Brain Injury: Mother/Caregiver.  My son acquired a Diffused Axonal Injury from a car accident in the country of Spain.

Explanation of Mask: As a mother and caregiver for my son, I wanted to share words that described some of the emotions that I felt as we have progressed through this journey.  I got the call that 2 of my sons were in an auto accident in Spain and I needed to get there ASAP.  It hit me hard “pow,” there seemed to be a “shockwave” that went through the entire family as well as his friends.  I found myself “uncertain” as to what I would find when I got to Spain because the person calling did not have details.  I realized that I would not get through this without “prayer.”  So off to Spain I went.  I found that if I stayed “grateful & appreciative” for everything, my sons got better and my days were less stressful.  There were times though, during our 5 years there, that I felt “isolated” because of the language, culture barrier, and the lack of friends to chat with.  I was “determined” that I would not let their injuries or our circumstances, stop us from having a full life.  I “created” joy, and many opportunities to have fun both during our stay in Spain as well as when we arrived back home.