Welcome to Twilight Insight by Angela.
I’m Angela, and I am in the twilight phase of my life. The descent of this darkness was brought about by a brain injury. I was plunged into experiencing a death of who I was and what I believed about the world and people. The darkness and uncertainty has been frightening. Yet I cling to the certainty of cycles. That light follows dark and death brings about new life, and the cycle keeps repeating.
One of life’s tasks is to learn that it never stays dark forever, nor does it ever remain light forever. There is a delicate balance of learning to understand and appreciate the nature of both. This website is my story about walking my path in lightness and dark, and sharing with you the insights which have come to me during the twilight times.
The purpose of this website is to finally give voice to my story. There have been enough people evaluating and analyzing me, telling me and others what my story is. It is now time for me to find my voice and speak my own story.
The mission of this website is to:
1) To heighten awareness about:
- brain injury
- chiropractic stroke
- unjust practices used by educational retirement systems
- intentional and unintentional abuse of people with brain injury from the medical profession, legal system, and disability/retirement organizations
2) To give and receive support to other TBI/chiropractic stroke survivors & their caregivers by sharing information and stories
3) To seek resources to assist Angela from the internet community
Twilight is the period in the morning or evening in which diffused light from the sun softly breaks through the darkness; this occurs either at daybreak or sunrise when the sun is just below the horizon. Twilight is also the latter phase of one’s life, before death. Twilight times can emit feelings of uncertainty or fear of being swallowed up by the darkness, by death. Yet the presence of light just below the horizon sends out feelings of hope – a promise of a dawn, a new beginning. A promise that there is light to see one’s way through the darkness.
Copyright Statement: All material presented on this website is copyrighted. It cannot be copied, reproduced, or distributed in any way without the express, written consent of Angela Cramer
© Angela Cramer, 2008
Graphics and clipart are property of Jupiterimages made available through subscription: © Jupiterimages Corporation, 2008 www.clipart.com
Tags: Traumatic Brain Injury, Acquired Brain Injury, Chiropractic Stroke, Post Concussion Syndrome, Mission, Goals, Introduction
Dear Angela,
I understand, at least in part, of what you have experienced as I, too have had others try to quelch my voice. But I refuse to be silenced. Who I was previously to being in a motor vehicle accident has in many ways assisted me in transforming me into the person I am now becoming. This journey is not easy and many times it is quite frustrating. However my experiences are transforming me into a stronger person of greater character than I ever realized I could be and quite frankly, for the most part I like who I am becoming. I do not like the pain I live in daily or the physical limitations placed on my life by the accident but I am reminded each time I look at my bible that I will never carry the weight of the world on my shoulders as did my Saviour Jesus Christ.
God bless you in your endevours to share your voice as well as be an encourgement to those whose voice has become silenced by others who lack the insight or compassion to truely listen or care about the fate of others.
Sister’s for the cause,
Alex
HI ANGELA,I LIKE TO INTRODUCE MY SELF , I HAVE THOUSAND OF WORLDS TO SAY,BUT ALL I CAN THINK NOW IS THAT YOU ARE NOT ALONG,WE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO HELPING US EACH OTHER AND IF I CAN BE YOU FRIEND OR IF I CAN HELP YOU IN ANYTHING THAT I CAN DO , I WILL, I’M T.B.I. SURVIVE BUT I’M NOT ILL, HOPE I HEAR FROM YOU SOON,BYE.
Dear Alex,
There are millions of us here in the US with brain injuries whose lives have been dramatically changed. It is my sincere hope that those of us who refuse to be silenced can be a strong voice to help educate the general public and be an advocate for change and much needed help when it comes to living with a TBI.
I love your spirit of being able to see that there can be a “Gift within the Pain.” Sometimes this makes it easy for others to ignore the incredible challenges we must face because they see our strengths as evidence that we are coping and doing just fine. For those people, they just may find that their lives are one day touched in a deep and very personal way with TBI. TBI exists at such an epidemic level, it is highly likely that they or a loved one will become a statistic.
You may want to look at my thoughts on Changed Brains and Labels. This can be found by doing a “search blog” located at the top of the side bar on the right.
This TBI journey is most definitely a lesson in faith. It is a delicate balance of doing what we can and at the same time having faith that everything is in order and that we ARE being supported by God, or the Universe, or whatever fits within one’s belief system. My story titled, The Feather, touches on having faith and can also be found on my website by doing a search.
Blessings to you on your journey!
Angela
Dear Raol,
Thank you so much for visiting my site and for being so compassionate and caring.
I know exactly what you are talking about. Having so many words and thoughts going through your mind and not knowing what to say first. Thank you for reaching out to me. There have been and will be times when I can definitely use the support of others. I will let you know.
Meanwhile, I look forward to your thoughts and comments whenever the time is right.
Angela
Good morning again Angela,
I would wish for your definition of twilight to also include the sun shining – before and after a storm. Or One might think of being in a canyon or tunnel? and emerging into full sunlight again. One can be blinded, too, by stepping out of the stage wings twilight into the stage/spot light.
I’ve found successfull communication as a survivor is nearly impossible. You are doing a good job. I’m enjoying and learning,
gwenith 2/18/09 08:10:32
Thanks,
Dear Angela,
Reading your description of the day of the accident sent chills down my spine, it was an all-too-familiar scenario. MTBI is so often overlooked, even when there is a SIGNIFICANT MECHANISM OF INJURY that one would hope would make healthcare professionals take notice. And social workers/psychologists??? I told one within 72 hours of the crash that I was in an accident, and I rambled away about needing someone to talk to….he said I probably had a learning disability that was rearing its head now that I was in college….without ever referring to my outstanding personal and volunteer and academic successes in high school. We as a species have not evolved to the point of being able to withstand the massive forces of something like a motor vehicle accident. I wish that it was common procedure to educate patients in any Motor Vehicle Collision about the risk of Mild TBI. It’s underdiagnosed, and misdiagnosed….and yet frightfully common.
But, it’s all about continuing to look for information and keep fighting. The Centers for Independent Living have been a godsend for me–people with disabilities helping people with disabilities, it’s a beautiful thing.
Life can still be good, however, and there are so many blessings, and we learn a level of empathy that is unparalled as we experience in a short amount of time, experiences that occur across the lifespan.
Keep looking for the good in every day–and, your information here is EXCELLENT. You are an intelligent lady with excellent insight.
Blessings!