Making the Invisible, Visible

I thought with June being Brain Injury Awareness Month (“BIAM”) that this would be the perfect opportunity to discuss an international movement called Unmasking Brain Injury.

Now before I get into the nitty gritty details on what Unmasking Brain Injury is all about, I need to share some facts with you. (Yes, I NEED to! This is BIAM after all!)  

Did you know?

• There are over 2 million Canadians with a brain injury (that’s 1 out of every 18 Canadians);

• Traumatic brain injuries (“TBIs”) are the leading killer and disabler of Canadians under the age of 40; and 

• Over 500,000 Canadians sustain a TBI each year; an annual incidence rate that is greater than that of Multiple Sclerosis, Spinal Cord Injury, HIV/AIDS and Breast Cancer combined.*

Conclusion: Brain injuries are bad. And they happen far too often. 

It is pretty shocking isn’t it? 

And yet, even with these troubling statistics, brain injury remains a silent epidemic. It “continues to be misunderstood and is often referred to as the invisible disability,” the Ontario Brain Injury Association stated in a press release earlier this month. “Through the unmasking project, hundreds of people living with brain injuries are making the invisible, visible by unmasking their stories through an artistic display of masks that represent their personal journeys.” 

Here is a picture of some of the masks that have been created:

Source: http://unmaskingbraininjury.org/

They really are beautiful. Click here to read the stories. 

For the record, I love love love this initiative! Not only does it raise awareness (which is uber important), but it also brings up another important point:

Not all wounds are visible. 

These words resonate with me more now than ever before. Since my concussion in February 2017, like many brain injury survivors, I suffer from cognitive and emotional deficits. This has made following social norms difficult at times. I have budged in front of people waiting in lines, cried uncontrollably or gotten angry for no reason, and stared blankly in response to  being asked a question. I even hip checked an old lady while I was running out of grocery store once (she was fine. I was not). In these instances, I know I came across as rude, inappropriate and strange when in reality, I was scared, confused and in need of help.

Harper Lee wrote in his novel To Kill a Mockingbird that “you never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.”

This is so true. We are all wonderfully different; our journeys and battles unique. One thing is similar though, regardless of what is hiding behind our invisible masks, we all deserve respect, love and kindness.  

But how do we eliminate judgment? 

Great question! Lori Deschene, the creator of Tinybuddha.com, suggests that “before you speak, let your thoughts pass through three gates:

1. Is it true? [Are you making an assumption? Do you have any facts?]
2. Is it necessary? [Do you really need to say this? Does it serve a purpose?]
3. Is it kind?” [Would your grandmother approve of you saying it?]

If you answer no to any of the above, just don’t say what you were going to say, and better yet, don’t even think about it. And when in doubt

or that doesn’t work, love. 

“What is love? Love is the absence of judgment.” - Dalai Lama 

***

Where’s my mask? I had every intention of getting crafty and making my own mask, but I didn’t get around to it. 

DON’T JUDGE! 

*You can learn more brain injury facts at http://www.bist.ca/facts-about-abi/