Episode #062: Life With a Traumatic Brain Injury: Finding the Road Back to Normal with Amy Zellmer

Who would’ve thought that an accident will not only change your life but a thousand more?  How would the painful experiences lead you to a mission to spread awareness and help others?

Amy Zellmer is an award-winning author, speaker, and traumatic brain injury survivor. She is a frequent contributor to the Huffington Post and Thrive Global; and also produces a podcast series and TBI TV for survivors and caregivers. In November 2015, she released her first book, Life with a Traumatic Brain Injury: Finding the Road Back to Normal which received a silver award at the Midwest Book Awards. She sits on the Brain Injury Advisory Council for the Brain Injury Association of America and is a Citizen's Advocate with the Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance. She travels the country with her Yorkie, Pixxie, for her #NOTINVISIBLE awareness campaign -- bringing awareness about this invisible injury that affects over 3.5 million Americans each year.

In this episode, Amy shares her mission to be the voice for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and bring awareness to the world. She hopes to educate survivors, caregivers, friends, and family, as well as the medical community and break the stigma surrounding TBI and concussions.

“Having gone through what I've gone through, it has changed my perspective. And well-being to me means just being well...there's always something that can make you feel well and just knowing that even when you're having a really crummy day, you can still be well.”

 – Amy Zellmer


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Timestamps:

02:42 – Amy narrates her personal experience that led her to start Faces of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

04:00 – The adverse effects on her body after suffering from traumatic brain injury 

05:53 – The road to recovery: finding her calling and purpose in writing and sharing her story

14:08 – The challenges encountered with doctors

16:53 – Difference of treatments with a functional neurologist and mainstream medicine

25:40 – Best ways to offer support and help to persons with TBI

27:41 – Sharing how she manages her time for work, family, and self-care

33:48 – Her perspective on well-being

Key Takeaways

“TBI has survivors that are moms, in particular, can't stop being a mom. You might not be able to go back to work, but still, you have to be a mom...As a mom, you spend so much time making sure everybody else is taken care of, but you have to take care of yourself because if you burn yourself out and overdo it, you can't, stay up with Susie and help her with her homework. You have to allow yourself to take that nap or straight up.” – Amy Zellmer

“You can find wellness, even in the bad moments, even when you're really not well.” – Alex Morrall

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