Brain Injury Awareness Month in Covid-19 Times

As we make our way through the 3rd month of 2020, a quick scroll through my news feed on social media this morning reminded me of two unrelated facts: March is Brain Injury Awareness month and it has been about a year since the Pandemic altered all our lives. Just as I can’t speak on the experience of every brain injury survivor, I’m sure we all have been uniquely affected living through these strange times. In fact, although I’m certain we can all agree that things are “different”, the changes haven’t been entirely good or bad, nor congruently positive or negative for all; and certainly not equally so. Despite these variations in lived experiences, a common theme I’ve heard among people is feeling disconnected; whether it’s the distance between friends and family, the loss of activity-based social circles, or the absence of communal learning and working, the lack of interpersonal connection can be jarring. Come to think of it this lack of connection or not feeling “a part of” is eerily similar to the sentiment one often finds among brain injury survivors.

I’ve been fortunate to take part in Krempels Center’s Community Education group in which members with KC staff and interns connect with various groups in the local area to discuss the amazing community-based program in addition to sharing member experiences’. Speaking with different populations, most often students of various ages typically generates quite a few audience inquiries. Some questions are pretty specific to each survivor’s injury or recovery, but many times the question of how would you describe your experience overall is asked? I know for me, this is a tough one: I mean, how do I relay that just about every factor of my life changed in an instant? You often hear brain injury described as an “invisible injury” because for some survivors the effects cannot be seen in a before and after picture. Come to think of it, the emotions brought by the drastic, all-encompassing change of pre to post-injury life reminds me of these crazy times we entered a year ago. So while with a brain injury it is generally how an altered survivor interacts with the world that changes, with the Pandemic it is the way we as individuals interact with others and the world around us that has changed.

While Acquired Brain Injuries result in varied outcomes and from many different causes including trauma, tumor, or stroke, the survivors’ life is often changed forever. It’s almost embarrassing to admit, but despite having two stroke survivor grandfathers, it wasn’t until after I sustained a Traumatic Brain Injury that the term “brain injury” was even on my radar screen. I’ve since been blessed to develop many friendships with fellow survivors and begun to understand just how widespread Acquired Brain Injuries really are. Recent statistics from BIAUSA (Brain Injury Association of America) show an American sustaining a brain injury every 9 seconds or more than 3.6 million per year. (https://www.biausa.org/wp-content/uploads/MTMBI-Fact-Sheet-2021-Revised.pdf)

Now more than ever, I hope we can all remember to support each other during this unusual period. The support of friends and family has been amazing through my personal experience of living both through my TBI and these stressful times. Additionally, I have to take a moment to acknowledge Krempels Center and the virtual programming it offers members of its’ powerful community. While nothing can replicate the warmth and acceptance found among members on KC’s campus, Krempels’ virtual programming has kept the members connected: A connection among survivors learning to live as forever changed people in a totally new world!