The more things change, the more they stay the same

Yeah it has been awhile since I have vented on this or used this, but things are different and the same.  Since the plate being added I am a bajillion times better.  Sure, I am not the original Kara.  I have come to accept this now.  I am me, take me or leave me.  I am almost fully accepting of myself.  It is what it is, right??  Motto of my life.

I am not 100% but that is ok.  I am doing the best with what I am.  Sure, I have some minor deficits now.  Stil make bad choices, have no impulse control, have dis-inhibition. Have some aches and pains, that I have had from the beginning, but now I am doing something about it. Now doctors seem to be more ready to accept when I say something doesn't feel right.  I guess saying for awhile that my head felt weird after my original surgeries and I didn't feel right turning out to be a wicked infection in my skull proved to the doctors that I know my body, I know when something is wrong.  I have proved my point.  Sure saying things don't feel right gives me more doctors and therapies and doctor bills, but I gotta look out for number one.  ME!!  I don't choose this life of doctors appointments, I don't choose this life of lost friends, lost self esteem, loss of a purpose, loss of social life, loss of fun.  But it is my life, rocking and rolling with the punches as they get hurled at me.

During this rocking and rolling with punches I have found some outlets.  I work out like a mo-fo.  Go to the gym a few times a week.  It is my form of socialization.  I don't talk to the people, but it feels good to be around people.  I was afraid to go the gym the first time.  Thought it would be too much to handle, but it isn't. I put on my headphones and rock out.  I get into a zone.  It is just nice to be around other people and not just staring at my walls.  And it gets out my energy and proved to me I can do things.  At least the gym is my outlet.  In the world of TBI, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, and suicide are common.  At least I am just addicted to the gym.

I have applied for tons of jobs, interviewed for only one so far.  But I did it.  I may not have gotten that job, but I at least did it.  Proved to myself I could, and that I would not fail at interviewing.  My whole life is trial and error.  I just try things and see if I can do it.  Sometimes, I can't but most of the time I can.  I am done limiting myself and being a poor,broken, woe is me, damaged goods.  I am a normal human just like anyone else.  Sure I have my ups and downs, and sometimes the downs really really suck but I do have my ups.  The downs hurt because I have had so many of them since my brain scramble, and I always think that if I was not broken they would not have happened to me or hurt so damn much.

The jobs I have applied for are all very similar.  Still trying to save the world.  Or help others.  It is what I do, what I was made to do,what I love to do, so I keep trying.  Come hell or high water someone will hire me!!  UPMC, the main hospital system out here will hire me at some point just to get me to stop applying for jobs there.  To date I have applied for 7 jobs there.
  Service Coordination at Psych Hospital, Patient Monitor, Nursing Assistant on Behavioral Health Unit, Patient Care Technician which is a nurse aide, Teachers Aide at hospital Daycare, Child Life Specialist at Childrens Hospital, Peer Support at Psych Hospital.  Are we noticing a trend here?  And then there are other jobs, all along the same line for other agencies.    I really really really WANT to work.  I have worked since I was 15 years old.  At age 14 I was a candy striper (Striper NOT Stripper...lol) at a hospital.  Before that I baby sat and helped my aunt at a boy scout camp.

I cannot do just any job.  I refuse retail.  But if I have to, I suppose some day I will suck it up and try.  But I have done retail before.  Waaaay before, and HATED IT!!!!! Hate hate hate.  I have enough issues, I know my limits and don't want to add to them by hating a job with a passion.  I know me, and I know if I get a job like that, I will spaz out and quit in a minute. I am balls to the wall in all sorts of ways.  And with my impulse control issues too, I could totally see myself telling someone off in that instance. At least I know my limits, and I think it is ok to try to get a job that I know I will love and that works with my strength of helping people.

I may harp on my life, forget to care or show concern for other peoples lives, like my friends that are left, but I am trying.  I am trying to learn me.  Wish people would tell me about myself in a nice way so that I can learn.  I know I suck at some things, but I truly am trying.  Pretty soon I will be 18 months old.  18 months since the accident, and then it is only 4 months since the plate.  4 months of the newest version of me.  Do you have any idea how weird it is to be able to say that there have been multiple versions of yourself?  The original, then the one immediately post accident.  Then the one when the skull piece was re-added.  And the one when the skull was infected.  Then the one when the skull was taken out.  Then the one when the plate was added.  I have been a different person each time.  Not multiple personalities, just different.  One thing that will stick with me is that the other day I was laughing or making one of my sarcastic faces or something and one of my close friends said something to the effect that I am back...I was making a face I have not made in a while a face like my fathers and my laugh was back.  That felt awesome to hear that!!!  Because I do believe this is the best most "normal" version of me, and when she said that I felt like crying because I was so happy to hear that.

To all of the friends I have lost, it is your loss.  But I am also sick of saying and hearing from others, "it is their loss"  I wish it did not have to be like this.  Some of you I would still like in my life.  I put on a tough act.  Bitch about it for a minute and then pretend its ok.  But lots of times I do cry about it.  In my own world in my apartment I do cry.  It is hard to explain it unless you have gone through it, but it hurts to lose friends.  If we got into a fight and I lost you as a friend, that I could understand.  But losing friends due to the fact that I may have been difficult to understand at one point, I may have been a bit different, hard to handle.  Or lost friends because I lost my job.  That all hurts.  It is all through no fault of my own.  And if I do have my weak moments, screw it.  I may claim to be Wonder Woman, but I am only human.  And I would dare you to walk a mile in my shoes, see what it is like.  But I am also humane, and would not wish this on my worst enemy.  Well maybe one person...and he is very deserving of this battle.