Personal Stories & Blogs by People with TBI and PTSD

We feature stories from people who have sustained a brain injury and who are doing their best to put their lives back together. We also hear from caregivers who share their experiences as they take care of the person they love and try to find the best in every day.

Latest Personal Story

Navy Ensign Timothy Bleigh in a wheelchair looking out a hospital window with his son
From Patient to Provider: One Sailor's Brain Health Journey
January 26, 2024

U.S. Navy Ensign Timothy Bleigh clearly recalls when the bomb went off. The Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) tactical vehicle flipped several times through the air before it landed partly on its roof. Bleigh shares his story and reflects on how his difficult recovery, which included a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), influenced how he approaches patient care.

See more personal stories >

Latest Blog Post

David and his wife, Sarah, PTSD, nightmares
From Nightmares to Progress: My Ongoing Journey with PTSD
December 10, 2024

And if there’s one thing that I’ve learned from having a brain injury and PTSD, it’s this ... recovery is not linear. There will be gains and there will be setbacks. But equally important, I know that attitude is everything. And despite how tired I can feel, I remain full of hope. And that covers a lot of ground.

Getting Back on the Bike
David A. Grant blogs about life after brain injury

Our Blogs

BrainLine is incredibly lucky to collaborate with a group of outstanding bloggers willing to share their ups and downs, insights, and honest moments of both despair and hope.

Reinventing Our Family

Abby
Abby Maslin, Caregiver

My husband left for a baseball game with friends and never came home. Now we are on a journey to rebuild our lives and reinvent our family ... 

Latest Post:

Love You Hard
2019/04/08

Rolling with It

Janna
Janna Hockenjos

I was fourteen when it happened on a rain-slicked highway. My dad was a passenger in a car that slid into a pile of other cars when he hit his head, too hard ... 

Latest Post:

What Do You Need?
2017/12/11

Getting Back on the Bike

David Grant and his wife smiling into the camera
David A. Grant, TBI Survivor

A bike ride on a fall day in New England turned out to be anything but typical. I never expected to be rushed by ambulance to the nearest trauma center with a traumatic brain injury ... 

Latest Post:

From Nightmares to Progress: My Ongoing Journey with PTSD
2024/12/10

Learning by Accident

Rosemary
Rosemary Rawlins, Caregiver

My husband left one afternoon for a workout on his bike ... and then everything changed. 

Latest Post:

Dear friends...
2019/04/22

Head Space and Timing

Duane France, Combat Veteran & Clinical Mental Health Counselor
Duane France, Combat Veteran & Clinical Mental Health Counselor

Retired Army Noncommissioned Officer and clinical mental health counselor, Duane France, helps those who may be struggling with PTSD, TBI, depression and anxiety.

Latest Post:

Inside the Military Mind: Equine Therapy and Military Family Identities
2021/09/02

Permission to Tell the Truth

Making Tough Decisions Easier
Nicole Bingaman, Caregiver

Five years ago life would forever change for not only my oldest son, but for our entire family. Since that time I have learned that love does win, but that love is also made up of incredibly tough moments.

Latest Post:

2,802 Days: My Son, His Truck, and TBI Seizures
2020/08/10

Harmony Through Caregiving: Finding the Balance and Blend

Stacey Shade-Ware smiling at the camera
Stacey Shade-Ware, veteran caregiver

My husband proudly served for nearly 25 years, deploying more than he’d care to recount. After a couple TBI's and a PTSD diagnosis, now we take life one day at time.

Latest Post:

Predatory Practices Against Vulnerable Populations
2024/03/13

From Blowing Down Doors to Healing Minds and Bodies: A Navy SEAL’s Journey to Mindfulness

Jon Macaskill meditating, kneeling, in his Navy uniform
Jon Macaskill, Retired Navy SEAL Commander

I retired from the Navy with the rank of commander after 24 years, 17 as a SEAL. To deal my PTSD I tried counseling and several prescriptions. Meditation is what really saved me.

Latest Post:

Using the Simple Power of the Breath to Heal from Symptoms and Triggers of PTSD
2022/06/13

Healing From Trauma

Headshot of Tamar Rodney, PhD, PMHNP-BC, CNE
Tamar Rodney, PhD, PMHNP-BC, CNE

Dr. Rodney breaks down complex terms and issues to help you better understand what you might be feeling or experiencing.

Latest Post:

What is Neurofatigue? How does it affect people with brain injury (TBI)?
2022/11/30