Nanaimo woman turns brain injury into learning opportunity for others Daily News Colleen Butler said the industrial vehicle struck her car on College Drive as she pulled out of a blind spot and hit her with such an impact that she was pushed about 200 feet down the road. Since that 2007 crash, Butler started experiencing symptoms of concussion, was diagnosed with a brain injury and then began helping others struggling through similar situations, most recently through a practical concussion workbook. "I didn't have any blood, I didn't have any bruising, there was no bump. - Like many brain injuries, it (went) unnoticed," said Butler, who was at that time running a construction company. "About two-and-a-half weeks later, somebody would say, 'Hi, how are you doing,' and I would break down crying. "I started really feeling the headaches, unable to sleep, the emotional rollercoaster --all those horror things that start going on with a concussion." She didn't understand what was going on, even as she saw doctors and they suggested she was simply feeling stressed. A back injury she sustained in the crash led her to a chiropractor. "He was the one who really identified my issues," she said. "I didn't have a clue." This chiropractor started leading Butler down the path of recovery, she said, "but the biggest part was I had an individual who had been through a head injury before and she really, truly guided me." To this end, Butler felt her experiences could help others recover from brain injuries or concussions. She published Concussion Recovery: Rebuilding the Injured Brain through Amazon.ca in March. It provides tools and tips to recover from concussions, serving as a road map back to normalcy, and covers everything from personal finances to nutrition to sex and music. She also hosts educational workshops on concussions, for instance for young hockey players and their parents. "When your brain gets damaged, it's almost like a bottle of Italian dressing, you see all the layers and everything," she said. "You shake it up and it's all in pieces. So the pieces are all there, they're just not where they're supposed to be." © Copyright (c) Postmedia News
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