Frantz, who is a sales leader with Mary Kay cosmetics, was headed to West Virginia that day to attend a conference when the accident happened in Portsmouth, Ohio. Unconscious at the scene, she has few memories of the accident.
Frantz’ husband, Bryan, drove to Portsmouth to pick up his wife, who ended up with a severe concussion and a traumatic brain injury.
“When I got back home, I was dealing with dizziness, headaches and random moments of passing out,” Frantz said.
Mother to Alex, born in 2004, and Dakota, born in 2007, Frantz was constantly busy. A self-described over achiever, she thrived in an overscheduled environment. Suddenly, all that changed.
“My mom said it was like the lights were on, but I wasn’t there,” Frantz said. “I had some big injuries that no one could see.”
Frantz was struggling with pain so severe, she couldn’t function.
“I was in neuro rehab for many weeks to learn how to get my brain functioning again and how to stand without getting dizzy,” she said.
Frantz’s car was a complete loss – the trunk had been pushed completely up into the rear seat. When she saw it, she realized she was fortunate to be alive.
“I had started a health journey about six months prior to the accident,” Frantz said. “I just wanted to feel better, so I started eating healthier and exercising and I think that really helped me recover faster.
A leader in her church– Cornerstone Community in Franklin – Frantz had frequently led worship services and was surrounded by a caring group of friends and other women she had mentored through Mary Kay.
“My neuro therapist was also super positive,” Frantz said. “When I got frustrated with my memory and my balance, she would remind me it was only temporary and told me I could do it.”
Positive self-talk became Frantz’s focus and gradually she started to believe in herself. Her large network of friends was praying for her daily, listening and supporting her in many other ways. Her mother was a constant presence too – going with her to doctor’s appointments and encouraging her to stay positive.
“Most of us tell ourselves things that are pretty bad,” Frantz said. “I had to choose new thoughts to help me in my recovery and tell myself what I wanted to come out of this.”
Frantz decided she wanted to become a newer and better version of herself – “Tina 2.0,” who would recover from the accident much stronger than before.
“The struggle was that I had professionals telling me I needed to be on certain drugs and even an anti-depressant,” Frantz said. “But things weren’t progressing.”
Besides neurotherapy, Frantz decided to try cryotherapy, also known as cold therapy and often used to relieve inflammation and swelling after tissue damage.
“I couldn’t believe the difference it made,” Frantz said. “After the first treatment, I felt 50-70% better.”
Soon Frantz was able to stop taking medication as the cryotherapy treatments helped slow down and eventually prevent her migraine headaches.
“I was willing to do whatever it took to get better,” Frantz said. “I did cryotherapy for six months every week and it was really one of the only things that made a significant difference.”
Frantz was able to return to work part time after 90 days - right before the COVID-19 pandemic brought everything to an abrupt halt. She admits that the time she spent away from computers, bright lights, phones and other technology was at first difficult but eventually taught her a valuable lesson.
“I had to learn to sit with myself and just be quiet,” Frantz said. “It was horrible at first – being unplugged – but in those times, I grew closer to God.”
Today Frantz calls the accident a “turning point” in her life and credits her time building her Mary Kay business as giving her the mental strength she needed to recover.
“I believe this year will be my best yet,” Frantz said. “I give my best every day because I know I’m not guaranteed another tomorrow. April 22, 2019, was one of the best gifts of my life.”
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