Kim’s Radio Shows

There are a LOT of Holiday geared programs around this time of year. One that I’ve watched every year of my life (REALLY long time), is Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. I began to consider what messages that show was sending. Hmmm .. I guess I could relate to the underpinnings of a few of those differences from a young age. Worse since my brain injury when I couldn’t recognize myself, or communicate “the new me”.

One message is that people who are “different” are less desirable. They are judged, manipulated and controlled. They are lonely and isolated. Thus, holding a perception of not fitting in with the status quo. Even easier to feel like that issue is rubbed in this time of year. Before my brain injury, I took those differences as being “unique” or “out of the box” compared to most folk, as a good thing. That was a special, freeing feeling. There was nothing to measure up to, because being ME was enough. There were no comparisons, because there is none. We are each unique, not to be compelled to conform to someone else’s notion of “normal”. Was that a dream? Some place “different” took on a new meaning, that equates with something bad, ignored or frowned upon. Reasons for being banished from people or groups, realizing fears and insecurities once foreign to me. A challenge of self confidence. We all have our abominal snow men.

In the movie they face their fears and move forward, with all the pieces falling into place. The pain morphs into the happy ending everyone craves, as the screen goes blank. Negative minds were changed. Confidence was restored. The we changed from a bullying sort of dynamic, to a appreciative love and acceptance ever more. So is it only like that in the movie? Can real life mirror the art? Join us, share your take.

In this Simon says segment, Kim & Simon discuss the stressors (both challenging & joyful) that come with the dash through the holidays. Gifting, Entertaining, Wrapping, Shopping, Traffic, Lines, Weather, Holiday Events, Friends & Family from afar .. OH MY! Then there’s often some sadness, regret, loneliness, and fear of what the next year will bring. Whether it’s the joy, the pain or perhaps a dash of each, join us as we discuss the post Thanksgiving kick off to the space between now and the New Year!

Lyn O’Callaghan was born and raised in an idyllic small town, to amazing parents, three brothers and a sister. She played competitive sports until 21, earning her degree in Human and Community Studies. Lyn was married and taught middle school for four years, while simultaneously running two family businesses. It wasn’t long before her son Connor was born, and then came daughter Maggie, as well as two Foster children.

Lyn Volunteered for Little League for nine years, and volunteered as manager for her son’s hockey team, going on to manage Double A baseball teams that her son was on. Her perfectly planned out family was jolted into unfamiliar waters when her son suffered a traumatic brain injury during a basketball game at school. Join us to hear how all of their lives were impacted after his injury.

Moshe Mark Ittleman, M.S., CCC/S:P is a Senior Speech Language Pathologist who has worked in some of the nations’ best rehabilitation hospitals.

Ittleman specializes in complex speech language pathology which includes diagnosis and therapy for aphasia, apraxia, dysarthria, and dysphagia while also providing speech therapy for adults and children.

He is the author of The Teaching of Talking which helps caregivers and speech pathologists learn simple speech and language stimulation methods to help loved ones and clients talk better. Ittleman saw a need to train caregivers and therapists in the methods that were developed throughout his career. He realizes that complex speech difficulties in most cases cannot be remediated by just going to therapy a few times a week, especially now that skilled care is only provided by insurers for a very limited amount of time.

He believes caregivers when trained in the methods of speech and language stimulation within a conversational framework can greatly accelerate the speech recovery process.

Moshe Mark Ittleman and his wife are currently touring communities throughout the Western United States and sharing the Teaching of Talking. Ittleman also guest lectures graduate students in speech language pathology and provides online mentoring for caregivers and those with aphasia. They also travel internationally consulting with Colleges, Universities, private individuals, and families.

Guest Donna O’Donnell Figurski is a lot of things, but first is a caregiver for her husband David. When David incurred a severe TBI, their lives changed course forever. Many caregivers succumb to the task at hand only, and forget they have needs beyond that of caring for their loved ones. If Donna ever had her moments like that, she overcame them to become a successful advocate for Brain Injury Awareness. Not only helping survivors and their caregivers, but allowing herself a chance to be creative and empowered by a host of other skills which she possesses.

Donna is a wife, mother, granny, multi-published writer, blogger, accomplished actor, director and playwrite, teacher, published author of a Brain Injury Anthology, Host on Brain Injury Radio Network – A list longer than my notes here allow, but has finally arrived at a pinnacle .. The release of her own book and intimate story. Prisoner Without Bars: A Survivor’s Tale chronicles challenges of caregiving, while still maintaining a sense of self. Many can’t imagine how one could achieve a synergy like that! How does one serve so many roles, and strike the balance that facilitates happiness?

For more on Donna and how to buy her book see: Website: donnafigurski.com and check out her reflections at: Blog: survivingtraumaticbraininjury.com

Tricks, a Few Treats and the issue of Overcoming of Fear this Halloween Night! Join Simon Lewis and Kim Justus as they opine about these topics, the meaning of Halloween and more. Grab your treats and tune in 🙂 Don’t forget to wear your costume. We are!

Heidi Lerner has lived more than half of her life with a brain injury; now, she helps survivors to reconnect to their own inner core for self-healing. When it comes to health, she tends toward the more natural approach. Heidi’s coaching style is creative, because each brain injury is unique. As a coach, she helps each client to compensate, accommodate and figure out how to bring strength and balances to their areas of challenge. Heidi accomplished her Masters degree (10 years post injury) In Transitional Special Education for Brain Injury and she is a Certified Professional Coach.

Megan Bacigalupo is passionate about the ethical treatment of animals. She is an intuitive, and a sensitive which makes her empathetic by nature. She considers herself a spiritual eclectic and a seeker. She has worked for many years providing excellent customer service in the restaurant business. She has a degree in Human Services. She has been a contributing writer on and off since 2012, for the Edge Magazine. You can read Megan’s Survival story here.

edgemagazine.net/2018/06/in-the-cobwebs-of-my-mind/. Check out her FB: facebook.com/Subaracnoid/

Megan has been writing since childhood. Contact at: bachlupe@yahoo.com or meganbacigalupo@gmail.com

Some of you know him as Nolan McDonnell on Facebook … The Man Who’s Beating the Heck Out of the Odds! Many of you know him as Nolan Thomas on his Blog: tbitreatment.org

On OCT 10th Nolan and I did Part 1 of an ongoing series we’re discussing. As it happens .. Regular host Capt James McCormick is out of town tonight, so rather than play a tape, Nolan and I decided to roll right into Part two of our Interview. Since it’s TGIF .. We’re going to color in some blanks of Nolan’s story .. But then have a free for all. We’ll take callers, play music, and pull our topics out of the air! Join us. Have some fun, be inspired, feel support.

My guest NOLAN Thomas was shot in the head. On April 23, 2017, two months before he was due to graduate college, his car was surrounded by six people when a gunman shot through his driver’s side window in a random attempted robbery. When the shooter saw that Nolan was still alive, he put the gun against his head and pulled the trigger, causing the bullet to enter one side of Nolan’s brain and exit out the other. The horrific event rendered him on life support, paralyzed, and eventually on an intensive lifelong fitness routine to optimize the quality of life as a paraplegic. Growing up as an athlete he’s had to learn how to recover and adapt to sports and life, after injury. With that being said, being permanently disabled is not on Nolan’s agenda as his brain injury is just another circumstance to overcome..

Check out his Blog: tbitreatment.org where he posts his treatments, recovery techniques, and thoughts on life.