When I joined the United States Army in 2005 as a Soldier, I was given the jobs Interrogator and Linguist and began studying Arabic in Military Intelligence. By the time I left the military in 2008, I had a partially paralyzed left leg, a traumatic brain injury, heart failure, and a brain tumor. Just days after leaving the military while planning my wedding, the left side of my face was completely crushed and had to be reconstructed in emergency surgery after the internal bleeding was under control. My left eye was barely salvaged. Pins plates, and hundreds of stitches later, the journey to recovery had just begun. I had to relearn many things and the doctors told me there were many more things I would never do again, but I now have a sky diving video...(http://tinyurl.com/l8uf76n) and just learned that my left vocal chord has started working again March 26, 2013, after being damaged in surgery in March 2008. I will sing again!
By the time I experienced my third traumatic brain injury, I finally began to share my story. I thought that sharing my story would give me negative labels that I'd rather do without and was stunned to find the opposite...my story encouraged people whether or not they had experienced a traumatic brain injury. Events I once thought would keep me from my dreams, instead became the exact events that led me to a destiny beyond my wildest dreams of telling my story to people across the United States of America...a story of tragedy conquered by a refusal to give up. Though I have partnered with many charities, I now speak on behalf of people who have survived traumatic brain injuries to bring awareness to our invisible injuries by speaking at events throughout the state of California and across the United States of America. I do not have enough words for how honored and humbled I feel to even be able to do this.
I am also collaborating with Stanford University and The Department of Veterans Affairs to educate medical staff, encourage fellow women veterans who have experienced traumatic brain injuries, and raise public awareness about the effects traumatic brain injuries have on female veterans by telling my story. The digital version of part of my story is also going into the National Smithsonian Archives and is viewable below as well as on You Tube at the link below the video...
My personal journey to
recovery has been long and difficult at best, but I have learned so many things along that
way that have allowed me to empathize with people, especially women who have been through or are going through
difficult life experiences. I have also learned about many holistic
ways to facilitate healing from traumatic brain injuries such as nutrition, brain
remapping, natural therapy, and music. While complete healing is always the hope we harbor, knowing that some of the effects of my three traumatic brain injuries have lingered for longer than I would like, I understand that healing is not always possible, complete, or immediate, but by raising public awareness, those who come to understand it better can help a traumatic brain injury survivor live life to the fullest, press the boundaries, and have hope for tomorrow.
As Mrs. Monterey Bay, I am encouraging survivors and raising awareness, not only in California where I live, but across the United States by sharing a story of triumph...my story of over coming incredible odds and finding hope in the dark.
If you would like to contact me to speak at an event, please e-mail me at holographique@live.com.
Sincerely and with lots of love,
Rachel Chapin Martinez
Mrs. Monterey Bay
As Mrs. Monterey Bay, I am encouraging survivors and raising awareness, not only in California where I live, but across the United States by sharing a story of triumph...my story of over coming incredible odds and finding hope in the dark.
If you would like to contact me to speak at an event, please e-mail me at holographique@live.com.
Sincerely and with lots of love,
Rachel Chapin Martinez
Mrs. Monterey Bay
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