all shook up: finding purpose after traumatic brain injury

＂Debbie’s spunk and petulance will drive the reader to laughter despite the tragic circumstances.＂ Dr. Fawzia Mail Tung

January 6, 1994 started as an uneventful day in Debbie’s life, but she doesn’t remember.

During a late afternoon walk with her two dogs, Debbie’s life irrevocably changed when she was hit by a car. The impact threw her into a snow-filled ditch, leaving her unconscious and bleeding from severe brain trauma.

Two months later, Debbie returned home to a world that felt foreign. The lingering effects of her brain injury meant she could never work again. She grappled with permanent memory and mobility issues which reshaped her daily existence.

Despite the long and arduous recovery, Debbie found new purpose in life. She embraced creative writing and devoted herself to volunteer work, such as working in animal shelters and teaching English to refugees. Surviving on disability payments posed its own challenges, but she persevered.

Though her financial situation is strained, Debbie’s heart is fuller than ever. The accident, as devastating as it was, forged her into the person she is today. She cherishes the new path her life has taken and wouldn’t change a thing. Or would she?