Success in Recovery:The Thesis of a Survivors Story

 Success in Recovery: Lori Part Twenty Seven  – The Thesis of Her Story

Now if I were going to write the thesis for your story of your success in recovery as to why you are here publishing books, you are able to do this interview so flawlessly and so interestingly, I would say that there are a number of factors. 

Lori’s Success in Recovery

• Who Lori was before she got hurt. 
• The amount of resources that were devoted towards you in terms of your hospitalization and your outpatient. 
• That you got a neuropsychologist, not just a speech pathologist or an occupational therapist but a Ph.D. professional who had years of experience. 

Also contributing to your success in recovery would be that you went back to a job fairly quickly, that you had a committed family, a committed boyfriend and I’m sure very committed friends even though we didn’t get to talk about those. 

But perhaps most important in your success in recovery s that you continued to challenge yourself cognitively by going to college, getting a new specialty, a new degree, and have worked in your field.  Do you see those themes in, in your recovery?

Yeah, absolutely.

What would you like to add to that regarding your success in recovery?

That I never gave up.  I refused to give up.  Even today, as you can see, like I said, I’ve republished my book and now I’m doing the audio version of my book.  I’m not going to give up.  I think, yeah, that’s it.  Don’t give up.

Did you almost give up at any point?

I probably, I’m sure I gave up within myself personally, I personally gave up.  I’m sure I said to myself, and I know I did when I was doing the book, and a couple times during classes and stuff I, I sat and, you know, this is crazy, or this is stupid or, or I don’t like this.

But in the global picture, in the whole picture I couldn’t give up.  I did in college, I went to my occupational therapy counselor more times than I can count and he had to bring it to my attention that I went to him after every test and I was insecure about it.  So I could’ve given up, and I know I did come close but no, I never, never gave up.

How do you help someone else not to give up?

I’m hoping that in seeing that not giving up worked for me and, and telling other people how happy I am, sincerely, how happy I am and how much I really enjoy every day, and that’s because that I didn’t give up, that that’ll help other people to not give up.

Is there any insight that you can give in terms of those moments when it’s the hardest to find that bright light and motivation?

I’m a very religious person.  I pray.  I love my life and I pray for all other brain injury, that they love their life.

 Next in Part Twenty Eight-Lori talks about her book Am I Brain Damaged?