It's our first post! Welcome!
Well, hello there... Welcome to our first post! And if you got this far, you must be wanting to know a little more about these individuals named Mish and Kim. Well look no further friend; here's a quick and dirty run down of who we are and why we're here!
Let’s bring you back a few years…
Little did we know our life's journey would take a crazy turn on the sunny afternoon of August 25, 2012, during a seemingly innocuous indoor mixed-doubles tennis tournament. It was the perfect storm: with the right combination of intense game play, new gummy-soled tennis shoes, and a freshly laid acrylic court surface, Kim took a hard, unexpected fall… back-of-head-first into the concrete… which landed him in the neuro-ICU with a severe Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).
(Yes kids, apparently tennis can be hazardous to your health. Take note.)
Kim practicing his backhand on clay back on July 2010... about 2 years before his TBI.
That moment became a major and pivotal point in our lives.
We've both had to learn how to manage TBI in our own individual ways (Kim as a survivor and Mish as the wife of a survivor) and together as a family unit (as a husband in recovery, as a wife with caregiver duties, as a father, as a mother, as a married couple). Some days were good, and most days were kick-you-in-the-nether-regions terrible, if we were to be perfectly honest (depending on which of us you talk to and on what day).
But, even though Kim's injury was severe, through hard work and continuous daily management he has become a high-functioning TBI survivor today. We definitely have way more good days now with still some dreaded bad days lurking in the shadows (luckily, they are more at a kick-you-in-the-shins level these days). We are constantly searching for and learning ways to make our new normal work, whether it be little things like where to keep that extra set of earplugs, or bigger things like managing ongoing symptoms or even relationships. The human brain is already a complicated organ to begin with - throwing an injury in there makes it one hell of a party.
Family outdoorsy fun time, September 2014.
When people would ask about our situation, we found that sharing our stories and experiences not only spread a little more knowledge and awareness, but it was cathartic for us in some sense, as well. We always try to look for ways to surf the silver lining of that cloud and keep laughter and positivity around us the best we can. And if we can raise awareness just from our experience alone to a wider audience… or even help a single person whose life was touched by brain injury… it is a good day indeed!
We hope that sharing our stories, experiences, and thoughts will do a few things...
Create more awareness regarding brain injury. So much is still to be learned around brain injury. For example, did you know that a concussion is considered a Traumatic Brain Injury? Awareness can be shared at so many levels - whether you are a provider, a family member, a friend, a friend of a friend, a person stumbling on the topic through google searches... knowledge (even if it’s a tiny bit from our posts) is powerful.
Let those affected know that they're are not alone. Whether you are a survivor, a caregiver, a spouse of a survivor, a survivor who is parent, the parent of a survivor, etc., there is someone out there that understands. Although no two TBIs are alike (sort of like a fingerprint), there are major elements of the journey where we can raise our hand and say, “we understand”. There are also several great groups and organizations out there (on Facebook, in your local community, at the state level, etc.) that also provide support.
Share additional insight and ideas. Not by any means are we saying we know any of the answers (perfect time to insert the obligatory disclaimer: we are not health care professionals - please see consult your healthcare provider or other health care professional to determine what is right for you), but we do know what has (and hasn't) worked for us through our own personal and family experiences in dealing with TBI. We merely hope that sharing what we've been through can maybe help someone else in some way.
So thanks for joining us on this journey!
(We’re assuming this is the case if you continued to find the time and interest to even read this far… which also, we're not going to lie, makes us nervously excited because omg you are interested and you read this far!) Please feel free to share our website mishandkim.com (or share this post using the links above the comment block below) with your friends, family, or anyone wanting to know more about our mission. Both Mish and Kim will be posting to the blog. You can also find us on Instagram and on Facebook @mishandkim. And if you STILL haven't had enough of us yet, please visit our channel on YouTube to get an extra dose of Mish and Kim.
Life's too short. Learn and love.
Mish and Kim