Today is the first day of Brain Injury Awareness Month. The first awareness lesson is brain injury lasts longer than 30 days! In fact, today is DAY 3,804 for us.

We have learned many lessons, and Corey and I continue to speak to other TBI families about the nuances, details and adapted strategies we practice every day. This month it is also important to educate our legislators on the never-ending advocacy work required by families to fight insurance to help our loved ones regain a quality of life which was altered by brain injury. Yes, 10 ½ years later, I am still advocating on Corey’s behalf for therapy, nursing coverage, and resources to help her maintain the abilities she works so hard to achieve. The last three weeks have been increasingly difficult to manage as the fight is the same; yet different, due to changes in policies and new managed care providers that limit funding approvals.

We are often asked how to describe brain injury. Coincidentally, the pandemic might be the perfect comparison to best explain what brain injury survivors and families cope with;

One day, the life we knew suddenly changed.

We had no idea what to expect from day to day. It’s difficult not having control over the decisions that direct our life.

We continue to learn new medical jargon and wait for science to advance recovery and treatment.

Brain Injury, like the pandemic, has changed our lives in so many ways. When faced with the challenges LIFE CARE presents, it’s important to remember a childhood lesson taught to me by my mother. “It’s not the challenge you face, but how you face the challenge”. 

That saying is mom reminding me; Marie, we have TODAY. 24 hours to do the best we can. Try to remember, every challenge we face is temporary. It’s important to make sure we look for moments of joy and receive it fully.

So, Go for a walk, go for a drive, facetime a friend, send a random hallmark card, remember to breathe and when a challenge or a day is hard, don’t forget it will not last forever. Tomorrow we get to try again. NEVER GIVE UP and NEVER GIVE IN xoxo