Before that day, Brandy had been working on healing herself. She had come across research about healing with the mind and even the placebo effect, which suggested that our minds have the ability to heal our bodies. Therefore, at the time, Brandy believed that her daily practices of meditation, visualization, affirmations, and gratitude would lead to healing. Unfortunately, despite her follow-through, it didn't work.
So, instead of walking down the aisle, Brandy used her wheelchair. She held a smile because she was so happy for her sister, but in her heart, she was also disappointed that she was not able to fully partake at the level she would have wanted to. Brandy had several pivotal moments throughout her injury, this moment was one of them.
Brandy knew she could not spend her life disabled and trapped in debilitating pain. She'd had both a car accident and then a fall, which had changed her entire life. On her “better” days, she relied on a wheelchair, walker, or cane to venture outside. However, on her worst days, she was confined to her bed. This was the reality she faced. Brandy saw a range of doctors and specialists who advised her that she had a variety of ailments, including nerve lesions, spinal endplate fractures, spondylosis, complex regional pain syndrome, sciatica, reduced bone density, and more. And that there was nothing more they could do to help her condition. Even on the “good days,” when she was able to get around with a cane, it was for short distances and very slow. Her body felt frail, and the pain she experienced was excruciating.