Concussions and Lawn Chairs

“Embrace life’s detours.”  Sacha, my yoga instructor, said at the end of this evening’s class.   “Sometimes things don’t always go as planned and that’s okay. There will be bumps in the road, but know that you are more than able and capable to get through these challenges.”  “Ugh. That’s just great,”  I thought.  “Here I am trying to enjoy my last savasana and be mindful, and all I can think about are my detours and embracing them. THANK-YOU Sacha!”  Okay. Okay. I wasn’t really that mad. How could I be? Sacha just gave me a great topic to write about:  Embrace. Life’s. Detours.  Repeat this phrase three times.  Write it down.  Remember it.  Make it your mantra.  I am confident that Janine Shepherd would give the same advice. When a car accident shattered her dreams of representing Australia in the 1988 Winter Olympics, Shepherd was devastated. Not only would she never be able to ski competitively again, ...

I know, I know I haven't written a blog in awhile.  My sincere apologies to my loyal readers (Mom & Dad - I love you!). Why have I been absent? The truth? To say it has been a tough couple of weeks would be a gross understatement.  My migraines have been disabling and the pain unbearable.  (My neurologist told me a fun fact today: the World Health Organization has stated that severe migraine attacks are as disabling as quadriplegia. I also learned today that neurologists do not have fun facts.)  I have been struggling emotionally. I know that it will take time to find the correct medication to treat my migraine disease and that I just need to be patient, but time is so precious. Who wants to spend their waking hours in bed?  I'm 32 and I’m not getting any younger (at least that's what my biological clock is telling me, which is particularly annoying as I'm not even sure that I want children.) I am in pain. I am tired. And I'm sad.  ...

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...

Brain Awareness Week (BAW), March 12 to the 17th, is a global campaign to increase public awareness of the progress and benefits of brain research.  In honour of BAW, I brainstormed (get it? BRAINstormed) a list of ten things you (YES! YOU!) can do to improve your brain health.  Wait? Am I qualified to give this kind of advice? Good question. Probably not. Yes, I’m like really really smart, but I do have a brain injury and am not a Doctor (so please do not take anything I say as a substitute for medical advice). So why should you even bother reading this? Another good question. The thing is I have learned more than I ever cared to know about brain health since my concussion in February of 2017.  I have seen over 20 different specialists/doctors and had over 160 appointments in the last 13 months (I'm compiling my medical bills for tax purposes, which is why I know these facts. Don't judge!). Plus, the following are things that I’m required to do daily...

Can you believe that it's been 365 days since my concussion? To mark this milestone, I celebrated with a day at the spa courtesy of a couple of my girlfriends (I'm so blessed) followed by ice cream cake and sparkling apple juice!!!! I know some may find it surprising that I am celebrating the occasion, but I decided a few months back that this is how I should and would approach the day.  Instead of focusing on how difficult this year has been and everything I've lost, I have chosen to celebrate the things I've learnt and how I've grown. (Plus, the spa and cake? Why wouldn't I do that?!) What's in my toolkit? I've compiled the following list of the top 5 skills/tools that I have acquired through my experiences this last year.  I have learnt to: 1. Let things go and accept the things that I cannot change 2. See setbacks and disappointment as opportunities for growth and learning 3. Be grateful even when it feels like nothing is going my way 4. Deal with s...

"What are you most passionate about? Why?" Around five years ago, my girlfriends signed me up for the online dating website eHarmony. This is the first question you need to answer on your profile and it's the first response any of your matches see.  I hated the question. (I know hate is a strong word, but I really did hate the query.)  I remember looking through the eHarmony advice section (yes, this is a thing) on how to complete this part of the questionnaire. A quick google search and I was surprised to see the article Answering the "Passion" Question is still online.  The columnist believed that the question could also be phrased as " what  thrills you above and beyond pleasurable instinctual drives like eating, sleeping, and procreating? " She went on to say that it  could " be broken down into components of “topic,” “object,” “action,” “skill set,” “outcome” and “purpose"... [and] including a mixture of these components in you...