Concussions and Lawn Chairs

Raise your hand if you have ever fallen into a rut? Felt stuck in the same dull routine? Been unhappy, uninterested and disappointed with your life?   Me, too. I've been there. We've all been there. I mean even " Alice had to fall down a deep hole before finding her wonderland." *  Last February, not only did I sustain a concussion when I fell, but I also landed in a rut the size of the Grand Canyon. When you consider the facts though, I can't say that I am all that surprised by this. Every brain injury is unique, so it is impossible to establish a timeline for recovery. This creates extreme uncertainty as it's difficult to set long term goals or plans. Add a dash of post concussion symptoms, chronic pain, medication and hundreds of specialist appointments, throw in cancelled plans and lost independence, mix in job and financial instability as a result of the injury, then let the mixture marinate over time; And bam! You have the perfect rut. (Don't

I spent Easter long weekend in New Orleans for a Bachelorette Party. Why would someone who suffers from chronic migraines, visual snow, and post concussion syndrome go to The Big Easy? Aside from a few valid reasons (that are too boring and predictable to share), my choice to go on the trip was largely fueled by my "fear of missing out" ("FOMO") (or as my future sister in law would say, the fear of missing stuff ("FOMS")). For as long as I can remember, I've dealt with FOMO in one form or another. For those who are unfamiliar with the term, FOMO  is defined in the Merriam-Webster dictionary as the " fear of not being included in something (such as an interesting or enjoyable activity) that others are experiencing ." During her Ted talk on the topic, Priya Parker, the Founder of Thrive Labs, defined FOMO as the " anxiety of opportunity cost. "  Through her research she found that " we live in fear to make sure that we’re try