Write a commentIn 2012, Shannon Morrell unknowingly sustained a Traumatic Brain injury. Unaware of the extent of her injuries, she couldn't understand why her head hurt so badly when the lights were on, why her vision was blurred, and why she was constantly stumbling.
"I remember just sitting there feeling so helpless," shared Shannon. "My depth perception was off. If I took a step, it felt like I was taking a leap off a five-foot drop. I had to relearn how to stay balanced while I was walking and work on redeveloping problem solving and memory skills."
Brain injuries can be very unpredictable in their consequences – they can affect who you are, the way you think, act, and feel in a matter of seconds.
Shannon finally connected to a group of physical, occupational, and speech therapists who helped her learn how to live her life with the TBI. Now, after two bittersweet years Shannon is now able to drive again and has reentered the workforce. "This injury has not made me a victim, I am a survivor. The support that I received was so important during this journey."
ARISE has recently formed a new Traumatic Brain Injury Peer Support Group. The group, led by Shannon, will be held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month from 6-7 PM at the ARISE Oswego Office (9 Fourth Ave.).
For more information, contact Jennifer Torrese at (315) 342-4088 x224 or jtorrese@ariseinc.org.
About ARISE
ARISE is a non-profit Independent Living Center run by and for people with disabilities. The organization has been providing advocacy and services since 1979, and each year ARISE works with approximately 4,000 people of all ages who have all types of disabilities. ARISE offers services in Onondaga, Oswego, Madison, Cayuga, and Seneca counties and also operates ARISE at the Farm, a 77-acre recreational facility in Chittenango, NY, and ARISE & Ski at Toggenburg Winter Sports Center in Fabius, NY.
