Brain Injury Awareness

Good morning (as of when I typed this)!!

If you do know me, you might know that I am a big gift giver and just giver in general. I love to make others feel special and I love to give to important things. So, this month, of course, we will be giving together and I am so excited. Last year I came up with the idea and it went so well and we raised a good amount. This year, I want it to be even better. 

Okay, but, why brain injury awareness? Okay. I will explain in this blog. 

I am a survivor. I am a survivor of a severe head injury. Wouldn't have known it, huh? That is because of the brilliant God that we serve and because the brilliant people He has created. I survived a lot during that time of my head trauma. I survived brain swelling issues, losing my leg, grieving over a best friend and what my life was going to look like and how it was going to be so much different. 

Enough beating around the bush. In September of 2020, my late husband (of only 41 days) and I got into a horrible car accident. I am blessed that I am here and able to share my story and be able to type this up. The gracious first responders took such good care of me, I made it to the emergency room where the best of the best were on shift that night. Ironic? I was then flown to Kearney, Ne where once again, their best of the best were on shift. My femur had a compound fracture in two spots. Yeah, sounds pretty BA except I don't remember any of that. So, I do not remember any of the initial pain. God bless our body's protecting us. Anyways, I have some pretty gnarly scars on my left leg, but if I just create crazy stories of how they got there, it makes it more feasible to have a "messed up" leg. The orthopedic surgeon on that night is PURE genius. Also, I have learned is also a huge believer in our savior. So your telling me this guy is a surgeon and religious? Weird because normally those guys are pure scientific based. This man believe he was given these talents from our one and only savior and I do too. You know when you just know someone was placed into your life through the power of God? Yes, that is Dr. McGowan for me. I should have lost my leg or got an infection, scientifically speaking. But he did not let any of that happen to me and still encourages me to live a wonderful life. 

Okay, enough with that crazy survival moment. My head injury was another one of the serious parts of my injuries. Haha yes very plural on the amount of injuries I had. When in Kearney, not neurological focused so have to give them so grace, they suspected I had a mild brain injury. However, as time went on when I was there, they grew to realize it was a lot more serious than that. Also a brain injury can change like crazy in the blink of an eye. Kinda scary. But guess what? Mine did not. It changed, but always for the better. The first couple days after getting the initial trauma, there is a huge risk for brain swelling, which does not sound good does it? My brain never swelled and NEVER caused an issue after the initial trauma.

So, I will admit when trying to come out of the PTA (post traumatic amnesia-I don't remember a whole month of my life) our personalities change. Mine did and my language got very colorful...if you know what I mean. It was mortifying for my family, friends, loved ones to hear me and see me be act almost, as they put it, devilish. I was just so hateful and angry all the time, even though I still had no idea what was even going on or what had happened to me. 

Now, this brings me to my point of why we are donating money to Craig Rehabilitation. After Kearney, it was time for recovery in Englewood, Colorado. MY GOODNESS ARE THOSE PEOPLE WONDERFUL THERE!! My mom said when we arrived she was so lost and hopeless on how her little girl was doing or what I was going to be like, but my neuropsychologist told her, not worry that I would be back it just takes time. I finally learned a month after about the accident, what was wrong with me, and the loss of my husband. Pretty, very, unexplainable traumatic moment. But look at all the people I got to meet because I was there. I became immediately close with one of my nurses and my neuropsychologist and so comfortable around the rest. They made a sad time for not only me, but other residents feel like we were at home and we were not messed up in the head, literally. Such amazing people with, also, God given talents to serve others. 

Because that place gave so much to me, I owe them more than what I will ever be able to give. Just as I owe, we all owe, God more than what we can give. I mean look at me typing this, happy in life again, as normal as normal is, and finding love again. How am I supposed to repay that? The way we are called to and that is be disciples of His good work and others. So, happy (almost) Brain Injury Awareness Month. We are going to help someone out there whose life has been changed because of an injury and maybe multiple. I know this might not mean much to you because you haven't experienced something like this (I had no idea about any of this before it happened to me), but if it means that someone out there gets the chance to live a "normal" life again, I think it is worth your time to give and PRAY. Pray ALWAYS!!

Thank you for the love & support,

Shelby