You sustained a concussion while training for American Ninja Warrior. How did it happen?
I'm a professional dancer and Pilates instructor, so I have a background as an athlete. The studio where I was training had a set of monkey bars. As I was jumping up to grab onto them, I lost my grip and fell about eight feet to the hard ground below. There was no padding under the monkey bars. I hit the back of my head and was unconscious for a bit. Fortunately my friend, whose father is a triage doctor, knew to stay calm, support my neck, and call 911.

How were you treated at the hospital?
I had a CT scan, and the gash in the back of my head required five staples. I went home the same day after I was diagnosed with concussion. I remember asking one of the nurses if I could go running the next day. She told me to wait until I felt better.

You've slowly improved, but you still have lingering symptoms two years later. What are some of them?
I've had horrible headaches where I feel like someone is beating my head with a hammer. I'm now getting Botox injections, which help. I've developed tinnitus and I have balance problems and dizziness, which I manage with vestibular therapy. [The therapy consists of specific exercises involving head movement and eye tracking that help stabilize vision and gait.]

What has been the toughest part of your recovery?
Not being able to push through this injury has been very hard because I'm a fighter. But my body won't let me do it. If I push too hard, I have to spend the next three days in bed. This experience has been a huge lesson in patience, especially when you go from wanting to compete on American Ninja Warrior and running six miles a day to not being able to move. I got dizzy just lying on my back.

Have you been able to exercise again?
Gradually, like chipping away at a rock, I've been able to be more active. I started running again about 18 months after my injury. I started slowly and tried to manage the aftereffects such as brain fog, headaches, and dizziness. Those first months I would run one mile at an 11-minute pace. Now I run between two and three miles, but faster—at a six- to eight-minute pace.

Has your perspective changed?
I definitely have a whole new appreciation for life. I could have died. As frustrated as I get and as hard as it's been, I try to remember that I'm lucky to be alive and not paralyzed. I'm not the way that I was and may never be that way, but I'm still lucky.

What would you say to other people recovering from a brain injury?
Don't try toughing it out. It doesn't work with a brain injury. You only prolong recovery. Listen to your body. If you are diligent about taking care of yourself, you will get better. You may not be the same, but that's okay. You may end up being an even better version of who you were before.

Is American Ninja Warrior in your future?
Only if my desire returns and the conditions and equipment make it safe for me to train. If I'm fortunate enough to make it back, I believe the video footage of my accident would make for a very dramatic comeback.