Name: Jenny C.

Age: 36

City: Chandler, AZ

Brain Injury:  ISCHEMIC STROKE (CVA) caused by a blood clot in my carotid artery.

Explanation of Brain Injury:  I was home alone and unable to call for help. I did not get help for 2 ½ days. I was 28 years old & very healthy, so I didn’t suspect it was a stroke.

Explanation of Mask:  My mask represents the positive and negative feelings I have experienced during my recovery. The red side has the negative feelings I experienced: FRUSTRATION, ANGER and FEELING CHEATED because I was young and had just gotten a great job that year. I was working as a Senior Behavioral Health Counselor at Salt River Indian Reservation, healthy and very fit, happy and feeling “On top of the World!” It’s been 7 years & I’m still not back to work, but I KNOW I WILL GET THERE! I put the medical/mental health issues the stroke caused: SEIZURES, ANXIETY, HEADACHES & DEPRESSION. I had a craniotomy and drew staples showing where the pain is still horrible daily! The blue glitter shows all the tears I have cried. The blue side shows the POSITIVE feelings: HOPE; STRENGTH; BRAVERY & the LOVE & SUPPORT from my family & friends.