Life After TBI: Maggie’s Story
Estimated Reading Time: 13 Minutes
I am super excited to announce this special new series that I’m launching about life after a traumatic brain injury.
This week, I’d like to introduce you to Maggie Doucette.
In celebration of June being Brain Injury Awareness month in Canada, Maggie of M.A.D. Digital Marketing sat down with me to share her personal story. We discussed what living with a brain injury is like and how her life has changed. She also offered her advice to others struggling with a TBI and had a special message for their friends and family members.
So without further ado, let’s dive right in to hear what Maggie had to say!
“The biggest thing with TBIs is that people can’t see it. If they can’t physically see what’s wrong with you, they don’t have even the empathy for it.”
Maggie’s Story of Surviving a TBI
Me: Welcome! Would you please introduce yourself?
Maggie: My name is Maggie Doucette and I live in Kamloops, BC. I’m a social media marketer and bookkeeper.
Me: What did you do before your TBI and what kind of person were you?
Maggie: Before my TBI I was actually a Registered Care Aide. I finished that schooling right out of high school. I was a super outgoing person and super athletic. I was kind of a happy-go-lucky person and was basically unstoppable.
Me: Describe what happened when you acquired your TBI?
Maggie: It was not your typical TBI that you’d think from sports or something. I was actually in a waterslide accident. Quite different.
It was a waterslide that was kind of like a river raft where people go down on tubes. You go down on different levels at different paces, but what they do is send multiple people down one after the other. So me, I weighed probably 105 lbs, went trickling down the slide. But they sent a bigger lady compared to me right behind me... What happened was her tube collided with mine. I went flying out of my tube and ended up down at the very end of the waterslide. I hit the occipital back area of my head. And when I did that, I also heard my neck crack, as well. So it was quite crazy.
I didn’t get knocked out or anything, I actually got up and walked out of the water. I think I was kind of in shock after what happened.
Me: When did that happen? How long ago was this?
Maggie: It’s going to be six years ago this July long weekend.
Me: What symptoms did you experience after your TBI?
Maggie: So I had headaches, which eventually turned into chronic migraines. I had dizziness, and along with the dizziness, I had nausea. I had some vomiting. And then I had chronic neck pain and fatigue. I was basically a shell of a human.
Me: How long did all of that last?
Maggie: I’d say that lasted for a solid 3 years. I feel my body kind of got used to the nausea and dizziness, so it didn’t bother me as much as the migraines and the neck pain.
Me: That must have made it difficult to continue with your regular life.
Maggie: I basically didn’t have a regular life. I was a couch potato. Unemployed. Living in my parents’ house.
Me: What kind of treatments did you try?
Maggie: I saw any kind of specialist you could think of. I saw an internist, a rheumatologist, a neurologist. I tried physiotherapy, massage therapy, seeing a chiropractor, and acupuncture, as well as IMS. I tried botox injections in my face and neck for the migraines. But for me, that was a waste of $700 because it didn’t help. Then I finally saw a Naturopathic doctor.
Me: What was the tipping point for you that finally helped you find some relief or see some improvement?
Maggie: When I went to see the Naturopathic doctor, we really focused in on my diet at first. We went with an anti-inflammatory diet so we got rid of the gluten, the dairy, the sugars, and got rid of the nightshade vegetables - potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and that kind of stuff. I was predominantly gluten- and dairy-free prior to seeing her, but I would have cheat days - a lot of cheat days. So we strictly cut that out.
And then we added a lot of vitamins and omegas because I don’t like fish. She said I’d have to be on lots of omegas, plus vitamin D, B12, and that kind of stuff. This kind of helped for about 6 months then I had a relapse with the pain, fatigue, and neck pain. So then we wondered what else we could do. That’s when she suggested Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN). At high doses, it’s used to help with opioid dependency, but proven at low doses to help people like me with chronic pain and chronic migraines.
That’s basically given me my life back.
Me: Did that enable you to return to work?
Maggie: Basically yeah. I still cannot do any physically demanding jobs. Sadly, I couldn’t go back to being a Registered Care Aide, so I went and got my bookkeeping diploma. Then basically, for about 3 years now, I’ve been basically working full-time.
Me: Which symptoms do you still struggle with?
Maggie: My challenges are daily. I actually, due to COVID19, got laid off from work, so I decided to start my own business. So now I am actually 100% self-employed and working from home. When I’m having my bad days, it’s a lot easier to be working at home.
I really struggle with the neck pain still, the migraines, and most definitely the fatigue. But I do notice that it’s correlated with my mental health. So if my mental health is not good, my physical health will react along with that and vice versa. So of course, if I’m not feeling well physically, then mentally I’m sad or whatever.
Me: That’s common it seems. It doesn’t go away after a week or two, leaving you still having to deal with everything. Then of course, when you’re in chronic pain with chronic fatigue, it’s very easy to bring yourself down, feel like you’re in a fog, and wonder when this is going to be over. It’s very debilitating.
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Maggie: And since the TBI, I’ve been diagnosed with fibromyalgia on top of that. And I believe that fibromyalgia stems from emotional or some sort of physical trauma like a TBI.
Me: What’s different in your life now, compared to before your TBI? In other words, how has life changed for you physically, mentally, and emotionally?
Maggie: I had a really good thing. So obviously it’s completely different. Since the accident, I lost who I was. I was a very outgoing and athletic young girl in pretty good shape. I could no longer play the sports I liked to do, heck I could barely walk up the stairs.
And like I said, prior to my TBI, I was unstoppable and go-go-go. I can’t do that anymore. Even on my good days, if I push too hard, I’ll pay for it later. My body will be like, “Hmmm - you thought you could do that but you couldn’t.” So here you are - tired, not being able to do things for a few days after that. And then of course, mentally, emotionally, I have good days and bad days which correlates with my physical health and vice versa.
I also started seeing a counsellor, which has also helped. For the first few years after my accident, I thought I didn’t need to see a councillor and thought they couldn’t do anything for me. I was totally against it. But back in October of 2019, so not that long ago, I thought ok, I should go see somebody. So I started seeing a counsellor, which has really helped, as well.
Me: Would you say you are the same person you were before your accident or different?
Maggie: No - definitely not the same person as before. I basically can function as a 70% normal human now thanks to the LDN, but I still struggle daily with what would seem like simple tasks. To this day I struggle with early mornings because I don't sleep well. I struggle with a lot of house chores if I do too much at once. I struggle with my migraines and pain still but not as often as before. I do still struggle with my depression and anxiety, as well. I look like a normal healthy person on the outside but inside, I struggle. I hide it pretty well. I usually start to feel crappy when I push too hard and if I get extremely stressed out.
Me: Have you started to come to terms with how your life has veered off-course from what you would have expected or hoped for yourself?
Maggie: My goal in life - I was a Registered Care Aide, but my goal was to become a Paediatric nurse. And now here I am. I can’t do that. So I’m sitting at a desk all day, which I did not see for myself whatsoever. But I don’t know. I don’t think I’m 100% over the grieving process of who I was and I haven’t 100% accepted my life now. But as the days go on and years pass, I get used to it and the new normal for me.
Me: That grieving process is definitely a challenge.
Maggie: It’s definitely a challenge and I thought I could do it on my own. But sometimes you have to get out of your own head and ask for some help.
Me: This can also be hard, especially if you were a person who was used to doing everything yourself and taking on the world.
Maggie: For years, my mom had to help me with everything - my laundry, cooking food. Sometimes she had to blow dry my hair because I was just too tired to have my hands above my head for that long.
Me: Has it made you think differently about the products you buy, places you go, people you spend time with, or food you consume? How so?
Maggie: Totally. So like I said, in terms of diet - predominantly gluten-free and dairy-free and mostly sugar-free. I wouldn’t say it changed the places I go, more or less, but it changes what I’d do. So say I go to a waterslide park again. You won’t catch me on a waterslide! I’ll probably be hanging out in the hot tub or something. It’s not worth it - things like water sports or things that have anything to do with the potential of hitting my head again.
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Me: What about places that tend to be loud or busy with lots of people around… does that affect you?
Maggie: Most definitely. So, prior to my TBI, that didn’t bother me. I was the loud one in the room. I was the one talking or yelling. But ever since then I am a total introvert. And loud restaurants are hard for me. Concerts are tough. Any large, loud gatherings - I try to avoid.
Me: How have your friends and family reacted to you? Have they been supportive, comforting, and there for you?
Maggie: My parents were 100% my number one supporters throughout all of this. And they still are. To be honest, I’ve lost a lot of friends due to it. And some of my relationships with my family members have strained because of this, as well.
Me: Do you have any ideas of why you think that might be?
A: I think mostly because they just don’t understand it. The biggest thing with TBIs is that people can’t see it. If they can’t physically see what’s wrong with you, they don’t have even the empathy for it. Not necessarily the sympathy - because it’s very hard to sympathize with somebody with a TBI, but they don’t have that empathy.
Me: That leads into my next question. What would you like others to know about how best to deal with someone who’s had a TBI?
Maggie: That’s a really good question. The biggest thing is to be patient. Be patient with us. I’m obviously not in the group that’s trying to learn to talk or walk again, but sometimes people are after their TBIs. So you’ve got to be patient with us because we’re kind of learning how to navigate life again. We’re not always operating on all cylinders, because sometimes we’re just too tired. So be patient with us.
A lot of times, I used to get, “Well you look fine.” Please don’t say that to us. Of course, we look totally fine because your brain is inside your body. If I could show somebody what it was like physically, I would, but I can’t.
Me: What advice would you like to give someone who’s just sustained a TBI?
Maggie: Go see a doctor right away. Go to the hospital. My mistake, and I don’t know if anything would have changed for me, but I didn’t go see a doctor until about a week later when the headaches wouldn’t stop. Whereas after my accident, I should have gone straight to the emergency room. Whether I thought it was bad at the time or not. So that’s one of the biggest things.
And sleep. When I got home from the waterslide, my parents kept me up - basically into the night, because of the idea that if you have a concussion, you can’t sleep. Because if you sleep, you might not wake up - that myth that’s out there on concussions. But nowadays, they are suggesting that you sleep when you sustain a brain injury. So really, get some sleep, and take a nap or something. Just not before you go see a doctor.
And then there was this medication that I was trying. Of course, I was trying all the Advils the Tylenols, and such. But it’s an over-the-counter medication you can get called Mersyndol. It’s codeine mixed with ibuprofen - don’t take that. I took it because I was in agony with the pain and migraines. I honestly did not learn until a month or so ago that the label says do not take if you’ve sustained a brain injury. But of course, back then I didn’t care to read the label because it helped me. So who knows what I’ve made worse for myself by taking that.
Me: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Maggie: If you’ve suffered a brain injury, you have to be patient with yourself. It’s upsetting, yeah. And you might not be able to do the things you used to do, but you might get there. Since being on the LDN, I’m able to do some physical activity now. Maybe not as much as I used to non-stop, but I can now. And surround yourself with people who 100% care about you and have that empathy toward what you went through and what you have to deal with daily. As crappy as it is to lose friends or even family, you kind of have to pick and choose the people you want around.
Me: What about your outlook? Do you find yourself struggling to stay positive and moving forward?
Maggie: Most definitely. For a solid couple of years after the accident, very honestly, I didn’t think I wanted to continue. Because it’s tough. Your life is completely different. You go from being super athletic non-stop to being a couch potato for years. It’s tough but now it’s really easy to stay positive. If I have a bad day, I see it as that - it’s one bad day. It’s not my entire life anymore. So I try to see the positivity in it. It’s a lot easier for me now, as it’s been 6 years. So basically, practice makes perfect there. And getting help from someone else is helpful, too. Because you do have your family and friends to lean on, but sometimes you need that non-biased input.
Me: Thank you very much for your time in answering these questions. It’s also very interesting from my perspective, as well because of my personal story. My husband sustained a brain injury which, almost everything you said, mimicked things that he went through, things he experienced, and things he still goes through every day - years later.
With your story, as unfortunate as it was that it happened to you, know that there is a whole community of people out there who are dealing with the same things that you are. You are not alone. Getting your story out there and helping other people who haven’t experienced this realize what a big impact it has on, not only you, but your whole family, all of your connections, your job, your life, and everything you thought you knew about yourself has completely changed. So just educating other people on all of these different things and how life has changed for you is very important.
So I sincerely appreciate your time in doing this and for sharing your story.
I realize it must still be very hard to talk about it at times and very emotional.
Maggie: It is tough to talk about, but every single time I do, I feel like I’m that much closer to exiting the grieving of my old self and old life.
Me: Yes, that healing piece is so important. Do you have any parting words?
Maggie: Regarding your husband - it’s a small world running into somebody who knows somebody, very closely, who also suffered a TBI and has struggled with the same things I have. How TBIs happen are all so different and even how people experienced it can be so similar - like me and your husband - but can also be worlds apart. But just to know that you aren’t alone out there. There are tons of us out there in this world.
Me: Unfortunately, yes.
Maggie: And then be able to share my personal story and what I have tried and what hasn’t worked for me may work for somebody else. And what has worked for somebody else might not work for me. It’s nice to be able to get that out there so someone else doesn’t feel alone. Even if they want to contact me.
Me: If someone does want to reach out or contact you, would you be comfortable sharing your information.
Maggie: Totally. The best way to contact me is probably through my Instagram (@maddigitalmarketing) or my FaceBook if they wanted to.
Me: Thanks again - I much appreciate it!
June is Brain Injury Awareness Month
So there you have it - another story of someone surviving a TBI and sharing their story. I hope you enjoyed this post and learned something.
As Maggie said, even though the way a person attains a TBI may be very different from the next, the symptoms they experience and the challenges they face daily may end up being very similar.
For Brain Injury Awareness Month, I urge you to share Maggie’s story with others - the more we can educate about the impact TBIs have on a person’s life and share their accomplishments, the better.
And take Maggie’s advice - just because you cannot see a brain injury, does not mean it doesn’t exist. TBIs are invisible but extremely impactful. Be kind and patient with those dealing with a TBI, as you have no idea what they may be going through.
As always, I welcome your thoughts and value your feedback. Let me know what you think by dropping me a line or commenting below. I’d love to hear your TBI story. And if you’d like the chance to have your story featured on my website, please send me a message - I look forward to hearing from you!
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