well as challenges with organiza-tion and coordination. Since childhood I have had an interest in painting. Since the injury, I have modified my inter-est into my own form of therapy. By painting in water colour re-production of photos mainly animals and scenes. The goal I set for myself is to copy as real-istically as possible these pho-tos. The focus and attention to detail required is significant.

Its funny how circumstances can change in your life in an instant and put you into changed situations, which you would never have imagined you would find yourself in.

On September 3, 2010 a mo-ment of distraction caused the bicycle I was riding to veer to the shoulder where the bike and I were catapulted over the guard rail and down an 18 foot embankment on the other side. The result of my injuries have left me with several defi-cits, which I struggle with every day. These include hear-ing loss in my right ear, loss of balance due to damage in my vestibular system, short-term memory loss, depression as

Brain Injury Association of North Bay & Area

April 30, 2013 Volume 3, Issue 2

Blue Sky BRAINWAVE

Inside this issue:

Letter from the Editor 2

Board Elections 2

2

Daves Column 3

3

Calendar of Events 4

We want to hear from U 4

4

Out of the Recipe Box 3

A Stroke of Luck BY Brad Gordon

Brain Injury Association of North Bay & Area Address 280 Oakwood Avenue North Bay, ON P1B 9G2 Phone 705-840-8882 Email contact@bianba.com

Brain Injury Association of North Bay & Area

BIANBA Support Group

**NEW TIME, DATE & LOCATION**

Is a group for survivors and caregivers of Ac-quired Brain Injury. It takes place the third Wednesday of the month in the Dress Lounge of the Royal Canadian LegionBranch 23 at 11am. For more information please contact BIANBA at (705) 840-8882 or via email at contact@bianba.ca

Upcoming dates

May 15, 2013Frustration, Stress, Anxiety & Depression

June 19, 2013Guest Speaker: Forrest Willet is returning to speak to the BIANBA Support Group

NO SUPPORT GROUP MEETINGS JULY & AUGUST

~

BIANBA Brain Injury Awareness & D.O.N.T Campaign Event

Northgate MallCommunity Booth Friday May 31, 2012

10am-5pm Please come by and see us or volunteer to par-

ticipate!

~ North Eastern Ontario Brain Injury Network

Nipissing/Parry Sound Community Collaboration Team is looking for Consumer / Caregiver members to participate in the planning for brain injury services in this area. You do not need to be a BIANBA member to participate. If you are interested or require more informa-tion, please contact Beth Ward at (705) 840-8882 or contact@bianba.ca

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

BIANBA Memberswe want to hear from you It is our hope that Brainwave will become a space for members to be heard through their submissions and regular participation.

If you are a member, we would like to encour-age you to become involved with the planning, development and production of this newsletter. Let us hear from you!

Blue Sky Brainwave will be available quarterly on the following:

January 31Winter edition April 30Spring edition July 31Summer edition and October 31Fall edition.

Any submission you wish to be included must be sent to contact@bianba.com by the 10th of the month it is released.

Selection of content is based on relevancy for the newsletter and space availability. Not all items submitted for use will be included.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!!! The Brain Injury Association is looking for en-thusiastic people willing to volunteer their time and energy to a number of upcoming events. If you are interested in becoming a community volunteer, this is the place for you. Training and References provided following successful completion of orientation and volunteer pro-ject.

Dear Readers,

Welcome to the Spring 2013 edition of the BlueSky Brain-wave Newsletter! The determination and perse-verance of individuals and families who survive the often devastating effects of brain injury never cease to inspire me.

I hear these stories in support group meetings, from emails that our members send and through contributions to this newsletter. In addition to our regular member submission, Daves Corner, I am please to share Brad Gordons story, A Stroke of Luck as our feature on the

front page. The artwork in-cluded in this article is also Brads. Lastly, I am also pleased to an-nounce that Forrest Willett will be returning to North Bay for Brain Injury Awareness month in June.

Respectfully, Beth Ward, Editor

Letter from the Editor

Stroke of Luck ...continued from page 1

Page 2

Blue Sky BRAINWAVE

With time, patience and prac-tice I have been able to im-prove my work considerably and I have set a goal for myself to potentially profit from this hobby. I have enrolled with a group of artists who work in conjunction with a local gal-lery. I have also entered into Art in the Park for this summer where I will be displaying sev-eral pieces in a booth for sale in addition to being considered in a competition.

That moment two and half years ago changed my life and from one point of view, the change was drastic and irrepa-rable, but I am striving to turn this into a plus for me.

I encourage others who have been injured and are suffering from a similar disability to look again at that glass of water and see that it is indeed, half full and this attitude can make positive changes in your future.

Hey Peeps, Wassup again? Dave Priestley here with an update for the 2013 year in the BIANBA Support Group! Hope to see yall at the monthly meetings on the third Wednesday of each month at the Le-gion Br.#23 downtown...Were here for you! Weve already got a few new potential mem-bers, keep coming back! Hope you all had a nice winter this spring...if you need plans for an ark because of the water, call City Hall ,LoL! I hear through the Grapevine that our friend Forrest Willett will be dropping by soon! Your Board of Directors is hard at work doing pa-per pushy stuff to make our group even better, if youve volunteered at any of the community functions and have a commitment, please follow

possible if you are committed to recovery.

Forrest has written a book ti-tled Baseballs Don't Bounce where he offers advice and tips to both survivors and care giv-ers. Forrest has recently met and is now being mentored by Jack Canfield the co-creator of Chicken Soup for the Soul.

Forrest will be speaking at the North Bay Royal Canadian Legion Branch 23 on June 19th at 11am till 1pm to offer ad-vice, share stories and answer questions. The cost is free.

Forrest will have books on hand for a cost of $20.00.

In 2002 Forrest Willett acquired a brain injury. He was a passen-ger in a car when the driver lost control while talking on a cell phone. It took years of rehabili-tation, re-learning everything again, as if he where a young child; speech, reading, writing, math and motor skills.

Forrest struggled with depres-sion for many years, however has been off medication for 6 years, all the while keeping his family together.

Forrest now volunteers his time and mentors others whom have been affected with acquired brain injury and shows them with determination anything is

Daves Column

Baseballs Dont Bounce...

Page 3

Volume 3, Issue 2

Dave Priestly writes from a survivor perspective. To comment on Daves Column, please write to his attention at contact@bianba.ca

through as we all depend on each other to make things work successfully! Not too much more to say except that I hope everyone made it through the winter un-scathed and plan to make the most out of Spring as we will be closing shop for the sum-mer! Standby for that date!

See you all soon, if you need info bring your questions to group for an answer and well do our best to help! Bye now! ;-)