New |
Persistence |
Tremor |
Frustration |
Deficiencies |
Being In Charge |
God
Being Out There |
Girls |
Sex |
Frozen |
Two Types |
Starting Out |
Topsy Turvy |
My Words
Check out the Arclight Magazine article about my first book project
STARTING OUT -
"A finished book will not end my ride." This is what I am telling myself on this 29th day of January, 1999. When, not if, I complete this book, my life as a head injury survivor will not end. I realize that, and my dream continues.
What a ride this has been. It started sometime in the early 90's, I would say about the fall, or maybe winter of 1992. My brother Andrew, who had been employed by Shearson Lehman was getting a new computer, and decided to give me his old one as a gift. I, who had just started taking a course at a local school, gratefully accepted, and the seed was planted.
I began using the wordprocessor on that Acer PC as a sort of diary; entering my different thoughts and ideas pertaining to my disability. As my writings accumulated, I started thinking that if I was having this many thoughts and ideas, that other survivors must be having similar ones. My dream continues.
I soon got online, and started to test the waters. I got a web page discussing my idea (www.j51.com\tbi), and I was moving on. This was the single most important vehicle for my project. It has allowed me to contact survivors all over the world. I am still amazed on how many people are living their lives in a similar situation. New Zealand, Austrailia, Ireland, and China are just some of the places I have been contacted from. Many survivors have shared with me their uique story, filled with explanations of lost dreams, anger about missed opportunities, and lost chances.
There has been a number of web sites set up by concerned individuals, or survivors themselves, to bring individuals with a common bond together to deal with this misunderstood injury. My moods over the past six years has fluctuated between high with excitement, over the possibilities of my project, to low doldrums when things seemed hopeless. Despite these swings of emotions, I have basicly stuck with it throughout the last seven years, knowing in my heart that it was right, and that it would better the lives of many, as well as my own.
Although other survivors have their own story, I am offering mine as a model to compare and contrast. Someone might not agree with, or like what I have done, but it will give them something to base their own on. I believe that we all grow through sharing life's experiences. We are all in this together.
I cannot take credit for this entire project, and there have been many people who have helped me in one way or another. The biggest help with this "book project" has come from David S. Davis, without whose help, I could have never completed this. He helped with refocusing me when I would stray off my path (which was often); he also helped with organizing my efforts; and mostly with getting me to dig deep, and do a lot on my own. He helped me to see I am capable of much more than I give myself credit for.
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