When I first encountered Jennifer Mosher, she was just another woman in my classes at the gym. I'd see her most every week and we, along with several other gym members, would sweat out an hour of weight lifting and an hour of spin class. I had no idea that there was anything different about her until the teacher announced one day that her book, a memoir about her brain injury, had been published. I was intrigued because I had no idea she'd had a serious injury in the past and as someone who enjoys reading and writing, I can appreciate the work that must have gone into it. I knew I was interested in purchasing her book not only to read it, but also to show my support.
As I began to read Jennifer's memoir, I was taken into her world; a world not unlike my own. She was a good student and a hard worker on her way to a bright future. There was no warning that a horrible car accident would take place while she traveled from her home in Minnesota back to school at BYU in August of 1994. Those few quick seconds would change her life and take her beyond the familiar into a world I have never before stopped to contemplate. All those everyday abilities we take for granted were things Jennifer had to fight to regain: walking, talking, sleeping, remembering things that had happened only moments before. The frustration and the determination she must have had, I can only imagine.
I was struck by the incredible things Jennifer was able to achieve in the short years after her brain injury. She threw herself headlong back into her life doing her best to makes things as close to the way they were before her accident as possible. I thought about how devastating it would be to remember the person you were before a brain injury and have that person just vanish, replaced by someone less able. Jennifer was compelled to accept what had happened to her, and rather than force herself to go back to the way she was she instead had to learn to live with her disability.
We can all learn from her experience. Those who have suffered a brain injury will relate to Jennifer's story and gain insight into to what it takes to recover and live a full life. Those who haven't can gain understanding into what challenges those with brain injuries must face and a greater appreciation for the things we all take for granted in life.
If you are interested in reading Jennifer's book, The Smile on My Forehead: Memoir of My Life With a Brain Injury, please visit JenniferMosher.com. Jennifer will also be featured in the Local Author Showcase at The Kings English Bookshop Tuesday April 6th, 2010 at 6:30pm where you can meet her along with other local authors. More information available at KingsEnglish.com
On the same subject, check out another great book called Tour De Life by Saul Raisin, an up and coming cyclist who suffered a brain injury during a race and struggled to return to his goal of riding in the Tour De France. Check it out here Tour De Life along with Saul's personal website SaulRaisin.com where you'll learn about his foundation Raisin Hope.
Review by Jenni Curtis, LMT MassagebyJenni.com
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