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Happily Paying the Price

David and his wife in front of a mountain.

Over the last few years, the phrase "lived experience" has been gaining traction within the brain injury community. Early on after my injury, for many years in fact, I really didn't fully understand how much my injury would affect my daily life. As the years passed, I began to better understand what it meant to navigate life with an invisible disability.

"Order This" – A Note to My Future Self

A smiling David Grant and his wife.

Life after brain injury remains a bit surreal. One might think that after fifteen years, I would have mastered the subtle nuances of this second life, but not even close. Occasionally, I am reminded that I live on a different plane than the neuro normals of the world but I've found ways to adapt and celebrate.

Life After Brain Injury — An Unexpected Outcome

David Grant and his wife smiling at the camera.

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month, my 16th as a brain injury survivor. Looking back, until my life became defined by brain injury, I had never heard of Brain Injury Awareness Month. For several years after my injury, the goal was simple: I wanted to be the person I was prior to my injury. I wanted to be “the old me.” But what if I told you I could be better than my old self in ways I never saw coming?

My Miracle 15 Years Later: A Break in PTSD Night Terrors?

David Grant and his wife smiling at the camera.

Living alongside David Grant's TBI was a treatment-resistant case of PTSD. For over fifteen years, he lived with innumerable night terror events. The kitchen calendar counted the bad nights. A good month noted three or four bad nights. A tough month, like last November, came with nineteen night terror events. Last November was as bad as it gets. Life was unsustainable… until it wasn’t.

Life After Brain Injury – Nature’s Therapy

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Last week, while scrolling through my news feed on social media, I had a rather abrupt realization: my life looks pretty normal these days. As I scrolled through my posts from the last few weeks, a picture emerged — a picture of someone enjoying life.

You might be asking yourself what changed. That’s the same question I asked myself. It’s a simple question with a complicated answer.

From Patient to Provider: One Sailor's Brain Health Journey

Navy Ensign Timothy Bleigh in a wheelchair looking out a hospital window with his son

U.S. Navy Ensign Timothy Bleigh clearly recalls when the bomb went off. The Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) tactical vehicle flipped several times through the air before it landed partly on its roof. Bleigh shares his story and reflects on how his difficult recovery, which included a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), influenced how he approaches patient care.

Ambiguous Grief After Brain Injury

David and his wife smiling in front of pine trees on a sunny day

To be human is to grieve, and everyone grieves differently and in their own time. But there is a type of grief that many people experience that is less common, less talked about, but none the less real and painful. It’s called ambiguous grief or ambiguous loss.

Why Isn’t Infertility in Military Women a Bigger Conversation?

Uniformed Heidi Agostini in the sand in Afghanistan. Photo courtesy of Sgt. Megan Sindelar

Genevieve Chase accomplishes everything she attempts. She made master sergeant in 15 years in the Army reserves... she was inducted into the Army Women’s Hall of Fame. In the military, she learned Pashto and was an intelligence soldier in Afghanistan. But, like a lot of military women, one dream eludes her: She hasn’t been able to get pregnant.

Living That PTSD Life

David Grant and his wife smiling at the seashore, Living That PTSD Life

While packing for our trip, I never suspected that PTSD would steal a ride with us, but two of our four nights away found me with the type of horrifying PTSD episodes reminiscent of the early years after my accident.

Thanks For the Memories?

David Grant and his wife smiling at the camera, surrounded by snow.

Every year since my 2010 traumatic brain injury, I’ve taken the time to reflect back on changes that have come to pass during the prior year. This past year was no different, although what my reflection showed was not what some may call progress. Progress is not always measured with tangible facts.

Getting Off the Struggle Bus

David Grant and his wife smiling at the camera.

In just a few days, the ten year anniversary of my cycling accident will be here. I have come a long way since everything changed in 2010. But just because things are okay most of the time does not mean that my brain injury disappeared.