Are You Aware - June 2016 is Brain Injury Month in Toronto?

A brain injury can happen to anyone, it does not discriminate. The life of a person who sustains a brain injury is forever changed - as every facet of their life may be affected; from self perception; ability to earn a living; coping/accepting their "new reality"; physical, emotional and behavioural challenges; often leads to isolation, financial hardship, and a sense of not belonging/ having no purpose. It's also important to understand it is not only the survivor who is affected, family members, friends, co-workers, caregivers, pets and the community are also impacted.

It's also important to note just like everything in life there is a sliding scale of severity, as well as like no two fingerprints are alike - no two brain injuries are alike and the amount of healing (ability) is unique to each survivor. 

As someone who is a brain injury survivor I know too well the struggles that any given day can bring. I count my blessings each day that I have been able to recover from my brain injury and lead a very productive and happy life (though it's different from the one I had ordered). 

AREYOUAWARE.CA is a great website to find information on what is a brain injury, how the brain is affected by an injury, and resources available.

image credit AreYouAware.ca

To learn how an injury affects the various parts of the brain click here.

For Brain Injury Awareness month - the folks at Are You Aware are kicking off their awareness campaign with various adverts in subway cars on the TTC Yonge Line. 

Spot the Awareness adverts - Help spread brain injury awareness: take a selfie and share it on instagram, twitter, or Facebook using hashtag #areyouaware ... 

You are the curator of your life so live it luxuriously ,

Stay in Step with High Heeled Life ...

Don't Miss a post get HHL Email Updates

Subscribe to Celia M. Living My High Heeled Life by Email

7 Years Ago Today ... To Heaven and Back

Sometimes things happen in life not of our choosing and often making no sense at the time - if it ever makes sense. What I have learned first hand is that though it makes no sense - no matter if it is good or bad - everything in life happens for a reason.

Seven years ago today (October 28th, 2006) at 8:30 p.m. life as I had know it came to an end. That is when I was struck by a careless driver as I crossed the street to a friend's home for the celebration of another friend's birthday(you can read more here). Sometime between being struct and awakening from my coma 2-3 weeks before Christmas while my body lay mangled and broken my spirit returned home to heaven. I may not recall the accident - but I recall every moment of my journey and the beauty I saw and heard during my time in heaven (you can read more here)

I am still getting my bearings with this "new" life and trying to create a me that fits, but what I am more certain than ever is that I am meant to live a life of service, to help others who are struggling with change in their life. Despite all the odds of my survival from the doctors - I survived, and am not just existing - I'm THRIVING!!

So as of this year ~ I will no longer look at this date October 28th as an ending ... But instead as a BEGINNING ... Happy 7 years of Re-birth to me!!! 

To all the wonderful new visitors and regular readers of this blog know that no matter what life throws at you - IT WILL MAKE YOU STRONGER ... even when it all seems hopeless! I hope that I continue to inspire and motivate you to live  your best High Heeled Life! 

Hugs and Blessings,

Stay in Step with High Heeled Life ...

Walking For Those Who Need Help!

Despite the rain and dampness my spirits were high and positive as we approached the starting line for BIST 5KM Run, Walk, Roll 2013 in support of those living with a brain injury. Dolce and Gabbana "agreed" to accompany me so I could use their stroller for support.

At the 1km point things didn't look too promising. I thought out loud "only 1km!!" as we closed in on 2km I was ready to take a clear short cut ~ but didn't. By 2.5km I was thinking of the headlines that would read "woman needed to be brought in on stretcher - as she collapses during charity walk". I said a little prayer for help ... and next thing I realized we were at the 4km mark ~ the volunteer side-line cheerleaders with their encouraging smiles and praise for reaching this point helped to ease a bit of the pain that had taken over my right ankle, lower back and right buttock.

Finally crossing the finishing line along with other wonderful walkers who gave everything they had. We all shared a silent knowledge that no matter what aches and pains we already felt and the pains and aches that are yet to surface ~ there are others who cannot walk - so we walk for them, because even being slow - we can.

At the finish line with the BIST Run medal all participants receive. Feeling exhausted, hurting, wet, but proud that I DID IT!!!

Thank you Mr. G. for walking along beside me and encouraging me to take rests; not to give up and for not taking that short cut. 

 The enthusiasm for this event brought out just over 400 participants from children and adults to furbabies.

An amazing unexpected surprise.... 

as we were getting ready to leave the park, I heard my name called followed by congratulations for having raised the most donations by an individual. I could not have achieved this without the support of family, friends and wonderful caring people I'm blessed to have in my life. Thank you for your belief in me and encouragement.

I would like to give a shout out and heartfelt thank you to these wonderful citizens of BlogLand who were among all the extremely generous people who donated to BIST (Brain Injury Society of Toronto) by supporting me in my walk.

Susan of Ava Grace's Closet ; Mariette of Mariette's Back to Basics and Nathalie of Dolce Dreams.

To learn more about all the fabulous work BIST (Brain Injury Society of Toronto) does for people living with brain injury visit BIST website. 

Stay in Step with High Heeled Life ...

Is there Life After Trauma, Brain Injury?

Yes... there is LIFE after Trauma and Brain Injury! I'm living proof.
Though the journey to creating a new you and life that fit together may be bumping at times, I know with determination, patience, and a positive attitude - anything is possible.

“Nothing is impossible, the word itself says ‘I'm 

possible’!”Audrey Hepburn

Physical injuries can be seen and taken care of. Broken bones heal, but a closed head injury is an unseen injury and there are no drugs or techniques that can cure a brain injury, prevention is the only cure.

When the brain is injured, it can affect the core of the person, ~ personality, memory, information processing,emotional and behavioral controls.

Family members, friends, co-workers and employers are often unable to understand or sympathize, as the person living with a brain injury may often look physically fine and may even appear healthy and "normal" during casual interaction. This false outward appearance causes a disconnected (as the brain injury cannot be seen, like a physical injury can) between the person with the brain injury and those who are suppose to be their care and support system.

This disconnect can expand into debilitating and frustrating obstacles for the person with a brain injury. Impacting their quality of life, affecting relationships, career, financial stability and most importantly their self-esteem.

Whether you or a loved one is living with a brain injury, I hope that you will find my posts about Life After Trauma & Brain Injury? helpful, motivating, funny at times and inspiring. Most of all I hope that you will realize YOU are NOT ALONE! Nor are you crazy, it's a brain injury not insanity (though it may feel like at times..).

Remember, I have and continue to walk the same path you are Creating Me and a Life, after all my careful life plans, dreams were brought to an immediate halt, by a driver who didn't see me crossing a street.

Are you, a friend or loved facing life after brain injury or traumatic event in life? 

Email me any questions you may have about my journey to picking up the pieces and creating a new life where I'm at Peace & Thriving.  Hello@HighHeeledLife.com

   Here's to new beginnings,

Time Passes ~ Once Upon A Time

This is the 5th instalment in the Once Upon a Time series. 

To view previous instalments in this series click here. 

As the princess slept time had continued to pass! 

She would soon realize she had been asleep for almost 

six weeks.... and had slept through her favourite season, Autumn.

Laying in the hospital bed , she felt as if heavy chains were holding her down, [The reality of course was that six weeks in a coma, not to mentioned the trauma her body had sustained; the life saving surgeries, the multiple fractures that had yet to heal , including a C2 fracture (part of the spine at the neck)~ were the cause.] ~

Something just felt odd, laying in this bed.~

 preventing her from getting up and returning to her beautiful bedroom with its comfortable bed.

The comfort of her bed would be the least of her challenges, the princess was about to find out.


" I want to go home"  the princess tried to say , but nothing came out ~ not a sound. She tried to raise her right arm to get someone's attention ~ but the pain that occurred just at the thought was unbearable. She tried her left arm... that raised for a moment only drop back down from its own weight. Helpless she laid there waiting for someone to notice her.

"How is our miracle patient doing today?" "Awake I see..." The voice was followed by a crowd  team of hospital people.

The Princess did all that she could, which was lay there, as they kept talking, and occasionally poking at her.. checking this and checking that. Though she couldn't turn her neck, she realized that she could follow them with her eyes. As her eyes followed the nurse that was coming towards her, it all became reality ... this was not a dream and she was hooked up to all sorts of machines. Including one that went into her throat... that she would later learn had kept her alive, after her lungs collapsed - and that this machine was breathing for her - that's why she was unable to speak.

Suddenly her thoughts were all jammed... like traffic, bottle necking getting onto  a highway with multiple on ramps...all trying to get through but being held back. This the princess would be told was due the the acquired brain injury she now had.  "acquired?? well I don't want it ... can we return it?" she thought, as her words were not coming out.

Until next time...

Keep it organized = to remember ...

Helping the Brain to help itself (and you)...

Everyone from time to time looks at the state of their bathroom drawers and cabinets and wonders "What tornado went through them". The answer is simple Tornado (fill in your name here) is a slow acting tornado, moving one or two things out of place at a time - only over time will you notice it has struck (most likely when you are in a hurry and can't find the tweezers to get the stray hair on your chin that appeared out-of-nowhere).

Once the realization occurs the aftermath of the clean up begins and before you know it all is good in the land of bathroom drawers and cabinets. However, if you are going through any emotional turmoil, anxiety or have experienced traumatic physical or brain injury; this otherwise mole hill becomes a huge Mont Blanc. So huge, rather than deal with it~ you stop opening the drawers and cabinets, because when you do, you can't recall what it was you needed from in there and frustration sets in.

For me it is very important that things are visually accessible, thus acting as  reminders for things such as tooth paste = brushing teeth; face cleanser = washing face etc. Sometimes without these visual reminders these simple everyday things can be easily overlooked (thankfully I have Mr. G who is great at asking about and reminding  me of these simple,basic things). 

Recently, it seemed that I was forgetting basic things ALL the time. Worried that things were getting worse with my brain [due to brain injury] I discussed the concerns with a close friend. When we went upstairs and looked at the drawers and cabinets we discovered....

my bathroom drawer was over flowing with items ... most of which I didn't even need/use...

and the cupboards, wow ~ where to begin...

Of course I had no idea how it became this way ...

everything was emptied out of the drawer and cabinets.

There was even a basket (nicely packed/organized) with hair styling gadgets. Unfortunately I'm no longer able to use these gadgets because of my arm movement limitations and energy required to blow dry, flat iron, or curl my hair. So this basket and its contents was occupying valuable storage real estate. 

There was even a huge bag of items - remnants of a possible earlier attempt to bring some organization to these cabinets.

After everything was sorted into ... daily need/use, discard and store elsewhere piles, the task to put things back was made easy with drawer organizing plastic containers.

In the drawer only daily use items ~ otganized to be seen and easily accessible. 

The under sink cabinet was relieved of non-use items and only items that are used went back in.

Do you find items build up in your drawers and cabinets? Have you streamlined products to keep things accessible and organized. Hope this inspires you to get organized, so you can have a great start to your day!

Note: This may seem like a very staright forward solution but for us with brain injuries ~ though we may be aware that clean up, organization is required; the thought and process can become not only overwhelming but a trigger. Offer to help a friend or family member if you notice that things are needing a little organization.