In fall of 2015, my dad was in the hospital, he'd had a major stroke and he was staying in an extended care facility because he couldn't walk or move

independently and he needed to go get an MRI.

And I thought it's a wonderful day

so I pulled my motorcycle out of the garage,

got it started, and rolled up to a stop sign. I went through that stop sign and went down

the street. As I began to take a right turn, something people do on motorcycles all the time,

the engine stalled out.

If you've ever ridden a motorcycle, you know a stall in a curve is not a great situation and I applied

some throttle trying to wake the engine back up and just before the motorcycle

hit the ground the engine roared to life.

And in doing so, launched me into the air like a volleyball.

Now I don't remember that part. But a spectator who saw me fly through the air and land head first on the ground.

Use that phrase, I flew through the air like a volleyball.

And in that moment my life completely changed. I didn't know it at that moment, but I had a double brain bleed and a severe

concussion. I'd never heard of post-concustant syndrome. I didn't know that brain injuries

can have complications that last not only hours and weeks, but months and years. But it's not overstating it to say that a brain injury

dramatically changed my life in ways I could have never expected or anticipated.

And as we've been talking about issues surrounding ability and disability here on Ask Science Mike,

I thought it might be helpful and useful and instructive for all of us to consider those kinds of disabilities that people acquire unexpectedly,

the things that are invisible to someone passing you on the street,

but are never more than a moment away in daily living.

And so this week I've invited my dear friend, Christie Neal, to join us on Ask Science Mike to talk about living with brain injuries.

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