Heads Up: Dealing with a Concussion by Shandi Pace

The frightening term being tossed around regarding our favourite athletes as of lately is concussions. Marc-Andre Fleury is one of the biggest names in the NHL and missed 8 weeks with a concussion he received during a game in late October. Rob Gronkowski of the New England Patriots is one of the latest concussion victims in the NFL.

How can a knock to the head be so serious?

The risk of having a concussion or traumatic brain injury (TBI) has become a significant injury across Canada. Although they are often viewed as minor, they can have lasting, detrimental effects. Concussions have developed into complex issues, in which one’s brain is injured as the result of a direct force to the body, such as a blow to the head that causes a shaking or jarring to the brain.

There’s no set way to prevent a concussion from happening. In sports, helmets only protect the bones of the skull, but they do not protect the actual brain from experiencing trauma. It’s important to be mindful of concussion symptoms.

Symptoms of a concussion can include:

·      Headache.

·      Dizziness and balance issues.

·      Difficulty concentrating or thinking clearly.

·      Blurred vision.

·      Insomnia or fatigue.

·      Memory loss.

·      Nausea or vomiting.

·      Sensitivity to light and sound.

·      An increase in anxiety and irritability.

·      Depression.

The full recovery from a TBI can last months to years depending on the severity. Every single brain injury is unique. Each will have different symptoms resulting in varying recovery time. It may seem frustrating at times, but it’s important to stay positive and take various steps to help the recovery process along.

Ability Online offers great services to help deal with a concussion or TBI. There are multiple forums where members can chat with each other and with professionals to understand this injury better.

Helpful resource pages are available including a concussion handbook, better night sleep tips, and returning to learning. We are also partnered with Holland Bloorview in order for parents to have the best research about TBI’s available to them.

There’s no avoiding a concussion, no matter how carful you may be. I suffered a concussion playing hockey in my teens and it was so scary. The first minute after being hit I was in such a daze and had no idea where I was. Thankfully, my symptoms didn’t last long and I was back to playing in no time. For others it may take time and be frustrating to overcome, but concussions can be defeated.

A Bigger Issue by Sarah Evans

Last week there was a lot of controversy around the Canadian National Exhibition (The CNE). On Tuesday, the CNE decided to cancel it's policy of allowing free admission to people with disabilities. There was such a big outcry that the CNE reversed this decision. I'm not really a fan of the CNE, but I do have some thoughts about this issue.

The other night, I was listening to a discussion about this on the radio. The host thought the CNE should be free for people with disabilities, saying that they can't go on the rides, one of a number of luxuries that they can't enjoy in life. I felt patronized by this comment. It's incorrect. Some people with disabilities can go on rides. Besides, many people who go to the CNE don't go for the rides - they go for other things like the food or shopping.

I have mixed feelings about the CNE giving free admission to people with disabilities. I think that it would be ideal for people with disabilities to pay full admission to the CNE and all other attractions. I think it would go a long way towards equality. Unfortunately, many people with disabilities don't have much disposable income. Their sole income is from ODSP and they struggle to afford the basics.

So while we talk about whether people with disabilities should get free admission to attractions, maybe we should really be talking about how to raise the average living wage for people with disabilities so they will have enough disposable income to enjoy going to places like the CNE.

Welcome Guests! by Sarah Evans

What if you were invited to go somewhere? It would be nice, right? You might even be an honoured guest. But, what if you knew that the people who invited you were not looking forward to the big event? You might even find out that they have been complaining about it.

I feel like this is how Toronto has been acting toward the Pan Am games. Instead of building up excitement for this world class event and the athletes that would be coming, we seemed to only be complaining. All I have been hearing on the radio about the Pan Am games for the past month or more is cost overruns, security and the infamous HOV lanes. I think that is what I am going to remember about these games more than anything else. 

Now we have taken to complaining about how much we are complaining.

Today is a new day though. Tonight is the opening ceremony, so it is my hope that we will put the complaints behind us and enjoy the next two weeks of the Pan Am games instead of continuously complaining about something happening regardless.

A Missed Opportunity? by Sarah Evans

The other day I encountered an interesting situation. I was at the aquarium in Toronto with a friend. It was during the day, and so there were a lot of kids with their school groups there. At one point, I was up against a display in my electric wheelchair and a little girl was in front of me. She put her arm on the foot rest of my chair, leaning against it.

I didn’t know whether or not I should have said something. I didn’t really mind her doing it. At the time, I wondered if her teacher might say something to her. Thinking about it after, I realized that it was my responsibility, not the teacher’s, to speak up and say how I felt.

This also raises another question in my mind. Is it just about me? I am not sure. Even though I didn’t mind, maybe I could have used this opportunity to educate this girl about people with disabilities and teach her that the equipment that we use is an extension of ourselves and that our personal space needs to be respected. Not that I would make a big deal of it, but maybe politely asking her to remove her arm could have gone a long way in educating her.