we’re all stressed out get over it
aren’t you feeling better yet you look
perfectly fine you’re not really injured
it’s all in your head those statements
cut deep there are examples of what not
to say to someone with invisible
injuries the stigma around invisible
injuries is a real and widespread
problem according to the Department of
Health and Human Services nearly 1 in 2
people have an invisible injury living
with a chronic invisible illness is hard
enough
adding stigma makes a healing process
even more difficult how do you explain
this painful reality to your family
friends employer doctors and insurance
companies how do you say it in a way
they would understand when you look fine
on the outside the injured loses their
sense of personal identity as they are
defined or labeled this imbedded denial
can lead to isolation depression
financial strain and even suicide I
would like to share with you my story
and how it changed my life the day was
February 9th 2010 it was also my son’s
16th birthday I was working as a
supervisor in a sawmill three hours into
my shift I had to unjam a giant log that
got stuck the logs we were cutting are
called cants they’re 14 inches thick 21
inches wide and each piece weighs a
thousand pounds it was my job to keep
production moving I made a decision to
crawl into a tight confined space to
manually free up the scan it was stuck
on edge against a large steel beam in
behind this stuck can’t was now a
massive wall of wood as soon as this cat
was free someone turned on the machine
and I was immediately being crushed
alive by 12,000 pounds of wood I could
hear my body cracking gurgling and
crunching it felt like my head was going
to explode
there was so much pressure I thought to
myself if this doesn’t stop I’m gonna
get ripped into two pieces and die I
then blocked out my coworkers then
perform miraculous feats of strength to
rescue me from this machine by the time
I was freed I was not breathing and they
all thought I was dead
I had now been unconscious for about 12
minutes right before they were about to
perform CPR miraculously I started
breathing the immense pain was
overwhelming I was fighting for every
breath I had to remind myself to breathe
in and then breathe out I was rushed to
the hospital I was in agony and the
ambulance ride was horrific I could feel
every vibration and bump throughout my
spine when I arrived at the hospital I
was told by paramedics and doctors that
my organs were failing I also had an
anoxic brain injury a punctured and
collapsed lung multiple broken bones and
severe soft tissue damage there was a
lot of confusion and panic I was
frightened I didn’t understand what was
happening I felt weak and something had
to change because I really thought I was
going to die but then I was touched by
an angel it was my wife she is my best
friend and biggest support were deeply
in love she makes me want to be better
I was unrecognizable to Jen at first
because I had been bleeding out of my
eyes ears nose and mouth I also had
severe and deep bruising my injuries
were critical but I now had hope because
I wasn’t alone my accident has left me
with numerous invisible injuries I have
a permanent brain injury and cognitive
disorder just imagine having a
concussion that never goes away I have
severe spine lung shoulder and nerve
damage I also get between 72
90 painful injections in my head spine
and shoulder every four months to help
me
now going through all this revealed to
me who my true friends are growing up I
knew a caring family the Dunc Lee’s
their house was my home away from home
their son Ron their son Ron was like a
brother to me and my best friend after
my accident Ron would drive all the way
to abbotsford and then take me into
vancouver for some sporting events after
one of those trips i apologized because
i thought i wasn’t as much fun anymore
ron told me Hensel don’t be ridiculous
it was one of the funnest nights I’ve
ever had I’ll always be here for you bro
that meant the world to me knowing I
could always count on him unfortunately
a few months later that would all change
ron was a fireman and avid football fan
he traveled to almost every pro sports
stadium in North America he was in
Seattle when he got into the most
horrific accident he was hit and dragged
by a train ripping his lower body to
shreds he went through over 40 surgeries
before infection finally took over his
body
I saw him take his last breath now on
top of everything else I was dealing
with I had to deal with the death of my
best friend just 11 months after my
accident
Ron had over 1700 people at his funeral
he lived life to the fullest and he
would have wanted me to do the same
Vince Lombardi said the greatest
accomplishment is not in never falling
but in rising again after you fall I am
here today because I got back up in
addition to all my other injuries I also
suffer from severe post-traumatic stress
disorder one of the most frustrating
conditions I have to deal with one of
the symptoms of PTSD is exaggerated
startle reflex so let me explain one day
I’m having a really difficult time my
mind and body were on edge so I went to
pick up my favorite smoothie to cheer me
up
the mighty kale the last thing I wanted
to do was see or talk to anybody so I
sat at the table at the far corner with
my back turned to the door little did I
know a group of people had quietly
opened the door and we’re now standing
right behind me what happened next
Dada Dada Dada Dada Dada Dada
but other than out of it uh yes that
actually happened
a loud mariachi band in Abbotsford
now most people would be startled by
that but I was having a full-on panic
attack I couldn’t breathe I was covered
in sweat and I was shaking not feeling
lasted for hours so that is how I
explained to people what having PTSD is
like a mariachi band hiding around every
corner now my invisible injuries have
given me my biggest challenges I had to
fight every day through my tragedies to
not slide into a deep depression I had
to rely on my support to not isolate
myself further I lost my identity my
sense of control and any meaningful
activity this made me feel like less of
a person I fought through the darkest
days of my life not to mention the
financial strain is put on my family
you had Stiga stigma on top of that and
I felt like giving up this made it hard
to get the help I needed prolonging my
already difficult recovery we need to
tear down the barriers of stigma that
block access to services and recovery
there does not need to be insult added
to injury I would like to share what can
help silence this stigma one of the most
powerful strategies I used was telling
my story now sharing my story was
difficult at first but it gave me a
voice and this was emotionally healing
for me my story helped restore my
identity and self-worth because of the
effect it had on others it created
understanding and compassion instead of
denial in 2006 a study was published in
the journal neural image researchers in
Spain determined that when it comes to
inspiring people to understand a new
change in themselves storytelling is the
only thing that works storytelling is
one of the most powerful ways we have to
communicate and motivate stories make
the invisible visible here are three
things we can all do first living with
invisible injuries can be very isolating
personally and socially so if you have
an invisible injury I encourage you to
reach out to others find support and
share your story you’re not alone the
stories of struggles and challenges are
the best stories be honest about your
obstacles and how you overcame adversity
you can inspire and help people to help
others reach their full potential people
will tell themselves if they can do it
so can I second if you know or encounter
someone with an invisible injury listen
to what they are going through you can
always learn more encourage those with
invisible injuries to tell their own
story I would not be where I am today if
I didn’t have people believing in me
encouragement Foster’s confidence you
can make a positive difference in
someone’s life reach out and give the
injured their voice back finally as a
society there is an increased need for
creating awareness and changing
attitudes around invisible injuries
often these changes simply start with
conversations that help educate and
encourage understanding public
information and community participation
can benefit everyone spreading awareness
will build bridges not walls and
improved medical and social validation
can create a more accepting and
understanding world stories can be
silenced stigma can be silenced through
stories that celebrate what we can do
not what we can’t do those statements
that were told to me reminded me of
everything I can’t do do you remember
the wood I was crushed by our call
can’ts the stigma I felt was also
crushing let me explain I would tell
myself I can’t just feel better I can’t
just get over this I can’t get the help
I need
I was crushed by cants literally and
figuratively but now I’m crushing my
cats you can crush your cats too
[Applause]
you
aren’t you feeling better yet you look
perfectly fine you’re not really injured
it’s all in your head those statements
cut deep there are examples of what not
to say to someone with invisible
injuries the stigma around invisible
injuries is a real and widespread
problem according to the Department of
Health and Human Services nearly 1 in 2
people have an invisible injury living
with a chronic invisible illness is hard
enough
adding stigma makes a healing process
even more difficult how do you explain
this painful reality to your family
friends employer doctors and insurance
companies how do you say it in a way
they would understand when you look fine
on the outside the injured loses their
sense of personal identity as they are
defined or labeled this imbedded denial
can lead to isolation depression
financial strain and even suicide I
would like to share with you my story
and how it changed my life the day was
February 9th 2010 it was also my son’s
16th birthday I was working as a
supervisor in a sawmill three hours into
my shift I had to unjam a giant log that
got stuck the logs we were cutting are
called cants they’re 14 inches thick 21
inches wide and each piece weighs a
thousand pounds it was my job to keep
production moving I made a decision to
crawl into a tight confined space to
manually free up the scan it was stuck
on edge against a large steel beam in
behind this stuck can’t was now a
massive wall of wood as soon as this cat
was free someone turned on the machine
and I was immediately being crushed
alive by 12,000 pounds of wood I could
hear my body cracking gurgling and
crunching it felt like my head was going
to explode
there was so much pressure I thought to
myself if this doesn’t stop I’m gonna
get ripped into two pieces and die I
then blocked out my coworkers then
perform miraculous feats of strength to
rescue me from this machine by the time
I was freed I was not breathing and they
all thought I was dead
I had now been unconscious for about 12
minutes right before they were about to
perform CPR miraculously I started
breathing the immense pain was
overwhelming I was fighting for every
breath I had to remind myself to breathe
in and then breathe out I was rushed to
the hospital I was in agony and the
ambulance ride was horrific I could feel
every vibration and bump throughout my
spine when I arrived at the hospital I
was told by paramedics and doctors that
my organs were failing I also had an
anoxic brain injury a punctured and
collapsed lung multiple broken bones and
severe soft tissue damage there was a
lot of confusion and panic I was
frightened I didn’t understand what was
happening I felt weak and something had
to change because I really thought I was
going to die but then I was touched by
an angel it was my wife she is my best
friend and biggest support were deeply
in love she makes me want to be better
I was unrecognizable to Jen at first
because I had been bleeding out of my
eyes ears nose and mouth I also had
severe and deep bruising my injuries
were critical but I now had hope because
I wasn’t alone my accident has left me
with numerous invisible injuries I have
a permanent brain injury and cognitive
disorder just imagine having a
concussion that never goes away I have
severe spine lung shoulder and nerve
damage I also get between 72
90 painful injections in my head spine
and shoulder every four months to help
me
now going through all this revealed to
me who my true friends are growing up I
knew a caring family the Dunc Lee’s
their house was my home away from home
their son Ron their son Ron was like a
brother to me and my best friend after
my accident Ron would drive all the way
to abbotsford and then take me into
vancouver for some sporting events after
one of those trips i apologized because
i thought i wasn’t as much fun anymore
ron told me Hensel don’t be ridiculous
it was one of the funnest nights I’ve
ever had I’ll always be here for you bro
that meant the world to me knowing I
could always count on him unfortunately
a few months later that would all change
ron was a fireman and avid football fan
he traveled to almost every pro sports
stadium in North America he was in
Seattle when he got into the most
horrific accident he was hit and dragged
by a train ripping his lower body to
shreds he went through over 40 surgeries
before infection finally took over his
body
I saw him take his last breath now on
top of everything else I was dealing
with I had to deal with the death of my
best friend just 11 months after my
accident
Ron had over 1700 people at his funeral
he lived life to the fullest and he
would have wanted me to do the same
Vince Lombardi said the greatest
accomplishment is not in never falling
but in rising again after you fall I am
here today because I got back up in
addition to all my other injuries I also
suffer from severe post-traumatic stress
disorder one of the most frustrating
conditions I have to deal with one of
the symptoms of PTSD is exaggerated
startle reflex so let me explain one day
I’m having a really difficult time my
mind and body were on edge so I went to
pick up my favorite smoothie to cheer me
up
the mighty kale the last thing I wanted
to do was see or talk to anybody so I
sat at the table at the far corner with
my back turned to the door little did I
know a group of people had quietly
opened the door and we’re now standing
right behind me what happened next
Dada Dada Dada Dada Dada Dada
but other than out of it uh yes that
actually happened
a loud mariachi band in Abbotsford
now most people would be startled by
that but I was having a full-on panic
attack I couldn’t breathe I was covered
in sweat and I was shaking not feeling
lasted for hours so that is how I
explained to people what having PTSD is
like a mariachi band hiding around every
corner now my invisible injuries have
given me my biggest challenges I had to
fight every day through my tragedies to
not slide into a deep depression I had
to rely on my support to not isolate
myself further I lost my identity my
sense of control and any meaningful
activity this made me feel like less of
a person I fought through the darkest
days of my life not to mention the
financial strain is put on my family
you had Stiga stigma on top of that and
I felt like giving up this made it hard
to get the help I needed prolonging my
already difficult recovery we need to
tear down the barriers of stigma that
block access to services and recovery
there does not need to be insult added
to injury I would like to share what can
help silence this stigma one of the most
powerful strategies I used was telling
my story now sharing my story was
difficult at first but it gave me a
voice and this was emotionally healing
for me my story helped restore my
identity and self-worth because of the
effect it had on others it created
understanding and compassion instead of
denial in 2006 a study was published in
the journal neural image researchers in
Spain determined that when it comes to
inspiring people to understand a new
change in themselves storytelling is the
only thing that works storytelling is
one of the most powerful ways we have to
communicate and motivate stories make
the invisible visible here are three
things we can all do first living with
invisible injuries can be very isolating
personally and socially so if you have
an invisible injury I encourage you to
reach out to others find support and
share your story you’re not alone the
stories of struggles and challenges are
the best stories be honest about your
obstacles and how you overcame adversity
you can inspire and help people to help
others reach their full potential people
will tell themselves if they can do it
so can I second if you know or encounter
someone with an invisible injury listen
to what they are going through you can
always learn more encourage those with
invisible injuries to tell their own
story I would not be where I am today if
I didn’t have people believing in me
encouragement Foster’s confidence you
can make a positive difference in
someone’s life reach out and give the
injured their voice back finally as a
society there is an increased need for
creating awareness and changing
attitudes around invisible injuries
often these changes simply start with
conversations that help educate and
encourage understanding public
information and community participation
can benefit everyone spreading awareness
will build bridges not walls and
improved medical and social validation
can create a more accepting and
understanding world stories can be
silenced stigma can be silenced through
stories that celebrate what we can do
not what we can’t do those statements
that were told to me reminded me of
everything I can’t do do you remember
the wood I was crushed by our call
can’ts the stigma I felt was also
crushing let me explain I would tell
myself I can’t just feel better I can’t
just get over this I can’t get the help
I need
I was crushed by cants literally and
figuratively but now I’m crushing my
cats you can crush your cats too
[Applause]
you
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