Life Over Pain

As a young man, Andrew Cohen led a full life in NYC. Then he felt a pain in his back. That pain has led Andrew through a journey of resilience, self-reflection, and courage. He has tried surgery. That fixed one issue but not the many others. He tried medication. That wasn't effective and it was addictive. He dug deep to find the strength to pursue solutions that work for him. Now, rather than medication or surgery, he looks things like meditation, specifically "I am not my pain." This approach has helped him gain acceptance that he may not be able to accomplish as much as he once did. It helps him remain flexible and to find a way to adjust to what each day brings.

Rendy Kowal swerved to hit a tree on a slippery night more than 20 years ago. Rendy had a brain injury but nobody knew it until she realized, "I wasn't me." It wasn't until years later, and some personal tragedy, that Rendy was introduced to the brain injury program at Mount Sinai. Their Emotional Regulation Group was just the therapy she needed to adapt to her new life. Now, Rendy only does things that make her happy. She takes art classes and is a member of Achilles International where she exercises every week and has made life-long friends. Rendy is an incredible example of resilience and of someone who has come out the other side of trauma with an extraordinarily inspiring attitude.

Brian Johansen was injured 38 years ago while skiing in the Alps. He was in high school at the time and has spent rest of his life in recovery from the injuries he suffered that day. The damage to his limbic system made impulse control difficult for him. Yet, through many setbacks, Brian continues to seek out services and support from many sources, learning about emotional intelligence (EQ), for example. He will get his accounting degree shortly. Brian shares his story to help others to have hope.

Juliana Froes grew up in Brazil and began experiencing migraine headaches as a young child. She was told she would grow out of them, that they were due to stress and that they were from issues specific to women. But none of these answers proved to be true. As Juliana grew up and pursued her education in the United States, her migraines persisted, even after she put her education and career on hold. Finally, well into her adulthood, Juliana found a doctor who took a holistic approach to her condition. Juliana felt that she was being heard as never before and together.

Emmanuel Tambakakis tells a rich story of how he was injured while working in Greece, trying to get the right shot for a journalism piece. His life has changed in many ways since then; he has had to carve a new pathways personally and professionally. Yet he has not let that define him. He has found help in Buddhism; in how it can help him and in how it helps him share with others.

Welcome to the Choosing Life Over Pain podcast. This track gives a short description of why I started this podcast and what I hope listeners get out of it. Enjoy. And, BTW, If you'd like to share your story, or know of someone who might have a story to share, please email LifeOverPain1@gmail.com.

Sharon shares her story of how pain from a car accident cascaded down her body to her feet and has become chronic. Through her persistence and determination, she has found resources that have helped her to follow passions like playing music, cooking and writing a book, that she didn't think she would be able to pursue due to her continuing pain. Her resilience is inspiring.

Angela Leigh Tucker describes her journey after having been in a car accident and experiencing a traumatic brain injury. She talks about how Angela 2 was born on the day of the accident and how Angela 2 has dealt with tragedy and overcome great physical odds to craft a new life. Her story is one of courage. She radiates sunshine, even through the audio file.