THE NEWS

THE NEWS

Was it the phone ringing in the night that 
first alerted you about the heart-ache ahead?
Or was it a police officer knocking hesitantly,
timidly on your door? Or was it possibly a 
friend sent over to be the bearer of painful, 

unthinkable news? Or were you there to witness 

the moment of horror yourself? Whatever manner 

the news was delivered the result was the same. 

Life had irrevocably changed. A split second in 

time, an accident, an injury, an aneurysm, a stroke, 

a tumor, whatever the heart-wrenching details the 

story is still  basically the same. The brain that 

one organ of the body that controls everything, was 

damaged. The degree of hurt is different for everyone, 

but the frustration and the fact that life changed 

forever is universal and familiar to all of us. Do 

you remember the first time you heard the words brain 

damage? Do you remember that sick feeling in the pit 

of your stomach? Do you remember thinking there must 

be some tremendous mistake, that this could not 

possibly be true? Do you remember trying to turn back 

the huge hands of almighty time? Do you remember 

bargaining and pleading with God? Do you remember 

trying to pretend this was a nightmare, that you would 

awaken from eventually? Do you remember wondering if 

you were somehow being punished for some terrible past 

deed? Do you remember when TBI, ABI, survivor, and 

caregiver were only words new to your vocabulary, rather 

than a way of life? Do you remember all the energy and 

hours playing the "what could have been" game? Do you 

remember the anger and the remorse? Do you remember 

wanting to blame anyone, and everyone for this unfathomable 

twist in the course of your life? Do you remember the 

pain and the uncertainty about what the future would 

hold? Do you remember that with the passing of time, 

the disbelief gave way to realization? Do you remember 

when the feelings of horror started turning into feelings 

of reality? Do you remember when the pain started being 

a little less acute, when taking a deep breath was no 

longer impossible or quite as painful? Do you remember 

when the grief process allowed you to release some of 

the over whelming frustration? Do you remember when the 

anger started to finally begin to dissipate a little? Do 

you remember that first cup of coffee that could be once 

again considered enjoyable and yes, even relaxing? Do you 

remember when you first started noticing the beauty of the 

rainbow after a gentle rain shower? Do you remember when 

you first started to notice the beauty in the change of 

seasons? Do you remember the first time you noticed that 

the birds were still singing from the tree-tops? Do you 

remember the first time you heard a sad heart-breaking 

story and said to yourself "But by the grace of God there 

go I", It could have been worse? Did you know that this 

means that your heart is finally on the path to recovery,

peace and acceptance?

by: Warsawa
    5-1-96