Two days before Christmas of 2017, my parents were in a car accident on an icy road. The local sheriff had called my brother and my brother had called me shortly thereafter. My oldest son was 2 years old and my youngest was 3 months. My aunt graciously agreed to watch our oldest, so we stuffed a quick bag and she picked him up. We had to take our 3 month old along as I was still nursing him. My husband and I frantically shuffled things around and hopped into the car to head to the hospital where my parents were taken - two hours from where we lived.
Our thoughts during the drive were scattered. The sheriff had said the words "shattered spine" and "unconscious" to my brother. We weren't sure what to expect. Before we even got to the hospital, my brother called and said they were transferring both my parents to UNMC trauma care in Omaha so that they could have better access to the resources and specialists they would need to meet their many needs.
Christmas looked different that year. We spent it shuffling between my parents adjacent hospital rooms on the trauma floor. My Dad had shattered several of his lower vertebrae. My Mom had hit her head and had been knocked unconscious, lost some of her vision, tore up her shoulder, crushed some nerves in one of her arms, and beat up her ankle and leg.
We're now almost three years later, coming up on Christmas 2020. Christmas will still look different, and not just because COVID. My Dad's injuries were repaired and over a period of time, he healed. If you asked him, I think he'd say he's mostly back to normal, although he's probably a bit slower, gets tired more easily, and could set off a metal detector with all the metal parts they had to use to rebuild his back. My Mom's noticable injuries mostly healed as well. She regained her vision and with physcical therapy, regained use of the areas of her body that were bruised and damaged. But, some of the damage isn't visible and it hasn't healed. And, she may never fully heal. She's 58.
My Mom is a private person and for that reason, I'll spare the details of the continued struggles and challenges she faces on a daily basis. She's a willfully strong person, but the accident changed her. I share things about my Mom with my husband and then find myself saying, "....but that was her before the accident." We don't know what this season holds for my Mom and our family, but it's felt long and difficult. Lots of questions; hardly any answers.
The thing that's allowed us to endure in this season is hope. Hope that my Mom will be restored and will regain the full function and capacity she once had. Hope that progress will continue to be made. Hope that the days ahead will be easier than the days behind.
Brain Injury Alliance (BIA) has people - people who, because of their own unique stories and experiences, have a passion for helping those with a brain injury and their families - to also find that hope of restoration and navigating the new normals that come in the aftermath of a brain injury experience, when their Christmases and other holidays also look different than they used to. BIA's team is dedicated to connecting the dots through resource facilitation, education, and other support options.
Will you consider helping us continue this important work? Please consider a donation today. We promise to use it wisely to help those we serve and to continue to be a source of hope.
Hopeful and grateful,
Mikaela