The Masks

Hawaii

Name: Andrew

City: Hilo, HI

Brain Injury:
I was diagnosed with Stage 4 terminal cancer and given if any, a 2% chance to survive. A tumor was found in the sinus cavity above my right eye and the veins of the tumor had invaded the front brain area and orbit of that eye causing it to become blind permanently.

Explanation of Mask:
The journey was a very long and difficult one to endure for 8 years I allowed the demons inside my head to take control with negative thoughts and I became an angry, bitter, resentful, hateful and a miserable person to live with. Fortunately, I was placed on a path to discovering yoga and it was my Saving Grace. Through its practices I was able to start the healing process of my Mind, Body, and Spirit…all that had been broken from cancer. Today, 17 years later I am cancer free and living a life contentment with the choices I have made along the way. What we think we become, and I knew I needed to TRAIN MY BRAIN into thinking positive thoughts. When faced with adversity, we must seek guidance from our faith, have hope that all things are possible and rely on our inner strength, courage, and perseverance to finding a better day. Every morning when I wake, I am so very Grateful and truly Thankful for another day of living. Most importantly, believe in MIRACLES… I’m living proof of that.

Name: Brian

City: Kurtistown, HI

Brain Injury: Stroke

Explanation of Mask:
The right side of my brain helps to put the left side back together. I didn’t even know I had a stroke until I realized I couldn’t talk, but I could sing, I couldn’t walk but I could dance… Basically my right side is perfect and is teaching my left.

Name: Brittany

City: Volcano, HI

Brain Injury:
Car accident – Spinal Cord Injury C6/C7 quadriplegic with possible brain injury but don’t think they check as my spine was main concern.

Explanation of Mask:
The mask is blue because it’s my favorite color. BW2W logo on forehead to represent my story BritsWill2Walk.com because since injury I’ve been fighting to walk again. Superman S to represent how I feel everyday overcoming everything injury brings daily. T in a heart representing me finding love again after thinking for years that no one could love me. Tymothy showed me true love and acceptance. INSPIRE on chin represents what I going to do daily, use my injury to inspire people. Made a heart on forehead that says “MOM” in it because she passed away from a brain aneurysm in 2016 and that changed my life forever. Mask is smiling because I was blessed with a 2nd chance at life.

Name: Dennis

City: Pahoa, HI

Brain Injury: 5 Strokes

Explanation of Mask:
I used to be an aerialist before the strokes. With the loss of balance and concentration I had to give up being aerialist. Now I want to find a way to pass the aerialist torch onto others.
The black mask relays the emptiness and loss created by the strokes, leaving me devoid of thought and concentration. The white explosions are thoughts and ideas I have. The tan is a film growing over things so I can’t see them- this film is receding as I improve.
I enjoy making others smile and laugh. I entertain as a clown and this is very therapeutic for me as well. Everyday when I wake up and look in the mirror, I see a crippled guy. I close the door and don’t let him in. It’s given me an inner strength.

Name: Robert

City: Hilo, HI

Brain Injury:
My ischemic stroke occurred in 2009, and I was 48 years of age. At that time I had no concept of what a strokes was, for none of my friends or relatives had ever had a stroke. The left side of my body had gone limp, and I couldn’t remember how to use the phone (and couldn’t speak anyway), so I just sat and waited for someone to find me. Unfortunately, no one found me for 14 hours so most of my stroke symptoms became permanent.

Explanation of Mask:
My “Mask” exemplifies some of my acquired disabilities. In addition to becoming partially paralyzed on one side of my body, my brain function was altered. I also have acquired a form of aphasia, both of my eyes are no half blind, and my left carotid artery is completely blocked off.
In spite of what has happened as result of the stroke, my happiness has never waned due to the support of my loved ones. In fact, my level of happiness and contentment has actually increased through the simplification of my life, and my personal accomplishments continue to grow. We have the choice to do our best with the hand we are dealt. My gratefulness for what I still have flourishes!

Name: Jeremy

City: Kailua-Kona, HI

Brain Injury:
Wife fell off bike- car ran her over. Head- helmet saved life. Forced to retired from medical practice. Made amazing recovery but finally it catches up.

Explanation of Mask:
The mask has a sunny happy side and a sad side moony.
The third eye is prominent for diagnostic excellence.
The snail is for laziness.
Mixed feeling and muddles on forehead.

Name: Susan

City: Kailua-Kona, HI

Brain Injury: Stroke

Explanation of Mask:
The tears can represent happiness or sadness. The rainbow is God’s promise to all of us. The halo is where we mask over true feelings. Red lips can represent our feelings and emotions.

Name: Kalani

City: Kailua-Kona, HI

Brain Injury:

Explanation of Mask:
Funny, happy, beautiful 6-year-old.

Name: Karen

City: Kailua-Kona, HI

Brain Injury:
2016 Fever chills productive cough left sided weakness required emergency craniotomy for multiple brain abscesses, followed by a year of IV antibiotics.

Explanation of Mask:
I am still dealing with the resultant sequelae of being so ill and putting the pieces together physically, emotionally, and cognitively. I worked very hard in therapy and learned how to walk, move about efficiently, to drive, to speak clearly and take care of myself using adaptive aids.
My rehab was severely complicated by a game changing medical mistake where the nerve in my non-dominant hand was severely injured, as result of an IV poke by a nurse. I am dealing with the nerve pain and weakness in my head which has been a struggle in itself, and treatment continues. I thought I was dealing effectively with my TBI; however, the additional nerve injury is very annoying, challenging, exhausting, frightening, irritating, and nearly overwhelming to manage the variable pain while living with sequelae of a TBI.

Name: Maria

City: Kailua-Kona, HI

Brain Injury: Stroke

Explanation of Mask:
Mask is painted half powder blue to represent good and the other half is gray to represent sad.
Blue eye is a happy eye.
Green tears are on the happy side because I always cry.
Star pink is happy.
Purple heart is happy.
Eye lashes are on the good side.
The green flower represents a happy brain.
The red lips show a happy and sad smile.

Name: Micar

City: Kailua-Kona, HI

Brain Injury:

Explanation of Mask:
Beautiful Micar, brave, patience, and optimistic.

Name: Penny

City: Kailua-Kona, HI

Brain Injury:
I passed out and fell backwards and landed on a’a lava rock with my head. I had 35 stitches and staples in the back of my head. Polydrugs affects central nervous system. Passed out 2 times prior. Dr.’s said it happens. Washing windows- passed out. Husband found her in pool of blood.

Explanation of Mask:
So much anger, destroyed my life, not able to work. I’ve always been able to take care of myself- multitasker- happy. Paddled, swam, garden, cleaned. I can literally only do 1 thing at a time.
Perception/coordination so bad. Fell 3 times in last 2 years, 1-time breaking wrist.
Can’t remember minute to minute. Can’t clean house or bend over.
Affected vision badly, when tested, Dr.’s say it hasn’t changed much Dr. can’t say why I can’t see.

Name: Roger

City: Kailua-Kona, HI

Brain Injury:
June 30, 1995, riding on the back of a motorcycle without a helmet. I was thrown off my motorcycle, left side of my face destroyed. TBI, 5 ½ months on life support.

Explanation of Mask:
Reflects life as jokester. The head is colorful to represent bright ideas. The sequence along the mask are colorful and represents being a lawyer, hard worker, committed, kind, helpful, and caring.
The start represents a bright mind, an author, honest, and volunteer.

Name: Stephanie

City: Kailua-Kona, HI

Brain Injury:
July 2008, I was hit in the head by a big dog. It caused a concussion (TBI) in the left front temporal cortex of my brain. I also have severe neck pain that radiates through my body.

Name: Steven

City: Kailua-Kona, HI

Brain Injury:

Explanation of Mask:
Angry at myself, when I can’t remember. Angrier when it is pointed out, I can’t remember. Remember to do something in order, then no help from partner when I fail to remember order.

Name: Lani

City: Maui, HI

Brain Injury: Direct support worker for survivors of brain injury.

Explanation of Mask:
Life’s journey as a provider the wire pipes represent the thoughts of love, joy, happiness, darkness, and choosing life.
To encourage those to be in a positive state and starting to make changes with me.

Name: Faith

City: Honolulu, HI

Brain Injury: Concussion

Explanation of Mask:
Reminds me of how many athletes young and old are injured. And still have scars.
Scars aren’t always obvious. Some are hidden in the brain, tissues, nerves, and bones. Takes time to heal and sometimes takes years to do so.
But we can go on, one day at a time, one step at a time.

Name: Grace

City: Honolulu, HI

Brain Injury: Stroke

Explanation of Mask:
The blue face = lost but desperately trying to find oneself with family.
Sun = my granddaughter, she always makes me smile.
The butterfly = my daughter, butterflies don’t judge you.
The snail = me. I used to be active and now I have to slow down.
The heart = my family, and togetherness.
The glitter star on the nose represents all of us coming together as one.
The purple is my granddaughter’s favorite color and she LOVES glitter.

Name: Jaye

City: Honolulu, HI

Brain Injury: Brain Tumor – Glioblastoma

Explanation of Mask:
There’s so much uncertainty about my brain injury. It’s very confusing like the mixed colors on the mask- I don’t know what’s going to happen when I leave the hospital, I’m Afraid. There is sadness and grief at the loss of my former self represented by the tears on the mask. There is a lot of uncertainty- I just don’t know-?

Name: Leslie

City: Hauula, HI

Brain Injury: May 2013, walking dogs and a careless driver, ran me over and I almost died.

Explanation of Mask:
A young lady dreaming to become a dancer and wanting a career. Brain is hopes and dreams. Hoping things will get better and believing dreams come true.
Brain injury is relearning things, a new skill, dealing with people, and challenges.
Medication and treatment and wanting a good life.
Brain injury is very severe and shouldn’t be taken lightly.
People are not educated about what it is, and people need to learn.
Depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and lack of confidence.
I want to do things, but my brain doesn’t cooperate because of my short-term memory.

Name: Lindsay

City: Honolulu, HI

Brain Injury: Traumatic Brain Injury; Crawled from coma after 10 days; Miracle.

Explanation of Mask:
Red is the color Determination! Moon and star represent the dream and state that I was in for four years. Still four years later still feel “dreamy”. The motivation to get well comes from within. Grateful daily, could have been so much worse. Grateful for the people who continue to help me through this mess. Family, friends, and strangers. My inspiration for continued rehabilitation is “Try, Try, Try”. “Never give in”. “Love the one’s in the life that make things easier.” Thank you all!!!

Name: Lisa

City: Waipahu, HI

Brain Injury: Ex-husband hit the back of a parked semi truck.

Explanation of Mask:
The first mask I made was to show who I was when the TBI first happened. This is my recovery mask, to show who I am after 20 years after my first brain injury.
Colors represent a rainbow and how I am, rainbows are a sign of hope and recovery. Red lips are for the shape of my heart to represent the support I get from my current husband who loves me, cherishes me, embraces my spirit and I am allowed to speak, and when I speak it comes from my heart.

Name: Milton

City: Honolulu, HI

Brain Injury: Hit while on moped by a drunk driver. The guy had 2 DUIs before he hit me, and his wife worked for an insurance co.

Explanation of Mask:
Life is smiling faces and frowns. Yellow is me being eager about life and happy. Life is not always a fast pace. Go too fast and you will miss things that help you. Slow down and see life as a learning experience from your errors. I used to be the Roadrunner but now I’m the snail. More aware of life around me.

Name: Patti

City: Honolulu, HI

Brain Injury: Acquired brain injury from stroke.

Explanation of Mask:
This mask represents me and my happiness because I don’t feel like there’s anything wrong.
I do feel out of place at times especially where I live because I don’t feel “right”. I am currently living in a SNF (Skilled Nursing Facility). I want to go home but I can’t because am not able to be independent, so I am going to smile anyway and “Fake it til you make it”.

Name: Shawna

City: Honolulu, HI

Brain Injury: Brain hemorrhage in 2009.

Explanation of Mask:
Pink is my favorite color, makes me hopeful. Flowers brighten days. Red means determined and I am determined to be better.

Name: Terabata

City: Kapolei, HI

Brain Injury: Son was in a motorcycle accident in 1980’s. In a coma for months, couldn’t talk, not knowing what was going on. Now it left him with short term memory.

Explanation of Mask:
This gave me the headaches, crying, discomfort, and frustration.

Name: Thomas

City: Honolulu, HI

Brain Injury: Car accident.

Explanation of Mask:
Open spaces represent where my confusion comes in and the blank spots is where my memory doesn’t connect and can’t remember what I just did or say. And the blue is how I feel daily.

Name: Trish

City: Kaneohe, HI

Brain Injury: Stroke

Explanation of Mask:
The mask is red to represent sadness and holding my feelings in. The blue sequence represents the tears I hold back.
The mask is smiling because I’m always smiling to hide my real feelings.
The feathers represent the feelings that I’m not free to “fly” around and do what I want to do.
The silver ball in my smile is saying “here I am!” I’m not invisible. Having a brain injury makes me feel like I have a disease that keeps people away.

Name: Valerie

City: Kaneohe, HI

Brain Injury: While at work I injured my head and shoulder. 6 weeks later I had a stroke. The stroke was a result of my work injury.

Explanation of Mask:
Hui Malama Po’o represents being appreciative for the support I get from this support group. The three walking figures represent being exhausted. HNTR = Hawaii Neurtorauma Registry, AILH = Aloha Independent Living Hawaii, and NT = Neurotrauma Supports. The butterfly with the heart represents Brain Injury Association (BIA). Lucky is represented by the gambling machine. The computer represents empathy and support to survivors of brain injury. The computer provides information for us to share. The Take 2 image represents determined.

Name: William

City: Kapolei, HI

Brain Injury: Motorcycle accident. Driving under influence of alcohol.

Explanation of Mask:
Growth is represented by the green mustache and beard. Dinosaur represents age. Sun and stars represent peacefulness, content, capable, sadness for what has happened and the problems for my mom I have caused.

Name: Bill

City: Waimanalo, HI

Brain Injury: I am a TBI survivor since 09/13/99. I had a motorcycle accident. The problems that I have is memory and it gets frustrating.

Explanation of Mask:
At times, confusion, forgetful, memory, distracted, how do I feel bust up, lost, why me, down.
What keeps me going is my FAITH with the LORD and that is what keeps me BALANCE. MY FAITH.

Name: Chrissy

City: Honolulu, HI

Brain Injury: Stroke

Explanation of Mask:
The stroke gave me a brain injury and affected how I do things. Life is different, I worry about the things I say and how I will pronounce the words. I worry that people will think I’m weird. The pink mask is my heart. The yellow across my mouth is how words look when they come out. The red “X” is all the worry I feel. I miss my kids and all the things we did together; beach, park, baseball. The blue heart is how my real heart feels when I miss my kids- sore. I live with my mom she takes me places and takes care of me. My mom makes me happy; she is the red feathers on the top of my mind.

Name: Dagny

City: Honolulu, HI

Brain Injury: I was violently beaten for about an hour by a former friend during my first year at UHM. I ended up having 3 cranial contusions and soft tissue damage. I was diagnosed with PTSD and post-concussion syndrome.

Explanation of Mask:
Post-concussion syndrome is extremely painful for me. Most cases are gone in 6 months, but 4 years later, I still have headaches, confusion, amnesia, trouble speaking, sleep disturbances, and foggy thoughts. It feels like wearing a helmet that’s getting tighter and tighter. It feels like a metal band around my head digging in. It feels like suddenly getting shot in the head. It feels like my head is cracked open. Sometimes it makes me break down and cry. Sometimes I have bouts of amnesia where I suddenly have no idea what’s going on. It’s really hard, but at least I’m still alive.

Name: Ipo

City: Honolulu, HI

Brain Injury: Caregiver to individual with brain injury.

Explanation of Mask:
This is how I see the individual with brain injury. The sequence represents positive, proud, and trusting. I see him a survivor and that he’s come a long way. He has positive vibes, and I trust him with my life. The flower petal represents him being energetic and makes me happy. The blue pipe cleaner represent compassion and shares his ideas and mana’o (knowledge). He would share his last dollar with anyone who might need it. The red pompom is for always being happy and always laughing. The pink feathers because he is helpful, inspired, talented and wholesome. The eyes represent the beauty of his soul. The beads on the forehead to represent my personal challenges that I am going through as a person. The red lips represent peace, love, prosperity that should be shared with everyone else.

Name: Lenora

City: Honolulu, HI

Brain Injury: The concerned concussion is a result of a bad decision, stemming from the damage of several previous concussions from falls. Because of the concussion from the fall of January 27, I tried to stand on a leg that was painful and broken, making the break worse. In the emergency room, I was told that I would have surgery the next day, but I didn’t understand what was broken or what the surgery entailed. I didn’t find out until I got the surgical report from the hospital medical records a month later. In the meantime, I just followed directions on my care and therapy, not understanding why. Even when the surgeon asked me if I have any questions, after the facility rehab discharge a month later, my brain wasn’t functioning well enough to ask.

Explanation of Mask:
The mask is an expression of the appreciation of the compassionate care I received for the concerned brain injury and its associated broken leg. For the passing bicyclist that picked me up off the ground and put me into the passing car that drove me home so that my husband could take me to the Emergency Room, to the kind support of the hospital and rehab facility staff who reached out to bond with me to friends who cheered me up with cards and visits in the facilities and cooked food when I got home. And my patient husband. All this kept me going and was so instrumental in healing.

Name: Paul

City: Kona

Brain Injury: Motorcycle accident

Explanation of Mask: Confusion, headaches, pain, frustration- personality disorder. Overcoming obstacles and difficulties.

Name: Robin

City: Kaua’i

Brain Injury: The 1st brain injury was from a head-on vehicle collision, the 2nd brain injury was from a rear-end collision, and the 3rd brain injury was a from a syncope episode when I fell while riding my horse.

Explanation of Mask:The color Pink represents the reciprocity of love in you and me; the sweetness and joy, the innocence and playfulness of my inner child, the divine feminine as captured in a rose, the sacredness and authenticity of all life, the desire to live by example, new beginnings like a newborn baby. The color Purple represents my spiritual essence, the foundation of who I am, my connection to Divine Source as my Divine Self, my spiritual awakening to a greater love, strength and gentleness, benevolent leadership, empowerment, everything we need lies within.

The Pink & White Feathers- I love birds as they speak to my heart with their songs of love and joy with a purity of heart, nature, animals (especially horses) and children were my safe refuge when the outside world was too fast and chaotic and was afraid of my brain injuries. By experiencing my vulnerabilities, I feel safe to be able to walk through public speaking with my TBI experiences to the other side where confidence and empowerment reside.

The Words –

“grateful” represents the gifts found in my recovery, my new life and purpose for living;

“aware” gave me the moment to say “I know now what I didn’t know for all those years” by opening doors I did not know existed;

“free to be me” is the return of my voice that was silenced by all the internalized struggles of my disability for so long. To rewire you must re-experience the challenges in order to practice the new skills/behaviors you desire in order to transform your world, destruction precedes new growth/renewal. TBIs were my experiences that brought me back to my heart, they no longer define me “connection” a sense of well-being through a heart connection is vital for healing to occur. In my experiences there were many well-meaning support systems that wanted to help by offering information about symptoms, medication, statistics, etc. without compassion which was meaningless to my state of isolation, despair and loneliness. I did not feel safe, loved or accepted. This also ties into the words, “you matter to me” which is what I wanted to hear and feel deep within. I can now give those words back to another in their time of need…what we all crave as humans. Nothing is separate; all is connected.

“Empowered voice” represents the voice of truth from within that comes with love, power and wisdom. And the Yellow Heart represents love and joy, the gifts of our Earth Mother that has everything we need to heal.

Name: Sarah (family-caregiver)

City: Kailua-Kona

Brain Injury: Need to project a happy face

Explanation of Mask:

HIDE SHOW

Sad face- tears Happy Face

Concerned Smile

Scared Love

Dark Concern

Hope

Patience

Listen

Project

Name: Shawna

City: Hawai’i

Brain Injury: In 2009 I had a brain hemorrhage haven’t been the same learn to walk and talk had only a 1% chance to survive.

Explanation of Mask: My mask one side is hopeful, happy, carefree clouds no care in the world, the rainbow colorful new outlook on life the sun look forward to a brand new day. The other side is a blank lonely feeling sometimes sad and often feel like my head is about to blow up, hard to understand feel like am in the dark a lot because am scared of the outside world anxiety gets the best of me but am always happy or at least act like I am.

Name: Stephanie

City: Kailua-Kona

Brain Injury: I was a veterinary ophthalmologist, and got hit in the head by a big dog. The brain injury/concussion was compounded by the fact that it went undiagnosed for 3 years, I had 4 general anesthesias within 22 months, and several other health complications that altered blood flow to my brain and increased the symptoms from the TBI.

Explanation of Mask: The mask is mostly white to illustrate the blandness that has become my life. I feel like I have Broken Intellect, Broken Memory, Broken Cognition & Broken Concentration. The colored tears show that this led to problems with Family, Function, Self-Esteem, My Role in Society, Friends and Finances. It has resulted in Ridicule, Loss of Fun and Loss of Hope. My mouth is outlined in Red, showing me trying to put on a brave, happy face, but the smile is not filled in, and the lines at the sides show that smile is a attempt at bravado, but that I don’t really feel joy and happiness inside me.

I feel like a shadow of “Me”, like I no longer really fit into this world…

There is the door, showing me the way Out, as I’m no longer a part of the world that I knew….

Name: Terebuta

City: Hawai’i

Brain Injury: Motorcycle

Explanation of Mask: O.K. This mask describes my feeling when I first saw my son accident. When I first saw him he laid down in the hospital bed in the hospital – not knowing what had happened to him. I was in a mess. I repeated to myself why why. This happened to my son.

It wasn’t worth it to see my son that way.

God help.

Name: Theresa

City: Waikaloa

Brain Injury: November 2010, car accident

Explanation of Mask: Cat like because of the 9 lives. The odds of me surviving the accident was very slim. The colors and feather highlights the releasing of my child self.

Name: Valerie

City: Pearl City

Brain Injury: Concussion, Hemorrhagic stroke

Explanation of Mask: The Center focus is Brain Burst which led to the stroke. The Christmas theme is when I was able to come home after the hospital for 6 weeks. The dolphin is the first memory of therapy for balance. The letter “K” is for my very special friend, who gave me support, friendship, and encouragement throughout my stay in rehab. Some of the training and exercises remind me of when I was learning and dancing hula. The last part and one of the most important part of recovery was my friends’ love and support even though speaking was difficult. And last I remember the flowers which brighten my room even when my sight was not clear at first. The last part describes the therapy that still continues till today as a 12 year survivor.

Name: Veselisa

City: Honolulu

Brain Injury: My first brain injury happened in 1969 when my ex-husband was driving drunk and rammed our car into the rear end of a parked 18 wheeler truck traveling approximately 50 miles an hour. I flew threw the windshield of our sturdy ’57 Ford.

I was not allowed visitors for 3 days. When friends came to see me they would come in, look at me and leave. On day 4, I was helped to the bathroom and was horrified. My head and face was covered in bandages. Spots not covered were unrecognizable.

Explanation of Mask: My mask shows my face hiding behind mini-blinds. For 17 years my ex-husband never gave me a compliment except for “You look nice”. The wounds on my face have healed and my hair covers my scars. I was ashamed, confused, frightened, and overwhelmed. Memory failed me and my body.

Name: Yvonne

City: Kona

Brain Injury: Son had a Traumatic Brain Injury

Explanation of Mask: Chain link for cheekbones plates holding jaw together but he’d always smile and laugh. Even in pain he had a smiling face. Smiling through pain making everyone happy and never thinking of himself.

Name: Bill

City: Hawai’i

Brain Injury: Motorcycle

Explanation of Mask: Something I got to live with now.

Name: Cathleen

City: Wahiawa

Brain Injury: Basilar skull fracture, right frontal contusion

Explanation of Mask: It has been 21 ½ yrs since I suffered my Brain Injury, my life changed dramatically but 20 yrs ago not much was understood how the brain affected the behavior, personality and & thought process. I lost my sense of self, dignity and future hopes for further rehabilitation. The lightning bolt represents the drive within me to make a difference, tears shed for others and a small red heart for Hope.

Name: Faith

City: Honolulu

Brain Injury: Concussion

Explanation of Mask: We were given white masks. In Hawai’i, we’re multicultural, “Hapa”, as they say in Hawai’i. Brain injury affects everyone, in different ways – not always seen, or understood, or accepted. I think of how beauty in our hearts is important to one’s survival – we need our loved one’s encouragement, we need family, supportive friends, and to be engaged in life.

The flowers and leaves represent Hawai’i’s flora and beauty. The dove – how peace and love in our hearts is required for survival, and to treat each other with respect. The eyes – to look at each other with hope and spark of understanding. The complexion – our heritage, community, ancestors, family, friends – our village, our camp – our home.

Name: Gloria

City: Kona

Brain Injury: Bicycle accident on March 15, 2015. Subdural Hematoma.

Explanation of Mask: A cross between Rationalizing and Wonder of “What if’s …” “Do not let the past determine your future.” Take charge and be proactive to get better and get focused to get stronger, make small improvements every day and Thank God for all the challenges and success of TBI.

Sometimes I wonder and sometimes I rationalize, but it gets better every day when engagement and intentionality to improve is focused.

Name: Ipo

City: Hawai’i

Brain Injury: Caregiver

Explanation of Mask: This mask represents the colors in the world like every human being and the diversity that we as a human race can live and breathe side by side. As a care giver, I must talk a lot of the world’s comments and opinions about people with brain injury! It is not for the faint of heart but you as an individual, have faith and compassion in your heart to find each individual capabilities and you will find the beauty is in you and your client!

Name: Karen

City: Kailua-Kona

Brain Injury: Multiple brain abscesses in December of 2016

Explanation of Mask: I chose drama and comedy symbols for my mask project. Experiencing an acquired brain injury lesions, followed by 40 days of hospitalization and a year of IV then oral antibiotics was a dramatic tragedy. Since then I have been undergoing cognitive, physical and emotional rehabilitation. I chose comedy symbols to depict achievements in all areas of rehabilitation that continue to today.

Name: Lenora

City: Honolulu

Brain Injury:Concussions from falls, auto accident and inattention

Explanation of Mask: The mask is an emotional reaction the medical care given to the brain injuries and related ailments- some positive, some negative, and some frustration with poor care. The blue on the left side of the mask indicates the negative effects of the brain injuries. The glitter expresses my positive attitude toward learning from the experience.

Name: Leslie

City: Ewa Beach

Brain Injury: In 2013 I was hit in a crosswalk by a SUV. I was in ICU and in a coma for a long time. My family thought I wasn’t going to make it.

Explanation of Mask: As a victim of a pedestrian accident I want people to know to please be careful about other people, esp. pedestrians. The price I paid is very high. I lost my mobility and became disabled. I lost my job of 30 years as a preschool teacher and my cognitive skills. I now have short term memory, have nightmares, and constant pain in my body. The challenging part of this experience was when I was in a wheelchair and I had to do therapy to learn to walk again. Brain injury effected my speech. I had to go to speech therapy to learn how to talk and to keep up with my language skills. I used to be able to do things for myself but after the injury I had to depend on my brother and sister for a long time to do things for me. With therapy I can do things for myself again. I had to pick up the pieces and be strong to get my mobility and skills back. I’m happy to be alive.

Making the mask shows how I can have mobility again and that I prove that someone with a brain injury can still function. Through arts and crafts I am able to express my feelings. God gave me back my life and wanted me functioning again to join the Brain Injury Support Group to see what others experiences are and know there are others like me with TBI. Blue feathers represents sadness. Some people don’t understand and not educated about TBI, brain injury.

Name: Linda

City: Kailua-Kona

Brain Injury: At 10 months I fell from a high chair. I was hemipalegic for my childhood. I can pass for normal. I fall a lot. I can walk & work & create. I grieve the me that might have been and I am grateful for all I have become.

Explanation of Mask: Constantly trying to hold it together while my firecracker brain spills out in unseen rage and unwiped tears- keep it all zipped. My TBI has come between me and every human relationship of my life. I am 68 and I get better all the time… If I make it to 150, who knows.

Name: Lyn

City: Honolulu

Brain Injury: Caused by an accident when a parking arm dropped down unexpectedly

Explanation of Mask: TBI is a multifaceted problem that is complicated and not easy to recognize, and deal with. I used flowers with many different colors, layers, sizes, and shapes to describe my emotions. The flowers look pretty and colorful, but they’re useless.

The red heart was me and white branch of leaves was my potentials and what I used to love doing in life. However, the big flower is my constant headache that puts a stop to my growth and success. The feathers represent my doctors, medications, therapies, etc that help me cope with the TBI. While the brown feather is the negative side effects, the red feather shows positive outcomes. However, there are limitations and new problems are born, which are represented by the white and red balls. They cause new obstacles and even embarrassment. The many flowers on the right side of the mask represent new medical problems after the TBI. They don’t look ugly or serious at a glance, but it is very difficult to recognize or understand how to get rid of. Finally, a large portion of the mask is blank because most of the time, I feel empty, lonely, and indecisive.

Name: Lyna (family, caregiver)

City: Honolulu

Brain Injury: My son had a pedestrian accident when he was 16 years old. He was in a coma for 2½ months. In spite of his TBI injury he was still very smart.

Explanation of Mask: In spite of his TBI injury he was still very smart, but when he decides to do something he shakes. According to the doctor this is due to the TBI injury at the back of his brain. Hopefully, he will get over this after a while.

Usually I feel so helpless. In spite of all the hard work it seems like his recovery is very slow. When I see that he does make progress it’s very gratifying. Never lose hope.

Name: Mary

City: Honolulu

Brain Injury: TBI started after I had a meningioma tumor removed by laser surgery in 1982. Thank Jesus that I lived through the trauma. Since TBI I’ve had a new life where I had to relearn everything. I was alienated by my family and it continues till today.

Explanation of Mask:

I emphasize no. 3: complete

Red: compassion

Black: alienated, pain, rejection

Blue: confidence, accepted

Pink: rejuvenation

Yellow: enlightenment, truth, God

Green: growth, understanding

Tear drops: emotions from the heart

Name: Milton

City: Honolulu

Brain Injury: 1/29/97 Motor scooter accident

Explanation of Mask: The mask shows, the images of what brain injury resembles to me. Your brain has many parts of your life, shows reaction and features. Life has many features good creative.

Name: Niels

City: Kula

Brain Injury: Sub-Arachnoid Hemorrhage, Interventricular Bleeding

Explanation of Mask: I decided to make my mask a representation of the duality of a Traumatic Brain Injury that I experienced The Right Side has a hurricane on the forehead to show the confusion and whirlwind of thoughts following the injury, the dark eye to show what the future looks like, the lightning bolt from the eye to represent the Anger and Sadness associated with the realization of what happened, the red cracks on the cheek to show the pressure of having to deal with the new circumstances and challenges and finally the lips ties together to show the difficulty of communicating the above challenges. The left side of the face represents the optimism that you must create and hold on to in order to heal and move on. The heart shows the love from Friends and Family, the open window in the eye is the new opportunity in life, the Brain lifting weights is the hard work you do to recover from injury, and the smile with 4-leaf clover is the realization that things could have been much worse!

Name: Mathew

Brain Injury: I remember falling; one moment I was standing in the bright Hawaiian sun and the next I landed at the bottom of an old abandoned dry well. I landed directly on top of my head from about sixteen feet fracturing seven vertebrae, multiple ribs and both great toes. I was alone, except for my two dogs. No one knew where I was. No one would be waiting at home. No one would miss my absence for a few days, and with no water. I would not last long. After somehow climbing out of the well, I would spend the next three days crawling to the highway on my hands and knees; my dogs never left my side.

I woke up two weeks later in the hospital after someone found me laying on the highway. i still hadonefoot in the spirit world; I felt like my head was floating in a bowl of Novocain. I knew something was wrong; I could not find words, I had a hard time following conversations and my memories seemed like dreams.

Explanation of Mask: I try to see my TBI as a spiritual journey; it is the only way I can make sense out of it.

The foil thumbtacks and paper clips symbolize feeling fragile, pieced together, and protective of my right brain; painting and writing are the only times I feel whole. I remember in old movies people would put on tin foil hats as a way of protecting themselves from alien messages. I get overwhelmed by too much information, and my brain will shut down, I will sleep for days. I have to protect myself from sensory overload.

The areas of the night sky dotted with stars and planets are the spirit world. I have lost most of the skills associated with left brain functions, math, organizing, and problem-solving.

The left eye wit the clock/compass face depicts my loss of time, numbers and direction.

The right eye with the red markings represents the cut in my field of vision sustained from my head injury.

Although my hearing and speech have improved, the feather in the mouth is the insecurity I have in any conversation.

The green line running horizontally above the eyes is the divide I feel between my body and mind.

The silver medal is for the dogs because they deserve one for saving my life by staying with me until the very end. Boo and Lei Lei May, you are good dogs!