A parent raises a child to become independent,

to no longer need him or her.

There are struggles with independence:

like a young bird trying its wings for the first time.

Poem by Mary Cabtwell written for Michael Grego regarding his hard fight for graduation.

A short poem by By Michael R. Grego on life after TBI.

Mary and Michael have teamed up and written poems on Michael’s recovery from traumatic brain injury and their relationship through it. They worked 3 years to complete their second book titled Musing with Mary and Michael.

Genie Zorbas had a severe brain injury as a child when she was struck by a car at age 6. Physical and cognitive disabilities made everything in her life more difficult while she was growing up. It was hard for her to keep up in school. Classmates and friends teased her because she looked different and had a hard time learning.

Despite these challenges, she has learned how to live life fully and is now a young adult. She has written a short fiction story based on her personal life that explores the question of many survivors ask, “If I had not had a brain injury…how would my life be different?”

Angie Machovec survived a traumatic brain injury on her last day of high school when she was 17. Struck by a car when she crossed the street to go home, it was like any other day. But her world completely changed at that moment. She was in a coma for about a month, spent 3 weeks in rehabilitation, was discharged home and then had out patient rehabilitation.

She wrote these poems in summer 2002 while in a creative writing course. Writing poetry after her brain injury helped her understand her emotions and accept what had happened in her life.

The loss of speech can feel devastating to the survivor of a brain injury. Katherine Kimes writes about the frustration, persistence and sheer effort required as she learned how to speak and communicate again by forming syllables and words one by one after the car crash that resulted in her brain injury.

She is now an eloquent writer and uses language to express the emotional turmoil that accompanied her communication impairment.

I had a Brain Injury due to Acute Spinal Meningitis. I was in a coma for over 56 hours and found out about Brain Injury three years ago! I was upset and decided to write poems to express myself and my inner emotions. Writing poetry has helped to relieve the anger from inside me.
I used the “White Dove” symbol because I have a lot of high spirits and want to share my feelings with people. I want to let them know not to give up, but get involved with our communities so people are aware there are ways to cope with Brain Injury.
Many of us want to be our old selves again but Brain Injury will not let us! We have encouragement and many things we can share with others with Brain Injury. We should care for and support each other.

Surviving a traumatic brain injury gave Jason Ferguson a new outlook on life. Writing poetry about his survival helps him rebuild his life and face new challenges. Despite the losses and changes in his life after his brain injury, he is thankful that he did not die. Giving thanks to have survived his injury has given new meaning to his life as he finds new beginnings and new adjustments each day.

Using poetry to express the emotional trauma that followed her traumatic brain injury, Vicki Sue Parker expresses the pain and loss in her life. Having survived her brain trauma, she writes about the change in her self-image and the loss of her identity as she reshaped her understanding of her new self and her altered abilities.