A B.C. woman who suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in her 20s says shesa国际传媒檚 saddened and tired of being mistaken for being inebriated.

Barbara E. (Red) Allen, now 59, was just 27 years old when she was a passenger in a fatal car accident caused by a drunk driver in Peticodiac, New Brunswick.

The drunk driver walked away. Allensa国际传媒檚 driver, Tom, died at the scene. Allen had to be cut from the car with the Jaws of Life. Her brain injury resulting from the accident was compounded by a punctured lung and facial injuries that required plastic surgery.

The injury, in her words, initially reduced her to the capabilities of a three-year-old inside and out. A long and arduous process sa国际传媒渨here I had to learn how to walk and talk again,sa国际传媒� gave Allen some of her life back, but she never fully recovered from the brain injury and never will.

sa国际传媒淚 was unconscious for nine days,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檝e been dealing with this disability for 30 years now.sa国际传媒�

The pain of those injuries is still felt, but itsa国际传媒檚 the misperceptions they sometimes create make it even harder to cope.

Now living in Chemainus on Vancouver Island, Allen says shesa国际传媒檚 been stopped by police in the middle of the day and asked to take a breathalyzer test because her speech and appearance is such that people often think shesa国际传媒檚 been drinking. She was once pulled over for a mistaken interpretation of dangerous driving after a woman spotted her at a traffic light.

She doesnsa国际传媒檛 wish to vilify the RCMP who are only doing their jobs, but shesa国际传媒檚 been mistakenly thought to be inebriated three times in recent years and been questioned while trying to make liquor store purchases.

sa国际传媒淚 am simply wanting to raise awareness of invisible disabilities and asked to be respected for myself and my community efforts,sa国际传媒� Allen said.

She has a lot going on in her life and tries not to dwell on those things, but itsa国际传媒檚 always a challenge. Even this long after her accident, Allen doesnsa国际传媒檛 take anything for granted.

She took 10 courses and spent three years working toward becoming a personal trainer. And shesa国际传媒檚 not letting anything get her down despite some annoying obstacles.

She would just like people who might not know someonesa国际传媒檚 circumstances to show a little more compassion.

sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 feeling blessed to be able to walk and talk again,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 working out like crazy.sa国际传媒�

Allen hopes some understanding of her life will help so that she can continue to participate within the her community. She recently joined the Cowichan Brain Injury Society and thatsa国际传媒檚 helping herself and others with like minds to cope.

sa国际传媒淚 think Isa国际传媒檓 a better person than I was before. Itsa国际传媒檚 a life lesson you donsa国际传媒檛 wish on anyone. But Isa国际传媒檓 here now.sa国际传媒�

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