Another Fork in the Road

To Support Group or NOT Support Group. That is the question! Many folks, both survivors and caregivers depend on the help of support groups. But many folks prefer to go it alone. What is your choice? Tune in to hear me and my panel, Deb Brabdon and Meghan Beaudry talk about the pros and cons of support groups.   Every TBI survivor and caregiver has encountered a fork in the road that has diverted his or her life-plan. A car accident, a fall from the roof, doing one more chin-up, or a door literally slamming one in the face are just some causes of traumatic brain injury. College plans, walking down the aisle in the perfect dress, or the coveted job quickly slip from reality as dreams turn to struggle. These unexpected life-happenings that divert one from his or her chosen path in life can be devastating. But as Yogi Berra once said, "If you come to a fork in the road, take it." Life is all about choices! To learn more about me, please visit my blog and website. Surviving Traumatic Brain Injury Blog:                              survivingtraumaticbraininjury.com Author of Prisoners without Bars: A Caregiver's Tale:      donnafigurski.com  Donna's Blog:                                                                    donnaodonnellfigurski.wordpress.com

Survivor & Author of A CROWN OF HORNETS, Marcia Pelletiere, joins me to talk about her brain injury and how she is moving forward. Every TBI survivor and caregiver has encountered a fork in the road that has diverted his or her life-plan. A car accident, a fall from the roof, doing one more chin-up, or a door literally slamming one in the face are just some causes of traumatic brain injury. College plans, walking down the aisle in the perfect dress, or the coveted job quickly slip from reality as dreams turn to struggle. These unexpected life-happenings that divert one from his or her chosen path in life can be devastating. But as Yogi Berra once said, "If you come to a fork in the road, take it." Life is all about choices! To learn more about me, please visit my blog and website. Surviving Traumatic Brain Injury Blog:                              survivingtraumaticbraininjury.com Author of Prisoners without Bars: A Caregiver's Tale:      donnafigurski.com  Donna's Blog:                                                                    donnaodonnellfigurski.wordpress.com

Caregivers are a special class of people. They are folks who give up their lives to help others. Somerimes it's by choice. Most times it's by circumstances. My guests this evening, Lisabeth Evans & Jeannette Davidson-Mayer, were thrust into their caregiver roles when their spouses had a brain injury. Harriet Hodgson was the caregiver for her husband after a long illness. They NEED to take care of themselves too. Tune in to find out how they managed. Every TBI survivor and caregiver has encountered a fork in the road that has diverted his or her life-plan. A car accident, a fall from the roof, doing one more chin-up, or a door literally slamming one in the face are just some causes of traumatic brain injury. College plans, walking down the aisle in the perfect dress, or the coveted job quickly slip from reality as dreams turn to struggle. These unexpected life-happenings that divert one from his or her chosen path in life can be devastating. But as Yogi Berra once said, "If you come to a fork in the road, take it." Life is all about choices! To learn more about me, please visit my blog and website. Surviving Traumatic Brain Injury Blog:                              survivingtraumaticbraininjury.com Author of Prisoners without Bars: A Caregiver's Tale:      donnafigurski.com Donna's Blog:                                                                    donnaodonnellfigurski.wordpress.com

Danielle will talk about her road from trying to make her life better, joining the military, getting a brain injury, and reaching her current goals. Danielle says. "How you start isn’t how you have to end. We all have struggles and difficulties; but do not dwell on them. Use them as fuel to keep going until you get to where you want to be." Every TBI survivor and caregiver has encountered a fork in the road that has diverted his or her life-plan. A car accident, a fall from the roof, doing one more chin-up, or a door literally slamming one in the face are just some causes of traumatic brain injury. College plans, walking down the aisle in the perfect dress, or the coveted job quickly slip from reality as dreams turn to struggle. These unexpected life-happenings that divert one from his or her chosen path in life can be devastating. But as Yogi Berra once said, "If you come to a fork in the road, take it." Life is all about choices! To learn more about me, please visit my blog and website. Surviving Traumatic Brain Injury Blog:                              survivingtraumaticbraininjury.com Author of Prisoners without Bars: A Caregiver's Tale:      donnafigurski.com  Donna's Blog:                                                                    donnaodonnellfigurski.wordpress.com

Brain injury is hard to take. It comes with various hardships. So how do survivors and their caregivers get by? I learned that having a good attitude and being grateful has helped David and me through the past 16+ years. Join me tonight to hear how survivors, Jamie Crane-Mauzy and Barbara Abby, forge ahead with their brain injuries with a good attitude and gratitude.   Every TBI survivor and caregiver has encountered a fork in the road that has diverted his or her life-plan. A car accident, a fall from the roof, doing one more chin-up, or a door literally slamming one in the face are just some causes of traumatic brain injury. College plans, walking down the aisle in the perfect dress, or the coveted job quickly slip from reality as dreams turn to struggle. These unexpected life-happenings that divert one from his or her chosen path in life can be devastating. But as Yogi Berra once said, "If you come to a fork in the road, take it." Life is all about choices! To learn more about me, please visit my blog and website. Surviving Traumatic Brain Injury Blog:                              survivingtraumaticbraininjury.com Author of Prisoners without Bars: A Caregiver's Tale:      donnafigurski.com  Donna's Blog:                                                                    donnaodonnellfigurski.wordpress.com

Annie Ricketts is a survivor of brain injury, but she does not let that stop her. Annie is the founder of Brain Injury Global Picnic and GBIA. Her mission is to bring awareness about brain injury to everyone. Every TBI survivor and caregiver has encountered a fork in the road that has diverted his or her life-plan. A car accident, a fall from the roof, doing one more chin-up, or a door literally slamming one in the face are just some causes of traumatic brain injury. College plans, walking down the aisle in the perfect dress, or the coveted job quickly slip from reality as dreams turn to struggle. These unexpected life-happenings that divert one from his or her chosen path in life can be devastating. But as Yogi Berra once said, "If you come to a fork in the road, take it." Life is all about choices! To learn more about me, please visit my blog and website. Surviving Traumatic Brain Injury Blog:                              survivingtraumaticbraininjury.com Author of Prisoners without Bars: A Caregiver's Tale:      donnafigurski.com  Donna's Blog:                                                                    donnaodonnellfigurski.wordpress.com

Please come join me, Lisa Dryer, and my friends on "Another Fork In The Road!" I am a guest on this show, and I think that you will agree that my friend Donna (the host) is excellent at her craft! She is my Arizona neighbor, she trained me as a host, and she is just an excellent person!  You can find the show on https://www.blogtalkradio.com/braininjuryradio at 5:30 PM Pacific, 7:30 PM Mountain, and 8:30 PM Eastern.  You can also listen to the show by calling 424-243-9540 at your local time. You can even call-in during the interview! Stay in the studio for a while and you will meet some wonderful people in our chat rooms  who will be staying in late for the Joey Giggles show! You won't want to miss either Saturday night radio show !  However, please know that if you miss this program on Saturday, you can access it anytime on Brain Injury Radio Network in our archives.   This program is about how a Brain Injury can change your life.  ********************************************* MS is  one of the most debilitating neurological diseases. When I was diagnosed with it, it changed my life. I only knew to continue approaching life the way I always had: as a survivor!  Through friendship, family, spirituality, and the many M.S. role models I had, I began to beat back the monster of this disease. Their in, I opened up my life to a journey of adventure: Learning things any normal person can do to enhance their lives after a BI. I'd love it if you'd join me in this journey; where we can all can learn to be better versions of ourselves! -- Lisa Dryer.

Heather Sivori Floyd was already a mother, which means she was a automatic caregiver. But when one of her children had a brain injury, her caregiving skills rose to a higher level. Hear Heather talk about how to juggle caring for her son with brain injury with the rest of her family.   Every TBI survivor and caregiver has encountered a fork in the road that has diverted his or her life-plan. A car accident, a fall from the roof, doing one more chin-up, or a door literally slamming one in the face are just some causes of traumatic brain injury. College plans, walking down the aisle in the perfect dress, or the coveted job quickly slip from reality as dreams turn to struggle. These unexpected life-happenings that divert one from his or her chosen path in life can be devastating. But as Yogi Berra once said, "If you come to a fork in the road, take it." Life is all about choices! To learn more about me, please visit my blogs. Surviving Traumatic Brain Injury Blog: survivingtraumaticbraininjury.com Donna's Blog: donnaodonnellfigurski.wordpress.com

Guest ~ Survivor, Meghan Beaudry Every TBI survivor and caregiver has encountered a fork in the road that has diverted his or her life-plan. A car accident, a fall from the roof, doing one more chin-up, or a door literally slamming one in the face are just some causes of traumatic brain injury. College plans, walking down the aisle in the perfect dress, or the coveted job quickly slip from reality as dreams turn to struggle. These unexpected life-happenings that divert one from his or her chosen path in life can be devastating. But as Yogi Berra once said, "If you come to a fork in the road, take it." Life is all about choices! To learn more about me, please visit my blog and website. Surviving Traumatic Brain Injury Blog:                              survivingtraumaticbraininjury.com Author of Prisoners without Bars: A Caregiver's Tale:      donnafigurski.com  Donna's Blog:                                                                    donnaodonnellfigurski.wordpress.com

So many caregiers step up to care for their loved ones. They give their all - even putting their needs on the back burner. It's human nature, I think. BUT...Caregivers have needs too! Caregiver and author, Jeannette Davidson-Mayer joins me to talk about the needs that caregivers have.   Every TBI survivor and caregiver has encountered a fork in the road that has diverted his or her life-plan. A car accident, a fall from the roof, doing one more chin-up, or a door literally slamming one in the face are just some causes of traumatic brain injury. College plans, walking down the aisle in the perfect dress, or the coveted job quickly slip from reality as dreams turn to struggle. These unexpected life-happenings that divert one from his or her chosen path in life can be devastating. But as Yogi Berra once said, "If you come to a fork in the road, take it." Life is all about choices! To learn more about me, please visit my blog and website. Surviving Traumatic Brain Injury Blog:                              survivingtraumaticbraininjury.com Author of Prisoners without Bars: A Caregiver's Tale:      donnafigurski.com  Donna's Blog:                                                                    donnaodonnellfigurski.wordpress.com