I wish I could post this on my forehead (next to my smile):

Since my injury, my head feels like it's about to burst around large crowds (especially crowds of unfamiliar people), I struggle if more than one person is involved in my conversation, and sometimes I feel overly-sensitive to things that didn't bother me before.

This bugs me.

If only it were possible to make everyone who ever comes in contact with a TBI Survivor to read this: share because it explains WHY in very simple terms (thank you Lash & Associates)!

A new name for my smile . . .

My heart melts as I remember a question that my sweet four-year-old nephew, Benjamin, asked me this past weekend:

He was sitting on my lap, looking so cute that I almost took a bite of him. But, before I could do anything, I busted up laughing because he said, "Lemme see da scrape on your forehead."

"I love that you called it a scrape!" I responded, still laughing.

"Well, das wat 'tis. Iss a scrape!" ("as if" there was anything else to call it)

Sometimes a scar. Sometimes a scrape. Always a smile.

You can now find my book for your KINDLE!!!

If you have a Kindle, please check out my book at the Amazon Kindle Store!
www.amazon.com

My SMILE will be at the Utah Festival of Books!!!

The Smile on My Forehead: Memoir of My Life with a Brain Injury will be part of the Utah Festival of Books on Saturday, June 4th!

I will be giving a 15 minute presentation at 10:45 a.m on the main oudoor stage outside the Wilkinson Center on the BYU campus, and then signing books from 11 a.m - 1:00 p.m. This is a wonderful opportunity to sell my books and also to educate more people about Traumatic Brain Injury! I'm definitely planning to give a short crash-course on TBI!

Anyone in Utah who is interested and available, please come listen.

Click HERE for the Festival Website. . .

Nutrition has long been investigated as a possible treatment for TBI

The following article got me thinking, once again, about the importance of nutrition for a brain injury survivor. They are finding that good nutrition, especially high protein, will help in the very, very early stages of injury.

Interesting because I am a HUGE cheerleader for good nutrition even decades after injury. When I eat better, my brain feels better!

Read the article right HERE

Powerful Soul Surfer: all it takes is a little love

I've only cried *EVER* in a few movies. The first was E.T. and the second was The Joy Luck Club. And the third was just a few days ago when I watched Soul Surfer.

This movie is based on a true story about teenage surfer Bethany Hamilton who gets her arm chomped off by a 14-foot tiger shark. I cried during the movie not only because it's so inspirational, but because I could completely relate to Bethany's personal battle to not let tragedy destroy her life. I say "battle" because on the one hand she said things like, "What am I supposed to do now?" and "How will I succeed?" or "Why did this have to happen to me?" These are some of the EXACT same questions that I struggle(d) with after my Traumatic Brain Injury. Bethany lost her arm, which changed her life. I lost part of my brain, which changed my life.

And on the other hand, she keeps at it until she can learn to surf with just one arm. When someone asked her, "Do you think you'll surf again?" She curtly answered, "Think??? I 'know' I'll surf again." Her determination is key.

Bethany really had to learn how to love and accept her new self and I feel like I had to do the same after my injury. I saw Bethany's parent's struggle to know when to accept that she may not be able to accomplish the same things and when to push her to still dream big, just as I watched my parents push and pull back with me.

Through my years as a Traumatic Brain Injury Survivor, I've found myself much more conscientious of others who are someplace in the midst of a personal struggle. And I've found that's everyone -- to some degree -- everyone struggles with something. For some of us it's a missing limb or missing brain cells, but for others it's the death of a loved one, a broken heart, or financial mishap.

It puts my own struggle in clear perspective when I think in these terms.

My favorite quote from a Bethany interview is this: She hopes her story will "encourage people, young and old, to learn to love others more, cuz I think that's what this world needs -- is just more love towards other people. I mean, we're all not perfect, all of us have something wrong with us . . ."

Physicians and TBI

Here is a great, short video about an army physician who also sustained a Traumatic Brain Injury. Watch it HERE