Amber Lohret

After a tough 2019 where I suffered spinal injuries from being hit by a drunk driver, I was finally starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel. Post-surgery, my recovery had me feeling hopeful. So, on June 6th, 2020, my daughters—who were ten and nine years old then—and I decided it was time to celebrate this small victory. We headed out for dinner and ice cream at one of our favorite spots.

This outing felt even more special because COVID-19 restrictions had just been lifted enough to allow for outdoor seating. The dairy bar had set up picnic tables outside, creating a perfect setting for us. We ordered our food and milkshakes and sat down at one of those tables to savor our meal together. The day was warm and there was a noticeable breeze, but I didn’t think the wind would cause any problems. My friend and I were trying to keep our plates on the table when a sudden, powerful gust hit us. Out of nowhere, I felt an excruciating pain in the back of my head, and then everything went dark. When I arrived at the emergency room, they quickly worked to stop the bleeding and cleaned up as much blood as they could. The doctors then stapled my head shut. It was only afterward that we realized a strong gust of wind had lifted a patio picnic umbrella, striking my head and rendering me unconscious. Initially diagnosed with a concussion that led to post-concussion syndrome and eventually Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), I’ve been on an extensive journey towards recovery ever since. Some days are incredibly tough while others are more manageable, but every day is part of this ongoing process. Living with a brain injury can often resemble bearing an invisible burden. Externally, everything may seem ordinary, yet internally one grapples with profound challenges that are difficult to express and even harder to understand, sometimes even for the affected individual. The transformations precipitated by a brain injury can be both perplexing and overwhelming, resulting in daily battles that are exhausting and isolating.