Remember the Turtle… He was Slow but he WON the Race

I have had my brain injury for a long, long time now.  It has almost become a friend to me. My injury came right after receiving my RN license from a car accident.  Everything was very bad in the beginning.  I was not supposed to live to even get to the hospital. My injuries damaged my brain stem and right side of my head.  After four months, I went home to survive and live.  There was no BIANC, support group or instructions on problems caused by the injury.  So I lived never really realizing my limitations.

I did try to return to work as a nurse and began to realize balance was an issue.  Then I began volunteering for BIANC trying to let everyone everywhere know about dealing with brain injury.  I spoke at school PE classes, helped begin a support group and eventually lead it, attended social events and a camp sponsored by BIANC.  I was raising my children also.

I now work for the BIANC as a resource coordinator for the TRIAD area.  Remember me saying earlier the brain injury was like a friend.  That is because my office is in a hospital and I am able to provide education resources to patients BEFORE they go home.

I have not let this injury stop me from living.  I do have issues I must deal with.  The choice of how I deal with them is up to me.  I choose to keep on going.  I say to the patients I see “Remember the turtle- he was slow but he WON the race.”