Surviving Traumatic Brain Injury

SPEAK OUT! Itty-Bitty GIANT Steps

presented by

Donna O’Donnell Figurski

SPEAK OUT! Itty-Bitty Giant Steps will provide a venue for brain-injury survivors and caregivers to shout out their accomplishments of the week.

If you have an Itty-Bitty Giant Step and you would like to share it, just send an email to me at neelyf@aol.com.

If you are on Facebook, you can simply send a Private Message to me. It need only be a sentence or two. I’ll gather the accomplishments and post them with your name on my blog approximately once a week. (If you do not want your last name to be posted, please tell me in your email or Private Message.)

I hope we have millions of Itty-Bitty Giant Steps.

Here is this week’s Itty-Bitty GIANT Steps

Janice Tindle – Survivor

Janice Tindle (survivor)…My accomplishment is getting published after my TBI (traumatic brain injury). I have a blog (janicetindle.com), where you’ll find all my links. I’m on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. I’ve been published in Caregiver magazine, Fearless Caregiver, and TBI Hope and Inspiration magazine. I’m also a contributor to TheMighty.com. I raise awareness about TBI and dystonia (a neurological movement disorder). I recently won the 1pg. Short Screenplay Contest. My entry, entitled Galicia’s Granite, was performed at the Novel Writing Festival. It’s on YouTube. I just fought two spam sites and got them to remove my article, 7 Ways to Support a Loved One with a Traumatic Brain Injury, off their sites. Annie Ricketts has it posted (with my permission) on her site, biglobalpicnic.org. I’m very proud of that article. I’m working on a several books and hope to become a PAID writer very soon!

Raine Turner – Caregiver & Author

Raine Turner (caregiver)…I am going to brag – big huge momma brag! My son [my brain-injured son, who was not supposed to survive, never mind thrive; my drug-dealing son, with a federal criminal record; my son, who is now at the University of Calgary studying a dual degree in Business and Actuarial Science (I said I was going to brag) and getting 80s (yes, on a reduced course load and with tutors)] is thriving against all odds. This same young man was actually the KEYNOTE speaker at the Brain Injury conference in Ottawa, which is supported by the federal government! So, if you think you cannot achieve, cannot fight, or cannot rise up to be at a higher level than the one on which you are at, you should put on your “big boy” or “big girl” underpants and work hard. You WILL rise up to be at a level higher than the one you are at now. It will not be easy; it will not be fun; but you will improve your life. If you need, I can always “kick your ass” to achieve more, as I did for my son! I am so excited; I am so proud of him! He has worked so hard for so long. My son is my HERO!

Raine Turner, the author of “Only Son… Only Child,” will be a guest on my show, “Another Fork in the Road” on Sunday, August 21, 2016, at 5:30pm Pacific Time, with her son, Ryan. I hope you will join us.

Matthew Vickers – Survivor

Matthew Vickers (survivor)…A huge feat for a traumatic brain injury survivor who can’t walk or stand and only has the use of his right arm and hand … For consecutive weeks, I have independently showered, and that includes completing all necessary transfers.

YOU did it!

Congratulations to contributors!

(Clip Art compliments of Bing.)

(Photos compliments of contributors.)

As I say after each post:

Please leave a comment by clicking the blue words “Leave a Comment” below this post.

Feel free to follow my blog. Click on “Follow” on the upper right sidebar.

If you like my blog, share it intact with your friends. It’s easy! Click the “Share” buttons below.

If you don’t like my blog, “Share” it intact with your enemies. I don’t care!

Feel free to “Like” my post.