3 out of 4 stars
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So often in life, we take our health for granted. That is until it's taken from us. Darron Eastwell never once questioned his abilities in life. Working as a Senior Business Banking Manager, his life consisted of high level math and memorization daily. Physically? He was fit and healthy. And then...
It was May 23, 2015; the day was beautiful and sunny. Darron went on a mountain bike ride in Tewantin National Park alone - something he would advise others against. He doesn't remember much about the day. However, apparently a couple of other bikers found him on a trail lapsing in and out of consciousness. That was the day that changed his life.
The Day I Broke My Brain is a short read consisting of only a bit over 100 pages. In it, Mr. Eastwell details his life before and after his Traumatic Brain Injury - a subject not often talked about. He allows us glimpses of his recovery as well as how different his life is today compared to what it was.
His attitude is remarkable, remaining positive in spite of all that he's been through. He shows a determination to recover as much as possible, not only for himself but for his wife and two children as well. This process, though, will likely be lifelong.
I enjoyed the addition of pictures to the book. Comparing the before and after pictures, you wouldn't notice much of a change. But you can't always see every illness on the outside. Suffering myself from an "invisible illness" I understand the ways even something like that would make life so much harder. We as a people tend to judge others based on appearance. Mr. Eastwell is proof, though, that you can't always see on the outside what is going on on the inside.
Unfortunately, I felt that the book could have used a bit more editing. There were many instances of typographical errors mostly consisting of words running together. There were also issues in formatting. Each chapter should have started on a new page, but they merely continued straight on from the previous chapter. These were mildly distracting, but the point of the story is powerful enough to overlook these issues.
I do wish that the book had been a bit longer. I appreciated hearing Darron's struggles with day to day life, but there are some details that are glossed over. I felt that the inclusion of these would help readers to better understand what it has taken to regain all that he has. For instance, I would love to have heard more about what Mr. Eastwell did in various therapy sessions.
Overall, I believe that The Day I Broke My Brain is a powerful book with a positive message. That is why I rate it 3 out of 4 stars. It's a quick read that I would recommend everyone pick up. Life is too short and things change too quickly to take anything for granted which is a lesson that Mr. Eastwell has learned the hard way. Maybe we can all benefit from his lessons.
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The Day I Broke My Brain
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