My name is Kelly (Bouldin) Darmofal. I was in a car crash in 1992 and suffered a severe closed head or traumatic brain injury. I was thirteen days into my high school career, and had just finished cheering at my first JV football game. When I returned home for the night, several friends wanted to drive me to a local fast food restaurant to grab a burger. I was famished and my parents acquiesced, giving me a curfew of 10 PM. I was always super punctual and overly responsible.
Thus, at 10:05 my parents worried… At 10:10 my parents began freaking out. After making a last minute – completely out of character – decision to allow me to go out with friends on a school night, my mom and dad had no idea where I was.
At 10:15 the telephone rang. I had been in a car accident and was at Baptist hospital fighting for my life.
Fast forward 25 years. I’ve recovered and found a “new” normal. I have a husband, son, relatives and friends who fill my world with love and laughter. I have meaningful work and am able to advocate for TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) survivors in my free time.
I’ve professionally published two books, Lost in My Mind: Recovering from Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and 101 Tips for Recovering from Traumatic Brain Injury: Practical Advice for TBI Survivors, Caregivers and Teachers, and will occasionally speak about my experiences with TBI. Hopefully, this blog will give me a new avenue on which to offer assistance.
I am slowly recovering and can read a little now and retain it. I found 101 Tips on Amazon. Thank you so very much! It is very helpful. I was almost killed and my Subaru Forester was totaled August 8, 2018 when another SUV ran the stop sign. August 12, 2018 I was driving my rental car and forest fires obliterated everything and a tree grew in front of the stop sign I was looking for. I was told a Suburban ran over me and the car when I started coming out of my coma a few months later to my new life. I now look healthy except I can’t walk and people expect me to still be able to be like I used to be.