ACUTE (0-3 months after injury)

Module 1: What has happened to me?
It is very early days since your injury. You are wondering what happened to you. You might not remember why you are in hospital, or how long it has been. Some people wake up to find several months or years of their lives have disappeared. They can’t remember what their earlier life had been like or recognise their family members…

Module 2: How does my TBI affect me?

What does the brain do?
Each part of your brain has a specific function. This picture shows the main functions of each brain area. An injury can happen to any part of your brain. You may have injured a specific part of your brain (this is called a focal injury) or multiple parts of your brain (this is called a diffuse injury) (15)…

Module 3: What to expect in the early days of recovery
Why am I in hospital?
Waking up in a hospital can be quite a frightening experience. You might not remember what happened and why you are in hospital, or how long it has been.
TBI is considered a medical emergency. When you have a TBI, you are immediately sent to hospital. Your doctors will work rapidly to assess your condition and treat you to prevent potentially

Module 4: Communicating your needs
After a brain injury, many people wake up to find themselves having trouble communicating their thoughts, feelings and needs (24). It can be very scary and lonely losing your ability to communicate.
To communicate with other people, several skills are involved which use different areas of the brain (25), including:

Module 5: What does recovery look like?
Many people can lead meaningful and fulfilling lives after a TBI. But it’s not an easy journey. Recovery is a long-winding journey. If you imagine a road, it can go up and downhill and wind around curves. Sometimes you will feel like you are going fast. Sometimes you will feel slow. Sometimes you will feel like giving up as the hill is too steep. It will not be easy, but you will get better over time…