Elizabeth's Story

My husband served in the U.S. Army for 17 years, undergoing five deployments in eight of those years. He was injured in Afghanistan in 2012 and was medically retired. He suffers from both TBI and PTSD.

I had an opportunity to attend the Women of Warriors Weekend retreat sponsored by the Brain Injury Alliance of Nebraska. The very first night of the retreat, I heard so many stories that resembled mine. It’s an overwhelming feeling to know that you are not alone and that others are going through the same challenges. The retreat also offered education on traumatic brain injury and PTSD, which opened so many doors for me and my husband.

Since attending this retreat, I have been able to look at my husband in a new way, and we were able to push through the ugliness of his injuries. My compassion has strengthened and because I learned about the resources available and shared this with him, it also motivated my “warrior.” Our communication has improved. We reached out for services, went to counseling and achieved so much healing in the past year. Many of our warriors are coming home changed from the invisible wounds of war - brain injury combined with PTSD. I am forever grateful that the Brain Injury Alliance of Nebraska made it possible for us to make a new start in our health, marriage and life. It has brought peace and happiness to our lives.