Brain Injury Association of London & Region / Dale Brain Injury Services

Explanation of Mask

Here on my mask I have chosen to display how I observe my spouse living with his brain injury.
The Lips are Sealed: The words that he needs or wants to say cannot be uttered as he things of them. It is difficult to articulate thoughts enough to be understood and a lot of energy is used up trying to express them. Time always seems too short. People talk too fast and jump in before he finishes speaking. So, he ends up saying nothing especially when what he has to say is important.
Mona Lisa Smile: Some days seem good and we do modified things we used to do before the accident, others he suffers. Pain is always with him but he hides it. He doesn’t want pity or to appear weak and pushes ’til he drops. We exist never knowing when (or if) our present will change and any plans cancelled.
The Blue Tears: Depression is a regular visitor yet during sorrowful times there are no tears shed. Years later and we are both still grieving his losses.
Eyelashes on the Cheek: Signifies closed eyes. Sleep often eludes him especially when needed most. He always feels tired and sleeps in inconsistent bursts. Concentration on a thought, working through pain and coping with people or expectation can be exhausting.
The Flushed Cheeks: Signifies the embarrassment, anger, frustration and exasperation we through daily. He is doing the best he an. I try to balance needs and wants. We both remember parts of his former self and it is hard for both of us to adapt to his new ability level.
Puzzle Pieces and Glass Beads: Everything seemed shattered after the injury. Pieces of who he was float around him and can’t seem to fit together anymore. Sometimes they find their old spot and fit in. The next time he needs them they are out of reach. Pieces of his new puzzle try to fill the gaps. There are still gaps, overlaps, and mismatches. The glass beads are precious memories he no longer remembers.

Explanation of Mask

My mask shows a kaleidoscope of colour and the chaos I feel each day. My brain is overwhelmed at times, dizzy with my thoughts and memories. In spite of my stroke and disability, I am still a happy and cheerful person. I have worked hard to maintain my independence.

Explanation of Mask

All aspects of my life changed when I had my injury. The pieces that stayed the same are my love for Boston Bruins, which is represented but the green and black. My love for my community also remained, which is represented by the blue; this is the community that supported me after my injury.

Explanation of Mask

Art suffered a catastrophic brain injury 9 years ago and was diagnosed 3 years ago with Parkinson’s (which I have learned can be more likely to occur to a person who has suffered an ABI). Since Art is unable to participate in this activity, I have envisioned this mask as being from the perspective of BOTH survivor and spouse/caregiver with the overlap that often occurs with these injuries.

Explanation of Mask

3 skull fractures, sub-cranial bleeding, hemispheric disassociation, etc. Here on my mask I have chosen to display how I feel living with my brain injury. The dark blue side represents my hemispheric disassociation. This means the tactile and normal nerves are disconnected on my left side resulting in a dead and often cold feeling splitting my left and right sides right down the middle of my body. The traffic lights (red, yellow & green) with emphasis on the yellow shows my continuous and conscious decision-making that I have always used to regulate my mine-by-minute decision-making in order to keep myself safe from bad decision-making and physical overexertion that results in a painful hangover-like state that could last for days. The faint rings around the eyes shows my light sensitivity that keeps me wearing dark sunglasses indoors even on cloudy days. The three jagged lines show the fractures in my skull that burn and ache when the weather changes.

Explanation of Mask

I had a car accident when I was a child so I don’t know life before my injury. The flowers on my mask represent how I’ve bloomed and how I continue growing into the person that I am. I am happy with the way my life is; I will always keep smiling.

Explanation of Mask

“Highs and Lows”

Explanation of Mask

The left side which is black is evil as I have left side neglect. The right side is white which is joy and happiness because the stroke didn’t effect this side. The stroke hit me like a bullet.

Explanation of Mask

I feel as though my life is lost, I have no memory and feel like all my talent is gone. I am still an artist but I now need to be grounded in a different way than I was before. I’ve had to adapt to this new life…it isn’t easy.

Explanation of Mask

I tried to present some of my trying initial problems, some of which have not left. The chin as well as some of my other areas painted black were numb and then painful. The left side of my face was paralyzed, I couldn’t smell anything and my left eye was always weeping. The red on the right represents bruising and abrasions, when I opened my eyes I had double vision.

Explanation of Mask

My mask represents my outer body experience post-injury. I saw six guardian angels over my head and fire; I knew I had to keep fighting. I still have some difficulties with everyday life but I’ve come a long way.

Explanation of Mask

Black eyes from the first time I was in hospital by someone else. The target on my head was the one kids but on me, by other students and people I worked with over the years for bullies to know how to push my buttons and upset me. My face where they decided to target the areas I’ll bleed the most. The rest of my head represents the scattered thoughts and confusion all this caused.

Explanation of Mask

Life before my brain injury was happy. I was wise and I could think of things clearly and I was in control of my life. I was able to steer my life in the direction I chose. Life was just beginning for me on the path I had chosen. I remember the doctor saying things like “things aren’t good and you have tumours.” I felt like I was kicked in the stomach. He wanted to schedule the surgery that night and I knew that was not good. That was the first of three surgeries.

Now? My life is so restricted. I can’t do the things I love that most people get to do, I can’t work, I can’t live with my girlfriend like I did before. My life is hectic and I have no control. I feel like the little bit of life that I have left could be taken from me at any time. I think of this daily which makes me feel ill and I often think of the ominous one eyed man from the deck of playing cards. “Deuces and jacks and the man with the axe, the one eyed man takes it all!”

Explanation of Mask

The red on my mask represents my aneurysm and the gold is my personality shining through.

Explanation of Mask

Emotions: Black = bad mood and White = Good mood. Green mouth = Envy of people who can talk normally and not slow.

Explanation of Mask

The bottom left, the darker side, represents my life before the accident (brain injury). Soccer ball and stars are for the full soccer scholarship I was on at the time. The “BOOM” in the middle represents the accident and sudden/complete change in my life! The top right is filled with lighter colours and a couple of butterflies to show how I have to have an understanding in my life, and maybe, just maybe things are actually much better than I first envisioned. The “change” (butterflies) of my own outlook and attitude. The cross in the upper-middle is there because I never lost my faith, not did it ever come into question at any point in my life since the accident (brain injury).

Explanation of Mask

My mask is split in two, the illness on one side and my feelings on the other. I got meningitis when I was a baby, I don’t know life without my injury but it still makes me sad having to live my life the way I do.

Explanation of Mask

This mask is representative of my war wounds from brain surgery. The cheeks are all rosy because I’m happy to still be alive.

Explanation of Mask

My mask represents my journey since my injury. My life was shattered into a million pieces and I had to find a way to put it all back together; it’s like putting a really difficult puzzle together.

Explanation of Mask

I made my mask this way because this is how I was born. I put a band aid on my head because I have seizures and need help.

Explanation of Mask

Along with my brain injury came mental health issues.

Explanation of Mask

I was hit by a car when I was young. The white part of my mask represents me being calm and happy, the black part of my mask represents my frustration and bad days.

Explanation of Mask

Still running it over in my mind. My mask represents the nightmares I have of being in the dark, finding a door opening and it is dark, also but now I have the darkest behind me and entering the light more and more. The words describe what I feel and the statement of being a distorted thinker working towards finding more and more clarity.

Explanation of Mask

Before my brain injury there was green grass and blue, blue sky; I had a game plan for my life clearly laid out. After my accident I lost all direction; the green grass turned brown and left me with a big question mark in my life. My goals became very foggy, if not impossible. I’ve had to come up with a whole new game plan and new goals for myself.

Explanation of Mask

My mask helps define the feelings that I felt when my fiance’s car accident happened. As a caregiver, I had to learn how to quickly adapt to the new changes that were happening in our life. I was very anxious becoming a caregiver at first, but I quickly overcame that. Being a caregiver, it was and is certainly hard and exhausting at times, but I always remember that I am doing it for the one I love!

Explanation of Mask

The curling rock at the top of my mask represents my passion and love for curling, something I did before my injury. The baseball lat and baseball and on my mask because I also enjoy baseball. There is a small part of my mask that is black and that represents my injury; despite of my injury I’m still a happy person.

Explanation of Mask

One side is me, trying to deal (bit sad). One side is him (Dan), as the Joker, as his moods change all the time.

Explanation of Mask

My mask is divided in two. The left side is representative of the period after my injuries. Since my first craniotomy I have left homonymous hemianopsia (no left field of vision in either eye) and very poor dexterity in my left hand. Since the assault I have visual mid line syndrome and a loss of propioception in my left limbs (unable to sense where the left side of my body is in space) causing my left side to be incredibly clumsy and sluggish. In other words, there is no left in my world. I felt sad, anger and cheated because my first tumour was discovered when I was 18, a time when my life and independence should have been flourishing, but my life was irrevocably changed and I felt my future was ruined. These words are spelled out with different letter cutouts like a ransom note because these feelings had taken my life hostage.

The right side of my mask is representative of my life after all my injuries, especially after the assault. The “Peer Support Program” has allowed me to turn my injuries into something positive and helpful, giving me purpose. I was one of the first 10 mentors trained in the entire province and I was “promoted” to the position of Peer Support Coordinator who is in charge of the program for London. The words “husband” and “father” are two roles that I have achieved despite my injuries, which make me “lucky” and gives me great “hope” so I can “love” and “laugh” again.

Explanation of Mask

Glitter on the forehead represents me moving upward and onward; my inner journey post injury, light, peace and oneness with God.

Explanation of Mask

I met my husband at the beginning of his third year dealing with his brain injury. He is a proud man, who was doing his best to make sense of this new life path with all its confusion and fearsome stages. The band-aids represent the pain that will always be there and the kiss represents my love, support and admiration for this man who gets up most mornings wanting to live the best life he can. His humour and will to make the most of our life together has made me a better person. We are Adam and Eve making our own little piece of Eden.

Explanation of Mask

Brown represents face colouring, culture. Black around eyes means lack of vision caused by brain problem.

Explanation of Mask

Life was wonderful before my injury; I had a great husband, three wonderful boys, a great home and an overall great life. I was seven minutes from my front door with my sons when the car hit me. After my accident my life completely changed, I had to grow up for a second time and relearn how to do things for myself again. I’m sad at times but the sun always seems to come out.

Explanation of Mask

The top of my mask represents the headaches that occur for me frequently. Some days are worse than others and can turn into migraines. Other days it is just a nagging feeling of pressure. The feeling of being lonely is how I have sometimes felt with the anxiety and panic that I now deal with due to there being a change in my brain. Feeling empty is feeling like I can’t give back to my community anymore like I used to do, due to the headaches, etc. And of course the tears represent the sadness that overwhelms me for the whole situation.

Explanation of Mask

I divided my mask into both positive and negative aspects of my brain injury.
The following colours indicate:
Negative:
Anger, confusion, overwhelm = Brown
Grief, irritation, worried, dizzy = Black
Positive:
Miraculous = Purple
Love = Blue
Resilient = Green
Hopeful = Yellow
Passionate = Orange
Content = Red
There are benefits to having my brain injury. I’m more content in my life now. I had (BS) Before Stroke up until 2010. How I have (AS) After Stroke and life is a lot sweeter!

Explanation of Mask

On the top of my mask I have “Why Me?” I ask myself this question often, I have a hard time understanding why this happened to me; I’m angry sometimes. The bottom of my mask is my happy place…somewhere I wish I had been on the day of my accident.

Explanation of Mask

Since the cause of my injury was due to a motorcycle accident, I painted a helmet around my mask.

Explanation of Mask

My mask represents the journey I have taken with a brain tumour. Easy journey?…not at all, that’s just a rumour. The left side depicts the struggle in my pre-surgery days. The right side depicts my recovery in many ways. A Cranio Pharyngima my doc tells me this could really affect your ability to see. Close to the brain stem and below the optic nerve cross. I receive this information and now…I am at a total loss.

Left side of this mask is full of doom and gloom. Right side has flowers in full bloom! Right side has sunshine and a bunny, left side has dead worms – (Not too funny). So the right is like a candle in the dark my road to recovery, my personal Noah’s arc. This has given me the chance I so desperately needed and it gave me the soil that I have seeded. To grow the flowers that have removed all the sorrow and strife. To be happy, to love, and to celebrate life!

Explanation of Mask

My mask consists of pictures of anxiety causing issues. I never had anxiety before I had my accident, it was all new to me. I worked at a highly technical job where there were time constraints and I rarely broke a sweat. I was in charge of my life. Looking at my mask you will see Taxi signs, ten years later I cannot get in to a cab. Walmart has always been the bane of my modern existence, confusion of medications, direct spinal injections and taps, the weather, airports, loud confusing noise, getting groceries, money of course, at this time Trump as I am anxious about WW3, the lunar cycle, pubs and restaurants, talking on the phone (yuck) and many, many more.

Explanation of Mask

The picture of the wii helps me with my brain injury. I picked the picture of a microphone because I like to sing. I played basketball before I got hurt. After my injury I have a hard time communicating and I work on it every day here. I picked the earth picture because it’s blue and I like to travel.

Explanation of Mask

In my mask I listed several emotions any person has. The black outline around a word represents how much I believe that emotion had impacted my like prior to my brain injury. The colours on each emotion illustrates how much that emotion impacts my daily life now. Some emotions impact me more, some less – this could be seen as good or bad. For example, I used to be athletic and played soccer (competitive), and ice and ball hockey (recreational), as well as other sports with friends. Since the accident, I can’t even play soccer because any type of head contact, even heading a soccer ball, could result in a concussion. On the other hand, even though I was always appreciative and grateful before my brain injury, ever since I have been even more thankful I survived the accident, along with a number of other things.

Explanation of Mask

I painted this mask purple because it is my favourite, it always reminds me of my doctor who works at Western University. I chose pictures of the Sudan flag because that is where my injury happened and I have family there. I picked a picture of the weather man because I like the weather. P picked the picture of a doctor as everyone calls me Dr. Negassi.

Explanation of Mask

I painted the top different colours because I felt different after receiving my brain injury. I had a question mark and a face with an x on it, as I was confused about what was going on. The face with an x on it was also because I could not speak after waking up. I added the pictures on the sides as I wanted to be a photographer. I painted the middle and bottom yellow because it was my favourite colour. Yellow also represents being optimistic.

Explanation of Mask

The left side of the mask represents any life before the injury. Like anyone, I had my ups and downs, but overall it was a happy and positive place to be, hence, the upward arrows. The centre of the mask represents the time since the injury to the present. It has been literally an explosion of noise, of uncertainty, of pain, of wonder if my headaches and dizziness and memory loss and sensitivity to light and noise and fatigue will ever go away. The arrows go down. The right side of the mask represents hope, a turnaround, a time for being positive, the start of a new life. The arrows were going down, now they go up.
Colours:
Yellow = Happiness and general contentment in life.
Red = Chaos and pain and uncertainty
Green = Hope and belief things will be better.

Explanation of Mask

Thunder represents the unrest and pain of mind. The mask covers what people don’t always see and that it could happen to anyone. The makeup of pink cheeks is to show we can still be fairly healthy people with a rosy outlook on life, as to the bright pink lips.

Explanation of Mask

One side of my mask is before my injury and is more intricate and the other is a bit foggy, however, I am getting better.

Explanation of Mask

My mask is made with mixed emotions; happiness, sadness and confusion.

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What happened? I don’t remember what happened and I don’t know if that’s good or bad. My whole life changed; I had to relearn everything.

Explanation of Mask

I painted the black lines on my mask because it represents my brain being on the outside of my head; I have no skull on the right side.

Explanation of Mask

The gold part of my mask is the part when I’m happy. The dark blue represents my frustration and the red part is my tears for what my live could have been.

Explanation of Mask

This mask represents my feelings of being pulled in so many directions since my injury. I miss my old life, on one side of my mask is when I was happy.

Explanation of Mask

I feel sad, I wish it didn’t happen to me and I was free from my injury. This mask represents my frustration and sadness, I wouldn’t be the same if I didn’t have my injury.

Explanation of Mask

“Changes” This mask represents my experience of change and the abrupt displacement of my life. The disappointment and how life is boring now. I never get to see my wife and kids and I miss them!

Explanation of Mask

Change