Send us a textWhat happens when a single crash erases days of memory and rewrites the rules of your life? We sit down with Nicholas Ruchlewicz to trace his arc from a storage-lot motorcycle crash to surgeries, rehab, and the gritty work of reclaiming identity after a traumatic brain injury. He opens up about the 12-day void he can’t remember, the moment he realized he had to relearn how to walk, and the unexpected tools that pulled him out of isolation.Nicholas walks us through the realities of right-side brain injury—executive function, attention, vision—and the emotional whiplash of anxiety and depression that followed. He shares how continuity of care became a battle with the health system and why protecting a trusted therapist can be the difference between treading water and moving forward. Along the way, he uncovers practices that actually help: naming the feeling under anger, pausing before you react, and choosing an opposite action to shift momentum.Then the story turns to music and games. Heavy music lowered his pain spikes in the ICU and later became a bridge to community and purpose. Following Lacuna Coil across cities, he transformed gratitude into connection and advocacy. At the tabletop, role-playing games rebuilt fine motor skills, memory, and focus while offering a safe, inclusive space for players to belong. Painting miniatures during the pandemic anchored his nerves and gave him a daily ritual of calm.We wrap with clear takeaways for anyone facing trauma or supporting someone who is: you are not alone, healing is not a zero-sum game, and hope is free medicine. If you’re looking for real talk about recovery—and practical ways to find your footing again—this conversation will meet you where you are and hand you a next step.If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs it, and leave a rating or review so others can find these stories.LinkTree - https://linktr.ee/giftofperspectiveYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@NPR_NerdSpotify (link in my LinkTree)- https://open.spotify.com/user/31vgmhbu654nulf6pcfso4khw6i4 Support the show

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