Finding a Positive Outlook to Help Others Heal

When Candice S. learned her husband, Tim, had been in a skydiving accident, she was more than 60 miles from the hospital—a three hour drive in rush-hour traffic. The doctors at the trauma center filled her in on the injuries when she arrived: fractured skull, three brain bleeds, and split chin to name a few. Tim was classified as an hour-by-hour case, and for the next several days, Candice lived in his hospital room.

Slow Road to Recovery

The following months were filled with surgeries, therapy, and uncertainty. Trying to communicate with everyone proved overwhelming, and a co-worker recommended to Candice that she start a CaringBridge page. Candice says it was the best recommendation she could have gotten. “Having one mode of communication was a relief.” Tim remained in the hospital for the next six months, and Candice updated the journal through it all. Seven months after the accident, in July 2013, Tim was able to go home.

Learning Process

Before Tim’s accident, Candice says she was a very private person. Keeping a journal helped her open up. It also encouraged people to reach out to her, and hearing their advice, input, and support enabled Candice to get through those long months in the hospital. It also served as a way to document Tim’s accident and recovery process, which has proven instrumental for him to piece together what happened and heal.

Silver Linings

Throughout Tim’s health journey, Candice was able to find a silver lining to it all. “The accident, as bad as it was, ended up producing so much good,” she says. Her story—and positive outlook—has enabled her to encourage others. Her advice: “Listen to yourself. Everyone has an opinion, but you know in your heart what the right thing is to do. Ask questions. Fight and be an advocate for your loved one. You have to have a really strong backbone.”

Finding the Positive

When you or a loved one was going through a health journey, did a silver lining present itself? Did writing it all down prove to be therapeutic? Or did a positive outlook develop? Share your thoughts and stories in our comments section below.

Also, if you are interested in keep your own health journey journal, check out CaringBridge for more details.