WINDOWS 98 AND THE WEB

In an attempt to bring Traumatic Brain Injury and Rehabilitation into the twenty first century, there are many similarities to the web and windows 98. When you first looked at your PC, used the mouse or attempted to get on line it was probably overwhelming and frightening. You may have wanted to kick and scream at the stupid machine. The same is true of a Brain Injury. It is overwhelming, frightening and anxiety provoking. You find yourself frustrated and using adjectives that are not typically a part of your vocabulary.

1) You hear words that appear foreign or used in another context. A perfect example: Occupational therapy Does NOT MEAN your job or profession. In the context of Brain Injury it refers to activities of daily living and fine motor coordination.

2) Instead of writing letters or phone calls, WE NOW interact via e-mail and the web. A Brain Injury IS SIMILAR. As a result of speech or language deficits, you may have to make MODIFICATIONS in the way you interact and communicate.

3) When you dial your ISP attempting to get on line, IT IS NOT always cooperative. Sometimes you get a busy single or no response. A Brain Injury is SIMILAR. Your first attempt MAY NOT succeed. It may take TWO OR THREE attempts to achieve your goal.

4) You find a web site, thinking it will give you useful information. It DOES NOT. However, you have opened the door to other links and OPTIONS. A Brain Injury is SIMILAR. There are different WAYS of achieving a goal. Sometimes you have to be CREATIVE and FLEXIBLE.

5) With all this new technology, life is now on fast TRACK. After sustaining a Brain Injury, it may seem as if life is moving TOO quickly. 6) There is always something NEW to learn. Just when you think you have mastered your PC and the WEB, something new comes along. There is NO end to learning. A Brain Injury is SIMILAR. DO NOT set limitations on improvement and your rehabilitation.

7) Learning Window 98 and the Internet is a step-by-step process. You first have to master the basic before you can move on. Rehabilitation is similar. You have to RELEARN the basics before you can move onto higher level functioning.

8) Over the years computers and the Internet have become more compact and more efficient. A Brain Injury is SIMILAR. Over time and with practice, you learn ways to ACCOMMODATE and make your life more EFFICIENT.

9) As a rule, the first thing you do when you buy your PC is install an anti virus program, and make a rescue disk. A Brain Injury is SIMILAR. A major priority should be SAFETY.

10) A car or home window enables people to see light. When you open and close windows on your desktop, you can see below the surface. A BRAIN INJURY is SIMILAR. Over time the FOG LIFTS, the glass gets clearer and YOUR FUNCTIONING IMPROVES.

The message is EVERYONE and AT THEIR OWN PACE AND COMFORT level can learn their way around windows and the internet. The same ANALOGY applies to a TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY.