Thinking Forward After A Traumatic Brain Injury

07/14/2025

I Know I’m brave. I’m still going 5 years later despite the odds being stacked against me. 🧠 Despite what I lost 5 years ago, I gained a new life. I can now focus on my family, my best friend, Kevin Thomas, my friends, my health (at least I try!), and my passion for caring for others as a family nurse practitioner (as my neurofatigue allows). Kevin’s now hooked me on watching movies and playing video games together. He takes the time to find games he thinks I can play with him. If you ever want to be amazed by how fast I can forget how to play a game or remember a map, feel free to stop by! 😂 I have limitations…

I have accepted Most of my limitations (I keep pushing myself because that’s me). I consider each day to be a gift, but I am pretty tired each day by 10AM! Naps are my friend! 😂

Kevin is my biggest cheerleader and encourages me to rest when he sees I need it. He can immediately tell. It’s crazy and awesome! Quincy encourages me to do the same! He literally leads me to my bed, tucks me in, turns off my light, tells me to “shush” and to take a nap. 😂 My mom, Tina Herold, told me I start to look more pale when I’ve reached my limit (weird, right?!)! My family is amazing.

I think it’s brave to keep living even if you don’t really know how to anymore. Maybe a nap is all we all need. To slow down. To stop over-scheduling our days. To just Be. And maybe play some COD WWII. ❤️

06/21/2025

Have you ever heard of an ambiguous loss?

Most people don’t understand that even though a person who has experienced a traumatic brain injury did not experience a death, the person still experiences loss and has a grief process to go through. Sometimes repeatedly! (I’m raising my hands as high as they’ll go. It’s painful.)

After an accident, many people tell TBI survivors “at least you survived,” thinking they are being supportive (or, they often don’t know what to say or don’t understand the gravity of loss). While this is true, it needs to be understood that there is a unique grief process the survivor and their family go through that people don’t truly understand.

The statement on the last picture says, “Just labeling these experiences as grief experiences can provide normalization and validation that is tremendously useful, especially as these losses have been disenfranchised.”

Many of us who have experienced a TBI want to be understood. Please read through the statements in each picture to get a better understanding. Please like, share, and comment. ❤️🧠

06/20/2025

I Swear I don’t need a hearing aid and don’t have selective hearing! Quincy disagrees. 🙄 Frontal lobe damage is to blame.

TBI One Love

Some people can tune out background noise effortlessly, while others struggle to follow a conversation in a bustling café or loud office.

According to a new study, the difference may come down to how efficiently certain 🧠 regions communicate during challenging listening tasks. Researchers found that individuals with weaker connections between key brain areas are more easily overwhelmed by background noise, which may explain why noisy environments are more difficult for some than others.

The study involved over 100 participants who listened to conversations in noisy settings while undergoing functional MRI scans. The researchers monitored activity in brain regions involved in hearing, attention, and language processing, specifically looking at how these areas synchronized during the task. They discovered that people who had more trouble understanding speech in noise showed less coordinated activity between auditory and frontal brain regions. These frontal areas help with focus and filtering out irrelevant sounds, so weaker connections make it harder to isolate a voice from background chatter.

Interestingly, this difficulty was not linked to hearing ability alone — even people with normal hearing could struggle if their brains weren’t working together efficiently.

Overall, the findings could help explain why some people with good hearing still find it exhausting or frustrating to be in noisy environments.

One love

06/20/2025

Support the Brain Injury Survivor Engagement Event!

Some background:

My name is Amanda Mitchell and I am a traumatic brain injury survivor. Following my car accident on July 13th, 2020, my life changed. So much was taken away from me in a matter of seconds. My story is not unique. Those of us living with traumatic brain injuries need to figure out what our new "normal" is. We all want to know how to feel better.

According to the Brain Injury Association of America, "The desire to make your life better is rooted in two basic human needs that guide your behavior: the need to feel connected to others around you and the need to contribute to your community. In other words, the need to receive and show love as well as the need to be constructive rather than feeling inadequate. These are powerful needs that can propel you to create a better life.

As you recover from brain injury, you begin to want more out of life. You may feel constrained, however, by your inability to follow conversations, to remember things, and to do physical activities that were once effortless. You feel lonely but reluctant to leave the house, so you withdraw into your own world of TV, reading, eating, and doctor’s appointments. Greater isolation and loneliness set in. Your basic need to feel connected to others goes unmet.

As humans, we try hard to avoid isolation and loneliness by creating expansive lives through school, friendships, sports, art, religion, and family. After a brain injury, your world shrinks. You can quickly withdraw into isolation and loneliness, which feel like shackles that constrain recovery.

You can break free from loneliness."

Following my traumatic brain injury, I am on a mission to reach out to others who are living in the aftermath caused by brain injuries. I am a family nurse practitioner and volunteer my time at a local clinic but, most importantly, I volunteer for the Brain Injury Survivor Opportunity Network (BISON) and for the North Dakota Brain Injury Network (NDBIN). I'm excited to be a part of the Brain Injury Survivor Engagement Event! Once again, thank you for your help!

The Brain Injury Survivor Opportunity Network (BISON) is hosting a picnic on July 19th, 2025 from 11:00AM - 3:00PM to help bring brain injury survivors from across North Dakota together for a day of connection, healing, and hope. Your donation will directly support this meaningful event!

$175 reserves the shelter at the park where the picnic will be held

$55 provides hot dogs, hamburgers, and picnic food

$100 funds a fun, therapeutic activity for survivors

Every dollar makes a difference--please feel free to give any amount! Your generosity helps create safe spaces where survivors can build community, find support, and feel seen.

Thank you for believing in the mission of BISON and the power of survivor-led advocacy and engagement!

Support the Brain Injury Survivor Engagement Event! T… Amanda Mitchell needs your support for Join Amanda: Fund ND Brain Injury Survivor Engagement Event

06/02/2025

Support the Brain Injury Survivor Engagement Event!

The Brain Injury Survivor Opportunity Network (BISON) is hosting a picnic on July 19th, 2025 from 11:00AM - 3:00PM to help bring brain injury survivors from across North Dakota together for a day of connection, healing, and hope. Your donation will directly support this meaningful event!

$175 reserves the shelter at the park where the picnic will be held

$55 provides hot dogs, hamburgers, and picnic food

$100 funds a fun, therapeutic activity for survivors

Every dollar makes a difference--please feel free to give any amount! Your generosity helps create safe spaces where survivors can build community, find support, and feel seen.

Thank you for believing in the mission of BISON and the power of survivor-led advocacy and engagement!

Some background:

My name is Amanda Mitchell and I am a traumatic brain injury survivor. Following my car accident on July 13th, 2020, my life changed. So much was taken away from me in a matter of seconds. My story is not unique. Those of us living with traumatic brain injuries need to figure out what our new "normal" is. We all want to know how to feel better.

According to the Brain Injury Association of America, "The desire to make your life better is rooted in two basic human needs that guide your behavior: the need to feel connected to others around you and the need to contribute to your community. In other words, the need to receive and show love as well as the need to be constructive rather than feeling inadequate. These are powerful needs that can propel you to create a better life.

As you recover from brain injury, you begin to want more out of life. You may feel constrained, however, by your inability to follow conversations, to remember things, and to do physical activities that were once effortless. You feel lonely but reluctant to leave the house, so you withdraw into your own world of TV, reading, eating, and doctor’s appointments. Greater isolation and loneliness set in. Your basic need to feel connected to others goes unmet.

As humans, we try hard to avoid isolation and loneliness by creating expansive lives through school, friendships, sports, art, religion, and family. After a brain injury, your world shrinks. You can quickly withdraw into isolation and loneliness, which feel like shackles that constrain recovery.

You can break free from loneliness."

Following my traumatic brain injury, I am on a mission to reach out to others who are living in the aftermath caused by brain injuries. I am a family nurse practitioner and volunteer my time at a local clinic but, most importantly, I volunteer for the Brain Injury Survivor Opportunity Network (BISON) and for the North Dakota Brain Injury Network (NDBIN). I'm excited to be a part of the Brain Injury Survivor Engagement Event! Once again, thank you for your help!

05/04/2025

Almost 5 years later, I continue to struggle with my self-worth/esteem. I am volunteering 2-3 times per week at Infinity Wellness Clinic on an average of 4 hours each time. Those 4 hours, even with 1 of those 4 hours being a lunch break, “break” me. Word finding gets harder. My brain processing slows (I eventually get from point A to point B, it just takes longer 😉). Each day is so different! What I do know is that I’m exercising my brain and encouraging it to mend.

I try focusing on how fortunate I am to be able to function the way I am and give myself a pat on the back, even when I need a nap before dinner! 🤷🏻‍♀️🤪 I have an amazing partner in crime who encourages me to take care of myself and to take a break. Having his support, along with the support of my family and friends, keeps me going. 🧠

Quincy toured Concordia College last month and wants to pursue a medical career as a physician (first it was a radiologist, then family practice, and now an ER physician). He says he wants to make a difference in people’s lives and help them feel better. I reminded him that an awesome ER doctor with an extensive background in neurosurgery helped pull me through the hardest day of my life. The same ER doctor mentored me in the short time I worked alongside him in urgent care as a brand new nurse practitioner. Q said he wants to be able to do the same for others. ❤️

I’m now focusing on my new role of providing guidance and support to my son who wants to pursue a medical career despite what he saw me go through. That young man has no idea how proud I am of him and how much he is loved. ❤️

Has your view of yourself & your self-worth been impacted by your brain injury?💙👇

If so… please take a listen to this week’s podcast episode #51 on “Survivor Self-Worth.”

This one gets personal.😭

🧠How can the "invisible" injury affect our self worth?
Survivors often don’t realize their own identity as separate from their brain injury. Living with symptoms for so long can take a toll on mental health. It's also easy to take in how other people view the "invisible" injury and let it negatively impact how we view ourselves. But you are more than your injury, and there is hope for improvement!

——
🎙This week on , Cristabelle Braden goes deeper into some lesser known pieces of her own story, candidly sharing some of the harder parts to talk about including mental health struggles, navigating social cues, abuse and trauma, and more.
——

✅Hear “Hope Survives | Brain Injury Podcast” on all podcast platforms or directly on our website (click the link!): https://hopeafterheadinjury.com/1482/tbi-survivor-self-worth-cristabelles-mental-health-journey/

03/28/2025

Cognitive ladders are Exhausting!

03/27/2025

Creatine monohydrate and traumatic brain injury 🧠

🚨 Keep in mind I am Not your primary care provider and the information I share on this page is for informational purposes only. You need to do your own research and do not start any new supplement or treatment without first discussing it with your primary care provider! 

🧠 As you all know, I love doing research! I am definitely a nerd! My son, Quincy, was wanting to start supplementing his weight lifting with creatine monohydrate. I was very surprised in his sudden interest in his health, and I was very excited! Quincy wants to go to college to study to be a radiologist. We can push our children to make healthy choices, but it is ultimately up to our children to decide it is important enough to address (of course this is different when a medical diagnosis is involved and changes have to be made no matter what out children may want). This includes exercise. I was very hesitant and told him I needed to research more about the effects of creatine monohydrate on the body and for his age group. So, my research began. 🤓

Some may not know this, but as nurse practitioners, we actually have classes built into our study curriculum that teaches us how to find true scholarly resources and evidence-based findings. So when someone asks me a question, I know where and how to look. if I don’t feel comfortable answering a question or providing advice, I will tell the person that and refer them to their doctor (see opening statement!).

I found some great articles that I would like to share with you about the potential positive affects creatine monohydrate can have on those of us who have had a traumatic brain injury. I also found research that focused on the effects of creatinine in the female population. I like to joke that women got the short end of the stick due to our hormone fluctuations and how it affects our overall functioning. However, there are always things we can do to balance ourselves out. I definitely geeked out on the studies I found! 

I started taking creatine monohydrate daily. There are reference ranges available for determining what dose and frequency of creatine monohydrate to take. Once again, consult your doctor First! I have felt a bit more focused since starting to take creatine every morning. It takes time for anything to change, so I’m hoping to see more improvements!

Here are some links and a video to watch to learn more about creatine monohydrate. Please like, comment, and share this post. Please share this with your doctor Before making any changes.

For those of you who do start taking creatine monohydrate as a supplement, I would love for you to comment on this post or DM me! 

*I have not been paid to post this content. This is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information in this post or materials linked in this post is at the user’s own risk. The content of this post is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions.*

(I sound like an infomercial. 😬)

https://youtu.be/cqUBgPMtLSQ?si=0cEbSxwgHW7i7o07

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33800439/

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1186/s12970-021-00412-w -Section




Dr. Andrew Huberman discusses the potential benefits of creatine monohydrate beyond muscle performance, specifically its role in alleviating headaches, dizzi...

03/21/2025

We need your help to reauthorize the TBI Act! Click the link and take a minute to sign this petition! The petition is already completed for you, so no stress! 🧠

Thank you!!

https://biausa.quorum.us/campaign/113586/?fbclid=IwY2xjawJJrOxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHVzpGwtPDeo0FXDnnTteRUOr9_DK3aWZNfbeIjnBW1-8qSOTRs1Vo9ELig_aem_phxUCb5mSSQlOLQITY1p5A

We need your help—Congress has left the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Reauthorization Act out of the latest Continuing Resolution (CR), putting life-changing programs at risk!

Despite unanimous House passage and bipartisan support in 2024, Congress failed to include the TBI Reauthorization Act in the recent CR. Without action, millions of individuals—including children, veterans, and first responders—could lose access to essential rehabilitation, education, and support services. We must act NOW. Urge your Members of Congress to include the TBI Reauthorization Act in the next Continuing Resolution to protect these critical programs. Send a message to your members of Congress: https://bit.ly/43JHuDo

03/02/2025

Life can change in seconds. ⏰ Once life changes, we need to think forward. Sometimes we need help. Sometimes we feel stuck. Sometimes we shut down because it’s “easier.” Sometimes we feel powerless. That’s when we need to focus on what is in our control. Focusing on what is in our control when we are at our worst after a traumatic brain injury can help to bring a sense of hope. 🧠

Almost 5 years ago, I felt All of this. My sense of control was gone no matter how hard I tried. My efforts sent me on a downward spiral down a very deep hole I felt couldn’t ever climb out of.

Thinking forward to today, my hard work has helped me climb at least half way out of that deep, dark hole. One step forward, two steps back!

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month. Try to help others who may be struggling to climb out of their deep, dark holes. Sometimes it’s just a phone call. A text. A hug. A good cup of coffee (ahem…a sugar-free caramel latte 😉!). Or you can refer them to see me (send me a DM). I’ve come so far in my own journey after a traumatic brain injury, but I didn’t do it alone. We all need some help! ❤️🧠

Please like and share this post. Thank you!

10/21/2024

I might need to look into this light therapy and if it’s still effective years after a TBI! TBI One Love

A new study located that: infrared light therapy shows promise for Brain Injury recovery by reducing inflammation and cell death in the brain.

Birmingham scientists conducted this on animal models, brief daily infrared treatments were shown to improve cognitive and balance functions after injury. •Two wavelengths of near-infrared light (660nm and 810nm) were tested, with the 810nm light producing the best recovery outcomes.

The therapy lessened the activation of astrocytes and microglial cells, which contribute to harmful inflammation after a head injury.

Overall, this research could pave the way for a new therapeutic option for, where treatments are limited. The team now aims to develop a medical device to deliver this innovative therapy to patients with brain or spinal cord injuries.

Learn more: https://neurosciencenews.com/infrared-light-therapy-tbi-neurology-27856/

One love

10/16/2024

Celebrating my 3rd year on Facebook. Thank you for your continuing support. I could never have made it without you. 🙏🤗🎉