Ginny Lazzara, Board Chair, Steve Love, Philicia L. Deckard Executive Director Brain Injury Association of Illinois

On September 11, 2004 I was in a car accident, my life was forever changed. On my way to work three deer ran across the highway, I lost control of my car, two weeks later I awoke in a hospital. I have no memory of the accident, my rescue, or the helicopter flight to the hospital. I was told I received a close head injury. I received my traumatic brain injury, TBI, on that day.

Time, I am told will only answer the question of how much my brain will heal and what type of life, the quality of life, I will have. My life will have meaning, will have a purpose, will make an impact on those who share my life. It is not the life I once pictured for me and my family. It is life and it is that which I must now live with every day of my life.

I’m now trying to come to term with my brain injury. I must learn to live with my brain injury. I do wish I was able to live what you might call a normal life. Brain Injury affects not only the individual, but their family, their close friends, coworkers and others who inter into their circle of acquaintances; groups, clubs, church, the list can go on. Roles and relationships change, and the financial ramifications may be extensive. A dividing line is drawn, life before and life after, the brain injury.

One thing I was not prepared for I started to go though the grief process for the loss of the old me. I had to come to term with the fact that the life I had was over, and would never be returning. The old me was dead.  The loss me or the Loss Self has been called the real tragedy of traumatic brain injury. It is a loss so profound that some may never recover from it. Coping with this loss is essential to recovery. I will never be the way I was before my injury. I now must develop a new sense of self, see me for what I am. I am not just my brain injury. I am not the same person that I was before my injury, but I hope I am becoming someone you would like to get to know.

Life living with a brain injury, is a life I wish that another individual would never have to go through. That is why I am here today. To help to educate others about brain injuries, to help someone not to live this life I am now forced to live.

Steve Love, Brain Injury Awareness Advocate 
27 East Myrtle Street
Canton Illinois 61520
lovestephan@hotmail.com   

Fulton County Brain Injury Support Group

http://fultoncountybraininjurysupportgroup.health.officelive.com/isc.aspx   

Brain Injury Group 

http://braininjurygroup.health.officelive.com/default.aspx
 

  http://www.biail.org/   

Steve Love and Bob Love of the Chicago Bulls and board member of the Brain Injury Association of Illinois.  The Brothers Love of the Brain Injury Association of Illinois. 

S. C. Love's Art  

http://scloveart.web.officelive.com 

The  Healing of Stephan Love.pdf  

http://scloveart.web.officelive.com/Documents/The%20Healing%20of%20Stephan%20Love.pdf

Art as Therapy The  Healing of Stephan Love S. C. Love's Art 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pyQrX0_nO4