Seft acceptance post Encephalitis

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Who would have known the impact of Encephalitis, and how it would affect me?

I did not even know what Encephalitis was until 2006 and now I live with its effects every day. It has changed many aspects and views that I once had on life. But hey, it has also given me the strength to press on and to make every second in life count, teaching me to have the emotional drive and determination to fight for all of my tomorrows. Life may be different but, I am often reminded to live with what I do have and strive for what I want out of life :) Personally a major struggle for me was the severity of my symptoms. It got to the point even today where it often still seems hard to feel confident. Too see me no one would know that I have had a brain injury and that I still have some residuals. It has also been a HUGE adjustment for my family, getting used to my disorientation and short memory but my volunteering with The Step Up Work Centre and The Ottawa Valley Brain Injury Association has really helped build some self-confidence and prove that life is like a giant staircase and too take it one step at a time as slowly or as quickly as necessary. My family and friends have been SO SUPPORTIVE. I believe accepting yourself and acceptance from the people around you is very important to aiding in someone’s recovery from a Brain Injury.

 

thanks for reading my story.