This article marks the 1800th article that I have written for Second Chance to Live since February 6, 2007. Back Story My name is Craig J. Phillips. I was in an automobile accident with my Dad, Mom and Brother when I was 10 years old in 1967. I sustained an open skull fracture with right frontal lobe damage, a severe brain bruise with brain stem involvement. I fractured … [Read more...]
Brain Injury Recovery -- An Ongoing Process
Recovery from a brain injury is an ongoing process. Once external wounds have healed brain injuries many times become invisible. Because of the invisible nature of brain injuries, denial often interferes in the recovery process. One's own denial and the denial of family and friends. Many times the brain injury survivor finds themselves isolated and alone because of changes. Changes that are out of their control. Changes that are often hard to identify. In this category, I will share what helped me to begin to understand. I share what helped me to begin to accept myself when other people couldn't or wouldn't accept me. Accept me in new reality. As I began to recover I began to realize that I did not have to limit myself because of my limitations.
In this category I go on to share what has helped me to continue to recovery. Recover from the impact of living with a brain injury and an invisible disability for nearly 49 years. In my experience, as I grew in my recovery process, I grew in hope. May what I share in this category and through out Second Chance to Live help you in your process to also grow in hope. With hope, we can live our dreams. With hope we can accomplish what we never dreamed possible. Our brain injuries do not have to define who we are as individuals. Our limitations do not have to limit us. In this category I share articles that have helped to empower me in my ongoing brain injury recovery process.
"The journey of a thousand miles begins with the 1st step. Once we start walking, before long we will be able to see how far we have come in our process, because we did not give up." Craig J. Phillips MRC, BA
Riddle: How do you eat an elephant? Answer: One bite at a time.
"If you advance confidently in the direction of your dream and endeavor to live the life that you have imagined...you will meet with a success unexpected in common hours." Henry David Thoreau
Baffled, Puzzled and Confused in Relationships after Brain Injury
Understanding relationships after brain injury can be baffling and confusing. What once seemed understandable now has missing pieces. Missing pieces that leave us feeling puzzled in our interactions with other people and ourselves. Missing pieces that leave us feeling alone. Alone, isolated and alienated as individuals living with brain injuries as we seek to connect with and … [Read more...]
A Selection of 35 Posters Created to Inspire You and Me with Hope and Empowerment
You have my permission to share my articles and or video presentations with anyone you believe could benefit, however, I maintain ownership of the intellectual property AND my articles, video presentations, and eBooks are not to be considered OPEN SOURCE. Please also provide a link back to Second Chance to Live. In the event that you have questions, please send those questions … [Read more...]
Being Our Own Best Cheerleader after a Brain Injury
In December 2016 I wrote the article, I Am Not a “Label” — Being Our Own Best Cheerleader. Being our own cheerleader after a brain injury can be difficult because of many "voices". Voices that discourage us. Voices from without and voices from within. Voices that we hear and stories that we tell ourselves. Below I would like to share what I learned about the "voices" and what … [Read more...]
The Value of Telling Our Story after a Traumatic Brain Injury Video Presentation
A week and a half ago I published the article, "The Value of Telling Our Story after a Traumatic Brain Injury". Today I am creating a video presentation of the article. I am doing so to share the information within the article with individuals who learn through watching and listening. To watch and listen to the video presentation of the article, click on this link: The … [Read more...]