City: Portland

Brain Injury: Stroke on April 4, 2010

Explanation of Mask: My stroke left me with brain injury, aphasia, and balance issues.  Everything I used to know, reading, writing, and talking – I had to relearn.  I had to go one step at a time.  It took a long time to get back to my creative projects like reading.  It took me 5 years to be able to sign a check and aphasia still raises its head sometimes.  This was a 7 year journey, a strong faith and a lot of tools helped me to walk out from the darkness and shine.  My mask is like a patchwork quilt, it includes textures, patterns, shapes and colors.  This is my new life, and I am a new person.  Acceptance was hard, while denial was easier.