Encephalitis almost ended Chris Maxwell's life. The scar tissue in his brain and life with epilepsy made him - and his family and friends - feel like the life they'd known changed suddenly and permanently.

For Maxwell and the staggering number of people facing traumatic brain injuries, epilepsy, or other painful encounters, life is experienced through a different lens. Names are tough to remember. Medication is a common acquaintance. Exhaustion, seizures, and mood swings are daily traveling companions.

Maybe you can relate. Maybe you know about encephalitis, epilepsy, or another type of brain damage. Maybe you're a caregiver not sure how to come ashore yourself. Maybe your story is different, but the feeling is the same. Depression, disability or disease has changed everything.

Maxwell's writing and the stories of others offer hope. Hope that you're not alone, even when your experience underwater seems to change everything.