My story

My story – Deborah Marie Designer by Hobby for GEMASSIST Brain Awareness

Every morning I wake up and I do not know how the day will begin. God will bless me either way. My hemiplegic migraine and my left hemisphere damage and trigeminal neuralgia complicate the neurons in my brain. I could stop and give up but I have learned with support from Shepherd Center Hospital, GA and Frazier Rehabilitation Institute, KY that I do not have to give up. All I have to do is the one thing for each day to accomplish my task. By no means is my life perfect or was it when I was a Project Manager, but my self – esteem was there before my injury. There was no accident, no great point of change, but many mistakes from a rare migraine treatment with many misdiagnosis before that. Nobody likes to hear that especially me since Engineering is an exact science at its best, but the world of medical there is a room for error and when errors are made. It can change a life forever.

What else changed my life forever? Rape, it is a terrible word or event. I was dated raped in high school which gave me a terrible feeling till I got out that door for work bound because I was too poor but smart to go to college. As I was working and making my way to get a better life. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now this was the days that there was no police help, no rape kits, no counselors....It was the days; this is your fault. Well, he was about 6'2" compared to my 5'. He hit me on the right side of my face and damaged my trigeminal nerves then but I did not know it. I just thought I would have to live with a jaw with problems. The hit was so strong that I blackout and saw stars and was being dragged when I was waking up. I am a fighter and I fought back and got away at 22years of age. I did all the right things - counseling, batter women groups and helped other women as time went by when there was more help. NOW, NOW at an older age, I have the trigeminal damage from that hit and I want to tell you that Rape is not pretty and I would never never thought the damage would come back with such pain to destroy my health especially the way I enjoy nature and walking and just visiting friends.
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What would make Deborah feel better? I hate the word disable; I hate the horrible pain that is on my right side while the left is normal; I hate the medical emblem all over my body every day. I hate the blue glasses from the eye sensitivity; I hate the changes in my body from medicines and my voice and seeing that I could not pass some of the easy cognitive test that was given to me which affect my freedom. Most of all, I asked God and my husband WHY?

With counseling and God I found a path again, I was encouraged by all my doctors to pursue this new found creative side that I did not know. I cannot decorate so designing for me is a miracle. I loved numbers, analysis and most of all seeing a project complete and all clients happy. Again, I was encouraged to make designs. I was realizing that I could do something that I like. I felt good about it. I wanted to use this new found gift to Help Others!

It has been a struggle; everyone today makes jewelry; everyone today thinks their jewelry is the best and just wants to make money. I want to make jewelry but every piece to be sold and then money given to help people that need more treatment than me or who cannot afford to have treatment and most of all ignorance in the world concerning neurological illness.

Yes, movie stars and news personnel can get up there and say any and everything on TV concerning their illness, but just a person out of 2.5million per year with a brain disease or injury. It is difficult without support. It is difficult without people knowing that my glasses are to help my eyes and relax them. It is difficult to educate everyday your family, friends and the public that you are just as human; you are not totally dump or disabled. You are handicapped as a baseball, golfer or any athletic person that gets extra point advantage.

Therefore, I am reaching out to everyone to understand that “Brain Awareness” and GEMASSIST BRAIN AWARENESS FOUNDATION is a cause to stand behind because we do it well.As I have quoted; this is my mission:
Our symbol is the Umbrella for all Brain and Spinal Injuries and Illnesses
“Promote Brain Awareness because your Brain Matters”

PLEASE HELP MY CAUSE BY PURCHASING!
www.gemassist.org​