Yesterday I went to the place I took my water therapies to talk to two girls who had been in accidents similar to mine. I wanted to help those girls in any way I could and I know talking to someone who has been where they are is something they would like. When I was where they are I wanted to see someone who had been through what I was going through and tell me that I was going to be ok. I wanted to know I wasn’t alone and I wasn’t the first to go through that. I wanted to know someone knew how I felt.
I was talking to the staff while I waited for the girls to get there where I could see them on camera when they arrived. When they got there and I saw them through the camera I don’t know what I felt. I saw the first girl and I suddenly saw myself as I got there for the first time.
I know they will make it because they have a wonderful and dedicated team behind them cheering them on, I am one of them, but I could not help but think about the struggles and the pain I was in. I could only think about the times I lashed out and yelled at people because of my frustration.
Hearing family members talk about what they are doing to make sure the girls get the best help they can get with the limited help for TBI in Puerto Rico, or anywhere really, made me frustrated. It makes me angry that with all the advances in medicine we have, people make TBI patients seem like a lost cause.
I am not a lost cause and neither are the rest of the other victims. There is a lot more to be done in the field of therapy, medications, and psychological support. I want the world to know this and stop treating us like a lost cause, there is a lot that can be done to make the lives of TBI patients better. Make more and better rehabilitation centers, make more doctors available in more places and make medicine more affordable.
Unstoppable María 