"My 15 year old daughter, Emily, is a 4 year brain hemorrhage survivor. She wrote this a few days ago for Brain Injury Awareness Month that she’d like me to share here:
'Having a brain hemorrhage, injury or stroke does not mean that you’re different from anyone else. We are all human beings - the same but also unique. It would be boring and pointless if we were all exactly the same. No one is the best at everything whether you have a disability or not. Everyone is helpful and useful in their own way. It doesn’t really matter who is the smartest or who isn’t. It just matters to be yourself, because being yourself is the best thing to do.
If people judge you for what they think is different about you, don’t listen to them.
Emily, ABI Survivor
If people judge you for what they think is different about you don’t listen to them. Walk away and tell yourself that you belong in this world. It’s your world too! The world created you to be on the earth being you. My friend once told me that we are all half and half. What that means is that some people are wonderful at some things and other people are wonderful at other things. That’s what makes us unique!
Some people who have had a brain injury might not recover that well. I recovered pretty well but there are some problems I still have. I have had more loss of eyesight these past few years. I still get fatigued and need lots of naps. When I get overwhelmed I’ll shut down because I’m not coping.
But I am still important to this world because God made me to be on the earth to help people and to be kind to animals. My heart was made to give comfort, and to bring sunshine and happiness to the whole world. Everyone in the whole universe has their own special and unique way that they communicate their importance.'"
-Emily, ABI Survivor (from mom Janet)
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