Outskirts Press, INC.

Life turned upside down with no warning.

Spaghetti with homemade sauce and pineapple upside down cake used to be two of my favorite foods. The smell of autumn leaves and Christmas dinner cooking no longer exists for me. My sense of taste and smell were lost after I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in November 2011. The doctors told me that I would never work again. Through my determination and support from others, I defied those odds and returned to full duty as a professional firefighter six months later. The physical recovery is only half of the journey. The challenges of the invisible injuries continue every day. “You look fine.” “Get over it.” “That was years ago.” “You use it as a crutch.” These are just some of the comments that I heard from others who did not understand that although I was physically healed; my ongoing recovery is a badge of life that I will wear forever. There is a still a lot to be learned about the effects of TBI. I am lucky enough to share my journey through the good and bad moments with you. If I can make a difference by raising awareness and offering hope to just one person by sharing my fall to life, then I have accomplished my mission.