Eighteen years ago I was the passenger in a coworker's car, driving up to Vail for a student award ceremony for one of our students. It was May 8th, and the sunny day down by the front range had turned to light snow as we drove farther into the mountains. When we got to Frisco, Susan my coworker, lost control of her 4Runner and we circled through the median on I-70 into east-bound traffic where we were rear ended by a pick-up truck. The "delta velocity" came through to my seat and whipped my seatback backwards at an angle, throwing me head first into the driver's side rear door.
I sustained a serious traumatic brain injury in that accident and was a patient at Craig Hospital for 3 months. That was 18 years ago, and was a life changing event to say the least. I now live with and work with my brain injury every day, but I live towards happiness every day as well! My experience with that injury has taught me to appreciate life all the more along with have a much better understanding of this invisible injury and the incredible survivors who live with it as well.