To the Newly Injured with SCI- Don't feel like you have to put on a brave f

A subject that I often hear from people with new spinal cord injuries is "how do you get your life back?" or "Accept your disability?"- I mentor people with new SCI- mostly women, but some men too. When I am first approached by people with new Spinal Cord Injuries I want to put on this brave face and say everything is going to be okay- but I don't want to be a hypocrite because I have had some bad times. I have had more GOOD times than bad throughout the past 15 years. Sometimes it is hard to be SO honest with people that are newly injured, but the biggest thing I think is important to share is that when you sustain a traumatic injury - realize you are only human! I put on a brave face for everyone for the first few years and I had went through some bad times about 5 years post injury. I went through some counseling and there is something my therapist told me- she said "I never really mourned the loss of the use of my legs"- She was right, and first those first few years I was always so go, go, go that I didn't stop and think about what happened to me. I also found myself being brave for everyone else. This is because I thought - If I get sad, other people like my family will get sad and I don't want that. I also thought - no one wants to be around a "sad and depressed" person in a wheelchair. So I became a very good actress. Now I am just me. I have good days, and I have bad days. Everyone will go through different stages of how they deal with a disability, but my advice for people with new injuries is just be open and honest. Don't be afraid to share your feelings. Something traumatic has happened to you and you are the one that has to live with it- everyone else has to adapt to what has happened to you and support you. I like thinking I am the same person, just sitting down- Remind people of that! Just wanted to share that with you all that have new injuries. Tammy