After my brain injury, I tried to return to work. My boss let me come back but said I could not be paid. Many of the things I was able to do prior to my accident were difficult for me. I could not remember the names of clients. I could no longer perform math in my head in order to make out invoices. I could no longer estimate jobs for cost, number of man hours needed, and time frames to complete the job. It took many months for me to understand I was not the same as I was before my injury.
My doctor suggested a vocational specialist. I was skeptical but after we met and went through an evaluation, I was given a chance to relearn these skills. Through volunteer work, and eventually paid opportunities, I am slowly getting back into the work world. I may never do what I did before, but I feel good about myself now and feel I may be able to earn some money so I can help pay for my expenses. The vocational counselor helped me to achieve a goal I did not think was possible.