Your Stories

I’ve survived 40 cognitive challenges/brain injuries.  Why do I say that I’m challenged vs. disabled, retarded, handicapped, etc., because these terms only reflect our harsh treatment of survivors of trauma.  I use the optimisitc explanatory learning style vs. the pessimisitic explanatory learning style.  My first cognitive challenge came at the age of 12 in 1977. … Read More

I am sitting in the hospital’s spinning outpatient waiting room, which reeks of disinfectant and old people. A smell that makes me want to escape to Peter Pan’s Never Never land, so I never radiate that aroma. To make it even better, the people look worse than they smell. They have the wrinkles of a… Read More

Hello, my name is michelle. I went into the hospital on my third knee surgery. It was only a day surgery. My orthopedist left instructions to not give any narcotics patient does not tolerate. They kept me overnight because my oxygen was low. When my husband came in the morning I was unconcious. I was… Read More

My name is Trenell. I consider myself an inspiring young man that has overcome tremendous adversity to fulfill my calling to help others.  At the tender age of 14, I experienced a life-changing football injury which resulted in paralysis from the neck down.  What were meant to be my high school glory days turned to… Read More

In the spring of 2007 my family and I had moved to Washington state from California.  At the time our daughter had just turned 16.  Well she really missed her friends back in California, and thought of all the fun they were having.  She new she was missing out.  Making new friends at the high… Read More

My personal story – Brain Injury Awareness Month – March, 2010 Hello everyone, I’m Sian Liu and this is my personal story on “paper” for the first time. I sustained a brain contusion in a car accident on December 21, 2005. Growing up, something I was still doing even at the age of 26, I… Read More

In the winter of 2009, my husband was suffering from an episode of depression.  He had been in and out of the hospital a couple of times, and earlier, had been given the drug, Abilify.  My husband is also diabetic, and I questioned the used of this drug under those circumstances.  At any rate, he… Read More

On July 23 of 2004, I lost my brakes, in my truck. I was following a friend, after work. I tried to go around him. That resulted, in me hitting an on coming car head on. My truck went over the hood of the car. Then, I hit the jersey barrier. I was ejected then,… Read More

Car accident. I was driving an ’05 toyota corolla and the other car involved was an ford f450. I was at a stop sign making a left turn and in the mist I was struck on the driver’s side by the other vehicle.  Police ivestiGators estimate me Going between 10-20 mph and the truck to… Read More

My name is Ron Grigsby and I am a traumatic brain injury survivor.  I am actively involved with the Brain Injury Association of Washington’s Spokane chapter, as well as a member of the NIBIF. On March 21, 2007, while working as an independent contractor for Blackwater in the Middle East, the convoy I was riding… Read More

Hello there!  My injury is pretty frightening, but my recovery is pretty amazing.  There are many answers I’m still trying to figure out regarding the difference between the two. I went sledding with two of my girlfriends from work one night.  Long story short, I ran head first into a tree.  I fractured my skull… Read More

Unintended Consequences July 11, 1989. While it was long ago, I can still close my eyes and relive almost every moment. It started out as a typical summer day and the warehouse my company was building was moving right on schedule. This particular day we would be setting wooden roof trusses with a span of… Read More