Name: Dave

City: Lincoln

Brain Injury: I received a TBI from a blow to the top of my head on a work site in February, 2014.  My symptoms are chronic headache, sensitivity to lights, sounds, crowds and too many things for my brain to process at one time.  I am fatigues and have recall problems.

Explanation of Mask: I feel like I have been worked into check-mate in a game of chess.  Even the smallest of things {pawns} can hold me prisoner.  The board warps and blends because I don’t see the way back.

The tears are from the list I was given, with two additions: ‘no words’ and **##!!}{-*%!.  There are still nights when the stars arc by and I just breathe.

The Tongue and the Eyes.  A little bit of whimsy here.  I take four prescription meds and have botox injections to manage the symptoms.  I wanted to use mirrors for eyes, but made do {I do a lot of making do, it seems} with aluminum foil.  I think people only see what they want to see.