Disability

Rebuild Your Life After Loss or Injury

Today, many are challenged by lost jobs, foreclosed homes, floods, family members away in Iraq, or returning injured. My life was also turned upside-down when I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and as a single person, I didn't know what to do.

Today, many are challenged by lost jobs, foreclosed homes, floods, family members away in Iraq, or returning injured. My life was also turned upside-down when I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and as a single person, I didn't know what to do.

I learned that over one million TBIs occur each year in the U.S., it's the 'signature' injury of U.S. troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, and can spell death, long-term rehabilitation and marginalized lives. My prognosis did not seem good, and I felt all alone in the fight.

In part I drew on what I'd done before: I'd orchestrated hundreds of multi-million dollar design-construction projects over a period of 20 years. And managed tens of thousands of people in 300 US cities, millions of details and billions of dollars worth of assets and in pressure-cooker circumstances.

As single mother, I'd also been a volunteer fundraiser for community organizations, and played many sports including golf, tennis, jumping horse, sailing, hiking, jogging, swimming and more.

As a result of the TBI I lost over $700K in income, and was left with a damaged 5th cranial nerve that makes the entire left side of my head feel as if it were just hit. But I was able to create a more meaningful new career and to become more physically fit.

Retraining for a second Career.

I wanted a new home based career although I didn't know what that would be. Since my neurologist said that repetitive tasks are good for the brain, I decided to write a book on an area that interested me: social, environmental and political justice. What chutzpah! I couldn't even remember the first sentence in a paragraph by the time I wrote the fourth. But I kept at it and finally completed the project. The research was terrific though the writing wasn't. But it did win me a grant for the UCLA writing program. I finished the usual 3-year program in 18 months with 4.2 GPA by working 100 hours a week. In the program I wrote a novel with an environmental theme.

What helped me most was reading someone who'd overcome a similar injury. In "Over My Head" Dr. Claudia Osborn described her earlier career as a former emergency room internist and how even with her medical degree and many more assets it required eleven years to remake life.

My experience taught me that as long as we are alive life will keep handing us challenges. The difference in getting back up when knocked down is making things 'musts' instead of 'shoulds.' With courage, determination and focus on solutions towards new goals and dreams the universe does seem to show up and lend a hand. Always believe in yourself, in your quality of life. Never give up. Good luck!

Reference: Suzanne de Cornelia is a freelance writer. Her novel, "French Heart" is a wickedly funny romance that takes readers on a heart pounding roller-coaster ride through glamorous settings as a former CIA-agent and her cohorts battle global racketeers to uncover the secret to love, riches and environmental transformation. "French Heart" will be launched in December 2008 along with brand merchandise including "French Heart" private label wine, organic cotton spa-wear, and signature charm bracelets.

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