Brain Injury Association of Sudbury

Explanation of Mask

Before my accident I was energetic and independent. Now I live in supportive housing with other adults with brain injuries. I am tired most of the time and get depressed about my life and what it should have been. My mask shows how my brain is messed up and my fear that I will not be loved. I like to fill my day with creative activities, singing oldies rock music and playing crib.

Explanation of Mask

The bottom of the mask represents my dark thoughts including anxiety, sadness, lack of confidence, confusion and bad moods. I tried to show a balance with my goals and dreams for myself, my wife and family. “Happy wife, Happy life”, pride, balance and vision are presented in the top section of my mask.

One thing I want the community to understand or know about ABI: People with brain injuries can still be contributing members of society.

Explanation of Mask

My mask is about my favourite place on earth, Disney World. I love all of the characters, especially Minnie Mouse. I have been there a few times and have special memories. Thinking of my Disney friends helps me feel happier and I worry less. When I am having a bad day, I think of Minnie and I am reminded the importance of staying positive, to have fun and always remember I am loved. I am more than my brain injury; I am magical like Disney World and Minnie Mouse.

Explanation of Mask

I chose a rainbow of sunset colours on the left side to represent peace. On the right side, the lightening bolt signifies my challenges in life. The earth also represents my brain; we only have one earth, one brain. So take care of it responsibly. The Sun represents hope for the future.

One thing I want the community to understand or know about ABI: Brain injury does not define us.

Explanation of Mask

I choose the colour purple as a sign of quiet dignity living with ABI an invisible disability. The puzzle piece represents my thoughts, recollections and memories scattered and challenging the piece together. The question mark on the mouth signifies communication disorder.

One thing I want the community to understand or know about ABI: Be Kind

Explanation of Mask

A broken heart best describes my brain injury. Brain injury can happen in the blink of an eye if you are not careful. I used four symbols to reflect my favourite things: my favourite band is Metallica. I put the logo over my mouth to convey my difficulty with speech. I love movies; this is displayed with a television. I am obsessed at knowing the time which is the reason for the clock. Lastly, I LOVE the Toronto Maple Leafs – GO LEAFS! GO!

Explanation of Mask

The left side of my mask is marbled like the pain and loss hidden within the beauty of marble – an illusion of immortality. The fragmented veins are symbolic of the loss, fractures, confusion, hearing loss, pain and sadness. The red and blue flowers depict the spirit before and after breaking through. The butterfly over my mouth is symbolic of my silence in dealing with the changes for many years, not comfortable with all the little changes, not understanding the effect of others. The right side is the Japanese cherry blossom representing the fragility and beauty of life; a minder to me that life is beautiful, and although tragic, my strength and inspiration comes from the people around me: my children, my mother, family and my amazing friends who helped me during times when life wasn’t so beautiful.

Explanation of Mask

My mask is in tribute to my favourite wrestler, Finn Bolar. His mask is different and it stands out in a crowd. I had difficulty putting my own ideas to my mask. I added the letter D to represent the 11 years I spent in Detroit during my rehabilitation. When I think about words that I associate with ABI, I think: Fatigue, depression, memory loss and being misunderstood.

Explanation of Mask

The black means the Dark Side: depressed, mad, angry and unhappiness.

The red means happiness, love, courage. The tree represents my journey from the beginning ABI to the present.

One thing I want the community to understand or know about ABI: Sometimes brain injuries are not always visible. Be patient and listen.

Explanation of Mask

 Grey for the head is the colour of Brain Tumour Awareness. The colour also represents brain bog, confusion, nausea and dizziness. Yellow represents the Cancer Society and happiness I still feel. Blue represents that sadness that comes with a Brain Tumour.

One thing I want the community to understand or know about ABI: Brain Injury is often invisible; don’t judge people based on what you can’t see or understand.

Explanation of Mask

The yellow side is the old Julie, the brown side is the new Julie. The yellow depicts what I was like prior to sustaining a brain injury. The brown with yellow depicts what I am like since the brain injury. Some parts of me from prior to the brain brain injury is still there so that is why there is yellow on the brown side. The words on both sides demonstrate what I was like and what I was feeling before and after brain injury. The images are what was and still are near and dear to me.

Explanation of Mask

Before my injury, I was smart, happy and outgoing. Words I associate with brain injury include sadness and stagnate. On my mask the heart with a cross inside illustrates my love for my nursing career. I miss it and hope to one day work again. I know I have to take care of myself before I can take care of others.

One thing I want the community to understand or know about ABI: Just because you have a brain injury does not make you stupid or dumb.

Explanation of Mask

Although I have a brain injury, I am still the same person, just a little different. I see this as growth, not as a regression. The eyes are lightly covered to signify head pain and change. I am still a queen regardless.

One thing I want the community to understand or know about ABI: Concussions are brain injury and should not be taken lightly.

Explanation of Mask

Orange is my favourite colour. I used black paint to illustrate when I got my brain injury. Family, camp and music make me happy. I like to be the life of the party. I have learned that life is what you make it.

One thing I want the community to understand or know about ABI: Play safe – wear a helmet.

Explanation of Mask

The blue side illustrates what people see because my injury is not visible – people don’t think I have changed. The red side represents the reality of living with ABI. I am easily distracted, impulsive, forgetful and misunderstood. I am living with the fear that this could happen again.

Explanation of Mask

My mask is split in two halves. One side is happiness and success after brain injury. I live in my own apartment with support. The other side shows the pain and bad times. Every day I struggle with lack of motivation and the desire to overeat. Despite all of it, I am a happy and positive person. At the end of the day, the sun shines bright.

Explanation of Mask

My mask depicts a few of the emotions and feelings I experienced since my accident. A lot of times I feel as though I’m running through a maze and I keep hitting a dead end. My mind feels disorganized even when I have it all together. My moods are up and down and I hide my pain and anger through a false smile. I feel invisible at times and the ladder to success seems impossible. I refuse to define myself and all that I am through my injury. I am breaking free and coming to peace.

Explanation of Mask

I created my mask to resemble the concept of ying & yang. Before my injury, I was sharp, outgoing and the life of the party. The back and grey represent the dark things and myself in the shadows; lost, misunderstood, confused and fuzzy-eyed.

Explanation of Mask

The thought of capturing my feelings about brain injury was hard at first despite being creative. I chose purple to represent my mother who has passed. Red represents me. A yellow section was used to signify the sun as a reminder things will brighten up. The tears reflect sadness and difficulty concentrating and communicating after my injury. The orange in the lips represent coping with ABI.

Explanation of Mask

My mask represents the physical, cognitive, emotional, psychological “tornado of emotions.” The lightening bolt of emotions signifies the physical pain I experienced. The rooted tree has waving branches that signifies growth, grounding of family, friends and supports. The fence illustrates the dead ends of attaining services.

One thing I want the community understand or know about ABI: Doctors and hospitals to refer survivors to BIASD immediately after injury.

Explanation of Mask

Before my injury I was working in nursing homes and providing for my family. Afterward I could not longer work. I had to relearn many things including how to navigate the city independently using city transit. I am a positive and understanding person. I chose the colours on my mask to brighten your day. I believe there is always help out there if you need it.

Explanation of Mask

The broken heart represents sadness regarding my daughter. I cannot raise her. The red background refers to my extreme frustration. The question mark with up and down arrows signifies my very confused states and difficulty making decisions. Band-Aids represent damages and pain. AAA represents fatigue. The rock refers to my strength. The smoothie refers to better choices, healthier living: I am living drug and alcohol free.

Explanation of Mask

After my stroke, recovery was a long, painful and emotional journey. Now I can see the beauty in life again as I accept my injury and disabilities.

One thing I want the community understand or know about ABI: Please be more sympathetic and patient with people who use walkers an wheelchairs.

Explanation of Mask

While creating my mask blue, yellow and green are colours I associated with ABI. I used half of the mask to demonstrate my injury site and the loss of a family member. On the other half I included images of importance including my child, dogs and gardening.

One thing I want the community to understand or know about ABI: Survivors still marry, have kids, pay taxes and work hard to have meaningful lives.

Explanation of Mask

In my experience it is hard to tell people about my injury. I have been judged in the past. My mask depicts my injury from the start of my journey to present day. I used words on the mask to depict my experiences and feelings that followed.

Explanation of Mask

I interpreted by ABI experience in two halves; the left half signifies the time just after the accident. This time was filled with tears. The golf waves represent separateness and struggle. The right half demonstrates the progression of my life after ABI. Despite the negatives, there has always been a glimmer of hope. With time, there is strengthening

Explanation of Mask

My mask is half light and half dark. The light half is my life before the strokes: when I gardened, rode horses and operated heavy equipment. Before ABI I was independent, busy, strong and energetic. The dark side represents my life after stroke. Brain injury is exhausting and means I am dependent on others.