Victoria Noe

Award-winning Author, Speaker, Activist

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A Different Kind of Writer's Block

A Different Kind of Writer's Block
Feb 09, 2016 by Victoria Noe
writing.inside.tru.ca

Most writers lead lives that are shockingly normal. They work at jobs to pay their bills, they carpool, they take care of aging parents, they do their taxes. It’s not surprising that after everyone else is asleep, they sit down at their computer and stare at the screen. They’re exhausted – mentally and physically – too exhausted to think of anything to write that deserves to see the light of day. Classic writer’s block.

I don’t have that kind of problem. My writer’s block is something completely different.

Seven years ago St. Patrick’s Day, I was in a minor fender-bender (an RV rear-ended a jeep that rear-ended me). It happens so often driving in the city that at...

Chapter 5 for a Friend

Chapter 5 for a Friend
Oct 13, 2015 by Victoria Noe
Steve Montador Concussions are a serious issue. Believe me, I know: I had one six years ago and I still deal with the fallout every day. Mine is classified – in today’s language – as a “mild traumatic brain injury”. I had no fracture, no swelling, no bleeding. I did not lose consciousness. I’m able to function pretty well most of the time, and I’m not getting worse. But many athletes are not so lucky. One was Steve Montador, who suffered multiple concussions during his ten year NHL career. He was found dead of natural causes on February 15. How does one die of natural causes at 35? An autopsy of his brain found severe chronic traumatic encephalopathy....

Brain Injury Awareness Week

Brain Injury Awareness Week
Mar 17, 2015 by Victoria Noe
For most people, March 17 is a day to celebrate being – or pretending to be – Irish. For me, though, it’s the anniversary of a day that changed my life.On St. Patrick’s Day, 2009, I was sitting at a red light when I was rear-ended (no alcohol involved). It was not the first time it happened to me, but this time turned out to be very different. I became one of the 2.3 million people who suffer a traumatic brain injury each year.The car sustained very minor damage. I had terrible head pain, but again, I didn’t think much of it. That evening, I was nauseous. I assumed I was just upset about the accident. I know full well...