight nausea/flu-like condition, a feeling of having “brain fog”, and, most oddly, my vision worsened daily and most days I had to give up working on my computer screen and print materials and emails out to read them on paper, as the letters were all over the place on the screen and the scrolling made my feel sick.
On the fifth day, I came home around 6 pm with a thundering migraine-like headache and told my husband that I was going straight to bed. The next morning, he left for a cycling vacation in Spain, and unknowingly, I started the biggest crisis of my life – alone at home with two children.
Many of us have probably tried to ignore symptoms. We go to work because that’s what you do… What does it matter if the head hurts, the body is dizzy, or tears are pressing? Our body is wise. Remember to listen to it. I can’t go back and change the time. But I can’t help but think that my concussion recovery would have been different – had I just listened.
Once I realized I had a concussion, I became better and better at sensing myself and using the body’s signals as a kind of compass. If I had done too much, I could be sure symptoms would increase. Over time, I learned to see these signals as loving messages from my body to adjust and take care of myself. Remember to listen to your body’s signals. Only you can do that. Take care of yourself.
