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The Bigger Picture: Wellness Beyond Brain Injury

David Grant and his wife smiling at the camera.

There is more to wellness than treating brain injury alone. I am a living, breathing, oftentimes thriving human being with a whole lot more than just a brain injury.

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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.

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Inside the Military Mind: Paradoxes Service Members Face and Onward to Opportunity

Veteran PTSD - Retired U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Clifton Flint, formerly 48th Security Forces Squadron base defense operations center controller, poses for a photo to represent posttraumatic stress disorder (USAF photo by SSgt Micaiah Anthony)

This week Duane France explores the paradoxes service members face, a conversation with Eli Varney, combat veteran and mental health counselor and the resource of the week: Onward to Opportunity.

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Joey's Story: The Hope of Fly Fishing

Joey Maxim's story of finding hope through fly fishing

For 16-year-old Joey Maxim, the way back to life after a near-fatal car accident started with a fly rod in his hand.

What is Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor? (And why you should care)

“Regular exercise bathes the brain in a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF. This specific protein has been shown to speed brain injury recovery.” That was all it took to fuel my hunger to learn more about BDNF...

The Art of Letting Go

I’ve kept in touch with a handful of healthcare professionals I had met in the early days of Taylor’s ordeal. These people not only taught me about the physical effects of brain injury and ways to participate in Taylor’s care, but they also taught me another invaluable lesson: the art of letting go.

The Double-Edge Sword of Time

People close to me often think I am “over” all my brain injury challenges. Herein lies the challenge of being a long-term survivor...

Measuring Brain Injury Recovery a Bit Differently

For years, I measured my recovery by external gains. I looked for tasks that I could do better and longer. This was easily quantifiable data. I recently took some time to take stock of my growth over this past year. And what I saw surprised me. In fact, it was a completely unexpected revelation.

9 Strategies to Optimize Post-Brain Injury Recovery

There are no guarantees, but there are smart choices and strategies that can optimize recovery after brain injury The following is a list I compiled as my answer to the many people in the beginning stages of brain injury who have asked about my success over the years. I hope it helps.

Find the Good and Praise it!

Like those of us who have been at this business of life after brain injury for a long time, I am aware of the stages that we go through. I know that I am experiencing "recurring grief." During these times it can be very hard to “find the good and praise it..."

A Survivor's Guide to Doctor's Visits

A Survivorâ€™s Guide to Doctorâ€™s Visits

Navigating the medical waters isn’t easy for anyone, but it can be particularly complicated and overwhelming for those of us who live with a brain injury. David Grant offers advice from his own experience.

Untangling the Vine of TBI

The greenbrier plant is not what it appears to be. It’s innocent looking while invasive. It comes raging back after you cut it down, and it can choke what’s underneath. If this sounds a little bit like traumatic brain injury, it is.

From There to Here

So how exactly did I get from there to here? From complete ruination of the human will to thrive to living a life worthwhile? The answer is complicated, and our path was a winding one, but in retrospect, a few things have proven to be game-changers.

Back at Work

I never wish to glamorize the process of returning to work, nor unfairly claim credit for it. TC was at the helm for most of this journey. With that said, there are a few pieces of wisdom I’ve gathered from the experience...

Cycling to Recovery After Brain Injury

This is not a ride for the faint of heart. Yet one mile at a time, I have proven so many to be wrong.

Letter From the Other Side: Return from a Traumatic Brain Injury

Letter From the Other Side â€” Return from a Traumatic Brain Injury

The Pulitzer Prize-winning music critic Tim Page writes about rebuilding his life after a traumatic brain injury.

A New Kind of Optimism

“This isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon.” We needed to slow down because this thing was going to be with us for a while. The quote reminded our family to conserve our strength, energy, and abilities to stay the course...

I Can Fix You

It took a few minutes to go over my medical history as we sat in his exam room. He took a few notes, listened to our story, took a few more notes, and asked a question or two. He then looked us square in the eyes and uttered four words. “I can fix you.”