Concussion: Sympathy for Co-workers

Ever have a co-worker, job candidate, or client that you knew and after some traumatic incident they "didn't seem quite right" after recovering?
Two quick stories:

Many years ago my father was mugged in thrown to the ground by the attackers. It split his skull, causing hemorrhaging and seizures. Part of his treatment required lots of medication, and was not himself whatsoever. His ability to speak disappeared. He couldn't walk.
He didn't laugh like he used to  He didn't smile. He seemed a lot less sure of himself and what he was doing and what he used to be. He couldn't sit up or do anything else on his own. He couldn't talk and existed in a zombie like state. After a number of years of rehab, he regained a lot of what he had lost. Back then people would attribute his change in personality to just being a little torn up from his injuries as a victim of an attack. However we now know that he had serious repercussions from his concussion.

I also worked once with a woman who was a very bright and energetic sales assistant.
She was the darling of the sales and management staff, always being able to help out with tasks and get projects done on time. During a birthday celebration for a co-worker, she was standing next to a pole in the middle of the room. While clapping with others for the person's birthday, she turned her head the wrong way and accidentally ran into the pole she forgot was there. From that day forward she was never the same person. She was always depressed. She couldn't taste any of her food. She was very lackadaisical with no ambition. Many people could not understand what was happening to her, got frustrated with her attitude, made fun of her behind her back, and eventually the company fired her after six months.
During that time she would tell me I was the only one that was kind to her.
I could relate to what she was going through because my father was going through his troubles at the same time. I had seen the same symptoms in my father and understood that she had had a serious concussion, even though to everyone else in the company it seemed like a silly small impact at the time, and they didn't give her any sympathy to what she was going through.

I'm going through all the stages of concussion currently. I'd like to share my experience so employers, co-workers, friends and family might understand better what it is like to deal with an injury that no one can see, including me, yet it is as real as broken leg or arm. 

When dealing with customers, job seekers, and co-workers who are involved in any form of trauma involving their head, look for some of the signs I've described here and in the other blog posts I've written about my concussion.

If you know someone has had a concussion there are a few things you can do to help them.
1. Get them to walk or do other exercise.
Many co-workers go for walks during lunch time or leave to work out at a gym. Make sure the person with the concussion joins you or check in with them to make sure they are exercising. Research is showing that getting high blood flow to the brain helps with healing by bringing more oxygen to the brain.
2. Be patient with them
People with concussions will often need more time to find their words or need prompting to stay on task. Give them the time to remember what they are going to say, and help them focus with gentle reminders when needed.
3. Recognize they have been hurt and there is nothing they can do to speed the healing process, so be supportive in whatever way suits you, them, and the situation.

Concussions are life altering events.
A person may never be the same, or be exactly the same.
Each concussion is different because each person is different.
Recognizing that fact, and some of the symptoms described in these posts, can help you better understand what that client, job seeker, or co-worker is going through.
Your support and patience is appreciated by all of us.

Ev
A Heck of a Nice Guy...Currently a bit addle brained