Parenting, Partnership, and a TBI: How Communication Became the Light

In Part Two of our husbands' conversation, we explore what it took to stay connected—not just as co-parents or caregivers, but as partners. Travis reflects on how a traumatic brain injury reshaped his relationship with Amanda, and how they learned to carry the emotional and practical load together.

We get honest about the hard parts: communication that wasn't always easy, needs that went unspoken, and the ways fear can silence us. But we also talk about resilience, growth, and how showing up for each other—with vulnerability, honesty, and humility—became its own kind of healing.

This episode is about what love looks like when everything is under pressure. It's about trying again, opening up when it's uncomfortable, and finding the courage to ask for help. These stories remind us there is always a glimmer in the dark—even when it comes slowly.

We talk about:

• Communication and marriage in crisis

• What changed in the relationship after the TBI

• How vulnerability became a strength, not a weakness

• Learning to say "I need help"

• Showing up for your partner even when you're scared

• The beauty of growth inside the struggle

Whether you're a caregiver, spouse, or friend walking through medical trauma, this episode offers hope and honesty—and the light that comes with both.

Our husbands step into the conversation to share what TBI caregiving looked and felt like from their side of the bed—missteps, escapes, regrets, resilience, and the lessons they learned the hard way. Together we talk presence, patience, parenting under pressure, and the glimmers that helped us keep going when everything felt impossible.

We close out the series with what comes after survival: rebuilding daily life. MacKenzie talks about finding her footing in high school again and seeing the world differently. She also shares her perspective on what caregivers need—especially when they forget to ask for help. This episode is about growth, resilience, and the quiet light that leads us back into the world.

In part two of our interview, we talk about what happens when a survivor can't advocate for their own safety. MacKenzie shares what helped protect her in those vulnerable early days, and what families can do when they're suddenly thrust into the role of medical guardian. It's a conversation about voice, boundaries, and the fierce love that shows up when it's needed most.

We recently had MacKenzie, the daughter NMC co-founder, Amanda, on the pod. We broke her interview into 3 parts. We open this series with something rarely talked about: the power of visual memory. MacKenzie takes us inside her experience of piecing her life back together after her accident, using pictures and videos as both a timeline and a lifeline. This episode is about reclaiming your story—and the beauty of seeing your growth in real time.

In Episode 3 of Lights On, Amanda and Erin explore one of the most tender parts of the TBI caregiving journey: the people you expected to show up… and the ones who actually did. They talk openly about the grief of realizing some relationships shift or disappear during crisis, and how that grief piles onto an already unbearable moment.

But woven through this episode is light — the unexpected helpers, the quiet kindnesses, the small and enormous ways people stepped in and illuminated the path forward. This is a conversation about letting go, holding on, and finding joy in the places you never imagined it would appear.

Episode 2 of Lights On takes listeners back to the raw first 24 hours of Amanda and Erin's journeys through their children's TBIs. They speak candidly about the fear and grief that consumed those early moments, but also about the surprising warmth that broke through the darkness—gentle comforts, unexpected kindnesses, and the people who showed up with open hearts.

Amid the shock and chaos, they remember the small moments of laughter that somehow made space for breath and reminded them they were still human.

They reflect on the glimmers they recognized instantly, and the ones that took time to unfold. This episode is an invitation to witness how beauty, connection, humor, and humanity persist—even on the hardest days—and how those tiny sparks can illuminate the path forward.

In our very first episode, Lights On: Moms Finding the Light in Each Other, NeuroMoms Collective founders Amanda Ream and Erin Palmer share how their parallel journeys as parents of brain injury survivors led them to create this community.

We talk about the supportive role of Love Your Brain, the twists and turns of our different paths, and the shared mission that brought us together: helping other parents navigate the overwhelming world of traumatic brain injury. Amanda's experience is grounded in her Christian faith, while Erin takes a science-first, non-religious approach—and we want listeners to know there's room here for every perspective. No matter your background, you're welcome in this conversation.

Resource: Love Your Brain
https://www.loveyourbrain.com/

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