1 person sustains a brain injury every 9 seconds in the United States. Resource: Brain Injury Association of America
So many times, we in the world of brain injury concentrate on the negatives. I believe brain injury education advocacy is my new purpose. I spent many years learning the “new” me, and who I am now. Everything I have been able to accomplish is thanks to the support of my family. It has been done through deficits, failures, and never-ending exhaustion. It took us many years of healing, hurting and learning before being able to give back.
Veronica and I have taught many high school classes about brain injuries this month, and in abundance over the last 5 years. What we so often forget to teach others is the effort and energy we use doing this, making it so we are not able to function the rest of the day and sometimes part of the next.
However, we do it because it is rewarding. The students do not take their eyes off us, and they sometimes come up after to thank us and tell us their story about a loved one or themselves. They applaud without the nudging of their teacher. It feels good. My belief is that teaching high school students will help them in the future because we all inevitably are, run into, befriend, or are related to someone having a brain injury. No matter what our audience does in life, they will have heard of brain injury.
We sent out our latest recording of a recent presentation to our now retired neuropsychologist who has spent 40 years caring for TBI patients and their families. Did he have something to say about it!
“Hit the road to other groups- you should present to other groups like health classes, social work, physical/occupational therapy, psychology, nursing classes at UCCS / Pikes Peak Community College, police/fire first-responders, lawyers, etc., and teach them the real life of TBI.”
I was both thrilled and a bit nervous, honestly, to hear what he had to say. I always think he is going to say something negative because of his position, but he doesn’t. He is a Dr. and my confidence in myself is and has always been somewhat lacking. What he is suggesting is huge to me! We are used to teaching at high schools a few days each school semester. My thought is, “Do I even have the energy to call the necessary people to set these presentations up.”
I couldn’t believe it, and here I was worried he wouldn’t have the high appreciation for our presentation that he did. We will not be giving up on our high school talks. I firmly believe that since the majority of the students are 15 like Veronica was when she was injured, it is absolutely relatable and valuable for them to hear what we have to teach. Afterall, we were taking a routine trip to Wal-Mart while Veronica was driving with her Permit. It was just a “normal” day.” By the time we are done speaking, they may know more about the subject, symptoms, causes and possible outcomes than general practice doctors, or even ER doctors. They have been taught to treat presented conditions and to make sure the person is stable but have not been trained in “what happens after.” We are teaching our experience firsthand. Unfortunately, we are experts on Traumatic Brain Injuries.
Next year 2026-Teaching many of the places that our Neuropsychologist recommended is something we will definitely look into. This new project will be slow going, like everything in our lives now. As I say often, “Slow is still forward.” We will do what fits into our lives. Veronica and I are very excited about what lies ahead.
If you would like to learn more about our trials and triumphs, our moves forward and our steps back. Please read my brain injury educational book titled,
A Miracle a Day, One Day at a Time: Hope After Traumatic Brain Injury
Count your wins and not your difficulties. It really does make a difference in your outlook.
Dawn Corbelli 