5.

Finally, I started talking, no one knows why I was so quiet for so long, that's just the way it turned out. I had constant therapies for several more weeks, can I just say that 11 weeks in the hospital is a really long time! They finally allowed me to be released from the hospital on October 19, 2009. We flew back to San Diego and I started the Brain Injury program at Scripps Encinitas hospital on October 21, 2009. I can honestly say that I was very nervous because I had no idea what to expect. I was looking forward to getting the therapy I needed but I was nervous about telling my "story" - admitting that I needed help and I couldn't do it all on my own seemed much scarier at that time. The Brain Injury Program is brilliantly put together, the day-long program starts at 9:00 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m. The day is filled with multiple therapies (physical, speech, occupational), projects, and outings. I was comfortable there because I was in the program with other people facing some of the same challenges. I was also comfortable because your story was just that, yours. It was yours to tell if and when you chose to.

Beginning stages of recovery

Walking the hospital halls

working with ankle weights in the therapy room

it looks like were dancing...but were not!

learning just to sit up again