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        Snapshot 7     

May 15, 2013

Off to the Ball 

  

                Could hardly believe it…..was only moments before I stepped out to attend the event of the semester, the Winter Ball.  Being a formal event for the campus, the school took on this fairytale feel, for the night at least.  Before I left, I needed to make sure I had everything.  I grabbed my cell phone in a state of confusion.  My date, Ben, was supposed to text me of where to meet him.  It is then that I realized I forgot what Sarah quickly told me as I passed her on my travels from the library earlier today.  Not having written it down, I was unable to recall this bit of information and then call Melissa to relay the message. As I tried to keep these plans straight for the formal Gordon Winter Ball, it proved to be a lot for this princess to handle.

 

                Preparation for this exciting event was something that took much thought and planning.  Picking out the perfect dress was the key.  I needed a dress that would move freely from my thighs down.  This was so that I could walk and hold my balance.  Along with this, the dress couldn’t go to the ground.  I couldn’t have it getting in the way of my feet and each step I take.  Luckily, I found a simple black dress.  Next, I needed to find flat black shoes.  These shoes needed to stay on my feet as I walked and danced.  To have a fun night, I knew I needed to be able to move easily.  The perfect dress made this accessibility possible, which would in fact make the night for this princess.

 

                Any princess knows that along with the perfect dress, you need a perfect purse.  I had found a small, black, sparkly purse; of which went well with my dress.  To make this night successful, this purse needed to meet several requirements.  It needed to hold my cell phone, which would clear up any change of plans, confusion or plain mix up.  In addition, the purse needed to have room for the all-important lip gloss.  Now was the difficult part, I needed a purse with a long strap that could easily go over my shoulders.  This enabled me to easily hold it, while walking and moving, leaving my hands free.  Having found the perfect purse, I was sure that this finishing accessory would not interfere with the princess’s ability to hold it together, making it a perfect evening.

 

                When it really came down to it, I knew the most important item of the night. It really wasn’t the perfect dress.  It wasn’t the cute purse that made the look complete.  The most crucial item in the whole celebration was my camera.  I needed snapshots of all my friends and their dates of course, all dressed up and having a great time.  These images helped me remember actual moments from this wonderful night .Traumatic brain injury makes creating memories difficult. Having these snapshots of particular instances aided my memory of the hall, our dresses, the food, the dance floor and the entirety of our special evening with our dates.  This camera allowed me, a day later, to look back and piece together the memories of the event, triggered of course by the pictures.  It was a good thing for the princess to create these timeless memories in the form of pictures, of which I will have forever and can easily pull out.

 

                Finally, the awaited text is received.  Ben planned on swinging by my dorm and picking me up, momentarily.  Luckily, I finished my makeup and jewelry.  I saved a squirt of perfume for last.  As I finish up that final touch, I did the final check of my purse.  ...cell phone, lip gloss, ticket...  Ready to leave, I was off to my exciting night.  I headed down the stairs as Ben approached the door.  As I opened the door, Ben took my hand and escorted me away from the dorm, like a princess.