OBIA News

In a recent conversation with some members of OBIA’s Online Concussion Support Group, we discussed identity and invisibility. In fact, this is a discussion we have with most people who are involved with OBIA, concussion or not.
OBIA’s Executive Director speaks at Ontario Brain Institute Symposium.
The brain is the most complex organ in the human body. It controls our movements, sensations, thoughts, words and emotions.
My name is Ria Koning and I was born on December 14th 1941 as Ria Neehuis (my maiden name) in Oldenburg Germany. I tell everyone I am 49 and holding.
One of my favorite quotes has always been “Life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it.”
“I got my bell rung, I saw stars or I simply got a bump on the head” is what athletes would say after taking a hard hit or sustaining a blow to the head. More times than not the athlete returned to play without a second thought, without knowing that there could be serious life-long debilitating effects.
There is one description families affected by brain injury often use to summarize their experience — “Life changed in an instant.” No matter the cause or type of injury, life changes and we change with it.
On the road to recovery following a brain injury, there are a number of health professionals that come into your life, various medical and therapy assessments that you have to participate in; along with trying to get back to doing your everyday activities such as driving, returning to work and activities around the home such as meal preparation and grocery shopping.
The year 2007 was like a roller coaster for my family. We celebrated New Year’s with friends and family in Punta Cana, DR. There was fantastic entertainment, fireworks, and the mood was joyful, happy and full of celebration. Being with my family and closest friends made this the trip of a lifetime.
When a person sustains a brain injury, the changes that this brings to one’s life can be extremely devastating. For some, during the first few hours, days and even weeks following the injury they are battling for their very life. When this battle has been won, the long road of recovery and rehabilitation begins.