What do you want to be when you grow up?

 

“When I grow up, I’ll be stable” (Garbage 1998)

 

Well - that’s one answer, I suppose!

 

But -when the question is addressed to a child, the answer is likely to be vocational, in nature. 

 

But - “...do you want to be...?

 

Surely there is more to a person than their job.  People aren’t defined by their job - It is only one aspect of themselves.

 

In the same way, I am not defined by my brain injury. I am not “brain injured Phil v2.0” - I am “Phil v2.0 who happens to have survived a brain injury”.

 

At risk of excessive pedantry, though - they might be fair points and both correct, but we are not comparing like with like. 

 

Being brain injured (among other things!) is not a job (at least it is not something, that a school careers advisor would suggest!)

 

That said, while I did not want it, nor completed an application form and attend an interview, my own injury can sometimes feel like the source of a career.

 

Albeit an unpaid one!

 

This is of course, a vast overstatement - but I do spend quite a lot of my time on certain activities, arising from the injury ...

 

I sometimes feel like a “professional patient” (although, as to the passive word “patient” - don’t get me started!)

 

Here are some of the things that I am talking about - with apologies for the repetition of some matters mentioned in earlier posts (just trying to pull things together, a little).

 

·      As I have told you, I have developed something of an affinity with the occupational therapy profession ...

 

In this capacity, I have been involved in the delivery of training to university OT students.


Not a great likeness!

 

I have also made some OT conference, presentations - including acting as closing, plenary speaker at their 2019, national conference.

 



A more accurate image. 

 

I haven’t shrunk - it was, just a rather large stage!



I have written and had published, an article for their national trade journal. 

 

I was also honoured, by a request to write the foreword to a new OT textbook.





 

I trust that you will all be buying the hardback version, at £120. Mind you, a copy autographed by myself will be worth at least twice that much - hmmmm!

 

·      As I mentioned last week, I act as a volunteer at my local branch of Headway.  I have spent some time this week, devising a potential new activity, which could facilitate some peer-to-peer therapy (and indeed, enhance sociability).

 

I had also been asked to act as a “main speaker” at the (sadly postponed) 2020 Headway UK, national conference.

 

·      A neuropsychologist (who I haven’t met) made indirect contact, and asked if I would meet up with one of her own clients. Such a meeting has been arranged for next week.

 

This isn’t the first time that this has happened, and I met up with a fellow brain injury survivor, in similar circumstances, a few years ago.

 

·      Last week I was asked to address a firm of solicitors, who specialise in brain injury (and similarly severe cases) litigation.

 

And finally (although there are probably some things that I have forgotten!) ...

 

·      This blog is an attempted articulation of a brain injury survivor’s story - and I suppose that its ongoing creation, bears similarities to the activities, that I’ve just mentioned.

 

As I mentioned earlier, I would rather not have been put in a position, that enables me to undertake them.

 

That said, I have been so placed, and cannot re-write history. 

 

I am lucky that I can do these kinds of things and sincerely hope, that they provide value.

 

If nothing else, they might assist the brain injured, and those who provide them with (personal and professional) care.

 

Overall, I guess that exploitation of my disabilities (different abilities!) for the greater good, is the “way to go”

 

I will therefore work hard on maximising the scope and quality of delivery, in areas such as these.

 

Famous last words?!



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