sally francklyn

The SIA snow show is starting Thursday in Denver, and the High Fives Foundation is having a “presentation” on Saturday at noon, which I’m attending. I’ll also see more of my trade show buddies while I’m in the convention center. Then, I was going to ski at the On-Snow demo of SIA on Tuesday, and in order to convince people to ski with me, they had to donate $50 or $100 to the High Fives Foundation. When I was at the trade show on Saturday, I was going to round up some donations from the people I knew.

But yesterday, as we were looking at my brother’s new house, we were headed to eat lunch in the backyard. There was a large outdoor chair at the table we were going to eat at, and I foolishly thought I could sneak by to the other side to sit down. My mistake, because I fell off the patio and onto the ground, causing a severe sprain on my right ankle. Now I have a boot on it. That also means that I cannot go skiing to raise money for High Fives either.

I will still go to SIA and say hi to people on Saturday, but I was also going to convince people to ski with me and also donate to the foundation that has so generously helped me in many steps of my recovery. Since I can’t go skiing on Tuesday, I’m writing to ask you one simple thing. If you would be kind enough to donate to High Fives (with “Sally Francklyn Ski Day” posted in your donation, too), that would be so helpful to me. I’m really sad that I can’t give back to the foundation who has graciously supported me by doing my best to go skiing, and asking people to donate. I can’t go skiing, which is a big bummer, but I ask that you donate in my honor.

Thanks to the High Fives Foundation, I’m trying neurofeedback. My dad met some people who’s son was hit in the head by a baseball when he was pretty young, and they’ve seen a benefit to neurofeedback for him. The guy who’s “doing” it to me is his father. It won’t hurt my brain in any way, so I might as well try it.

There’s a chance it will improve my writing. As you probably know, I was right handed before my accident and now I’m a leftie, so there’s a possibility it will help with my handed-ness so I might be able to write with my right hand again. To write this, I’m using an iPad, and to type (because you have to do that on the screen), I’m using my left hand. Neurofeedback has helped me in “small” ways, like I used to get up to go to the bathroom twice while I was sleeping, and now it’s only once. So I’m hoping there’s a chance it will help me with my coordination, too.

My friend Nick Mercer, who also suffered a TBI, has written this post about why exercise is so good for the brain. He teaches Pilates, so I tried that, but it was difficult for me because there was something made of metal (or something similar) that you have to push with your feet before you switch to another move, and the fact that my right side has less coordination meant it banged into the metal thing before I could do the next exercise. So, I don’t think that was for me. I work with a personal trainer, Trista, on trying to keep my body strong. This is the third time I’ve applied for a grant from the High Fives Foundation, and they didn’t approve it (darn!), but I find it so important to keep working with her. I worked out with her again today, because she had to skip last Tuesday, and I find it really beneficial (and important!) to have her twice a week, so I might just pay for it myself.

That’s all for now- my brother just bought a house nearby very expensive Boulder, so I’m happy to help him “design” the place! And that is a photo is of me skiing with Steve Hemphill (aka Steve Hemp) and Kait Rohlfing at Copper!

Well, I haven’t written in a long time, so I figured I should. I’m much more glad being at home in Colorado Springs- when I was in Boulder, I had a lot on my mind that stressed me out, like getting a job, to help pay for my rent (and I was dipping into my savings, which defeats the whole purpose of having it!). I found some people to rent my apartment in Boulder, so I’m saving quite a bit of money by living at home. Plus, groceries are way cheaper here!

Being at home gives me more time to publicly speak about TBI’s, which I think is so important. My former boss (and good friend) in Jackson, Wyoming, Chris Denny (aka CD) invited me up to attend Watershed Jackson event, where Kevin Pearce will be the lead speaker. CD knows just about everyone, and I was asked to speak for a few minutes before Kevin does. Kevin Pearce seems like a big name, so the fact that I’m able to speak before him is truly a gift. That has got me thinking about supporting organizations like Watershed. Since I loved Jackson so so much, and I was only there for a month and a half before my accident, knowing that things like Watershed are there that are spreading the importance of being safe while you ski is so important.

I’m also speaking at the Summit Medical Center TBI Support Group event in Frisco, Colorado. I will show photos, this video, and speak for about 30 minutes describing my injury and recovery, and why it’s so important to wear a helmet while you ski.

If I was still in Boulder, I wouldn’t have these abilities. Yes, I world still be asked to speak at them, but being at home gives me more time to come up with my story and photos. In Boulder, I was stressed about finding a job, and my friends from college had other things going on in their lives and I felt like I was stuck where I was, and not moving on. Being at home has made me realize that yes, I do have time and energy to speak about ski accident stuff.

My parents (well, my dad) have decided to “remodel” the second floor of our house- that means new carpet, and new trim and doors. Dad has realized it’s much cheaper to buy stuff at Unfinished Furniture Warehouse (like he did for our main floor), and sand them and stain them himself. This really shows how talented my dad is and that he can sand/stain and then install them himself. I have helped some with cutting the pieces of our trim, and sanding and staining the wood, and helping my parents decide on the carpet, but I feel like I’m not much help. But I have supported them by cooking lunch and dinner, and they say that has helped them a ton.

I will take over the guest bedroom as my bedroom, and use Chris’s bedroom as my TV room and desk space, so it will be nice to have my own space that I can retreat to and get work done. We aren’t finished with the remodel yet, though, so I haven’t quite “settled in.” But everything is going well for me here at home!

(The image above found here: images.nationalgeographic.com)