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Tony Martin here. Several months ago I started this blog. Since then there have been some, uh, significant changes in my life.
In June of 2018 I suffered a nasty concussion. At first it wasn’t too big of a deal – my eye swelled shut, I had stitches, but it all seemed pretty routine. CT scans and x-rays showed no head or brain damage, but I did have three broken ribs.
About a week after the injury, I started getting headaches on the opposite side of my head from the impact site. Overnight I developed a sensitivity to light and sound. There were some cognitive issues – it’s like my brain was shrouded in fog. Worst of all was the deepest, darkest emotional funk you can imagine. Anxiety, depression, and what I characterized as “a sense of impending doom” became realities. It was/is perfectly awful.
After another round of scans and x-rays, my internist – whom I love much – told me I had post-concussion syndrome. No, I’d never heard of it either. All my symptoms were textbook. The cure? Time. I was to be patient. It would “take time.” (I’ve heard that “take time” phrase so many times that I’m afraid the next time I hear it I’m gonna punch someone in the throat.) He also put me on a killer combo of depression/anxiety meds. Apparently PCS victims are prone to suicidal thoughts. Praise God that hasn’t been an issue.
Since then, I’ve been to a chiropractor, I’ve tried acupuncture (which was actually pretty fun, but it didn’t really help), and talked to a counselor. All well and good. I’ve also been to a neurologist, and that’s been very encouraging. I’d had a migraine headache 24/7 – that was taking its toll – but again, she’s tinkered and experimented with several drugs and danged if the headache is only maybe 8/7. It’s not constant, and when it comes it hits with a vengeance, but it’s so much more manageable. Next week I’m seeing a neuropsychologist. I’m turning into a professional patient. Lordy.
This incident – which has come in many ways to define my life – comes on the heels of the darndest year ever. Our house flooded and had to basically be gutted; we were displaced for seven months. I had surgery for two benign parathyroid tumors that were messing with my head. I was diagnosed with cancer – renal cell carcinoma. The upside of that one was that the doc went in, got the tumor and a piece of kidney, and I was good to go with no chemo or radiation or any of those nasty things. And our beloved ancient Boston terrier, Teddy, went to doggie heaven.
Why am I sharing all this?
Simple. My story is your story.
We all deal with challenges, do we not? Life is full of joy and heartache in equal measure. Everyone faces something.
Many people respond to life with despair, or at least a sense of hopelessness. Well, I am here to stand before you and declare that hopelessness is not an option. Hence, this blog.
My admittedly lofty goal is to give you hope. By God’s grace, I will encourage you. I’ll give you the best I have with this blog, which will be updated twice weekly (maybe three times a week if my mojo’s working.) I promise to be positive and affirming. The blog is bedrock of what I feel I’m compelled to do.
In days to come – and I don’t want to share a timetable with you quite yet, although I do have one – I will offer you some practical tools that will help you banish hopelessness from your life. No kidding. For the time, though, consider these as “coming soon.”
Stick around. God’s good. Let’s experience His goodness together.
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