Huntsville Hospital Project

WELCOME

 

If we have not met, my name is Emily and I am a survivor of a traumatic brain injury.  I am honored to be a featured artist alongside fellow survivor, Jeremy, for the month of March at Huntsville Hospital.  March is TBI (traumatic brain injury) awareness month.  

For more about me and my personal journey with a TBI, click here.

If you are interested in hearing the story behind any of the paintings, please see the links below.  Feel free to explore this little blog and also check out my shop and portfolio!  If you are interested, I would love to add you to my subscribers list.  I send out an email on the first of each month with a devotional link attached.  Email me if you would like to be added to our group!  Thank you for being here!  Thank you for your support!  

"Connections"

I did not paint this one alone.  Click here to read the story.

"Peachy Keen"

I haven't been able to write the story behind this one yet.  Maybe someday soon.  For now I will just share that it was one of the first pictures I painted after my traumatic brain injury.

"Floral Map"

"Through"

"Knowing Him"

Check back on April 1st to hear about this painting!

You can sign up for an email reminder by clicking the link above.

"Line & Wash"

 

This one was just for fun!

"Luke"

             

 Before my TBI, I was an elementary school teacher.  After my TBI, one of my favorite students passed away.  This painting was something I did around the time of his funeral.  I don't have words to express the profound sadness I still feel when reminded of his untimely death.  But God is with us even in
(perhaps especially) in the dark.  His light can pierce through darkness.  And the dark will not overcome. (John 1:5)

"Hope"

           

Like "Peachy Keen" I haven't been able to put words to this piece yet.  Perhaps the symbolism of flowers growing from a brain can give you an idea.  There's a LOT of heaviness and life within this painting.  More than I'm ready to share.  So for now, may you enjoy this sped up version of the day I painted it.

Life with a traumatic brain injury is hard and lonely in ways I didn't know were possible.  I went from being an independent, fully functioning adult to a girl who needed her mom's help in the bathroom.  There isn't really anything to prepare you for that.

To my fellow survivors, 

 Keep going.  

Keep fighting.  Don't give up.  The world needs you.  Your fellow survivors need you.  You are not alone in your struggles.

 A dear friend told me after my accident, "it's okay to be sad about the old you.  It's okay to miss her.  But I really like this new you & I think you will learn to love her too."  I think that can be said for all of us.

Jesus never wastes pain.  He has treasures that He longs to give us in the darkness.  Treasures that we will carry with us long after this darkness has passed. 

To those who love a survivor,

Keep going.  

We need you more than most of us know how to say.  Thank you for being patient with us when our processing speed is significantly slower than it used to be.  Thank you for being gentle, when we get stuck on a loop and repeat ourselves over and over again.  Thank you for helping us in the bathroom and with our fork.  Thank you for driving us to the doctor appointment and therapy appointment and then to another therapy appointment.  We love you too, even if we can't show it like we used to.

Challenge: 

In honor of TBI awareness month, google traumatic brain injury.  See if you can find something you didn't know before.