My name is Dean Waddell.  I am a husband, father, medically retired police officer, cyclist, mountain climber, GOLF fanatic, and a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) survivor.  I started the Play It Foundation not only to share my journey but to help others and their families navigate their new lives after suffering a TBI.  Bobby Jones quote about playing the ball as it lies has always resonated with me throughout my life but never more so since sustaining a Traumatic Brain Injury. 

We all hit good shots in life, bad shots in life, receive good breaks, underserved bad breaks, and unfair breaks, but we all have to play the ball where it lies.  Sometimes we pick the wrong club, the club is bent or make a bad decision.  Sometimes we pick the right club, make a good decision, and get a bad break.  Sometimes the weather is bad.  Sometimes the person in our group is not our favorite.  We can’t change it.  We must walk to the next shot, play it as it lies, and hit the ball.  And this has been my perspective on how to live my new life after a TBI.

Sure, my memory is not good, especially short term.  I forget names of people that are close friends.  My processing speed (ability to process information) is way slower.  My mental fatigue (aka brain energy) is way lower and fades way faster.  Large crowds, multiple conversations, social environments and multitasking which I used to thrive at are now intimidating and exhausting.  Remembering words and putting together sentences are much more challenging due to something called anomic aphasia.  I am just SLOWER.  Instead of having a good lie in perfect grass in the fairway, I now find myself in a bunker, rough, divot, or hazard after my TBI.

So what can I do?  I can play it as it lies.  I can have a good attitude and still hit great shots no matter how hard it may be.  Doesn’t mean it is easy.  The injury makes it harder, yes.  Doesn’t matter though.  I can still get out there and swing the club, hit great shots and savor the journey we call life post injury.  

Our goal with the Play It Foundation is to help you do the same and play it, play your life, wherever you are at in your recovery.