I was miserable last night.  We went with our grandkids to a carnival with flashing lights, loud music and junk food.  The kids enjoyed themselves immensely.  I asked my daughter with TBI how she was coping with all that was going on.  She pointed out her baseball type hat that shielded her eyes from most of the lights.  She pulled the cap down over her ears to muffle the sound.  She also took migraine medication before she came.  She was prepared.  I was not.  So I started thinking, how did I cope going to the State fair with all the same type of loud flashy attractions?  Then I remembered that I was shooting pictures.  I was focused on getting the ‘best’ action shot I could get.  Great, I left my camera at the house and all I had was my phone.  However, my phone has a camera.  But I worried because I was responsible for 2 of the children.  One child was a friend of my grandchildren.  Couldn’t focus on the camera.  Keep thinking.  As I listened to my grandson boss around the younger friend I talked to him about coming to a mutual decision.  As I talked to him, I realized the music was less loud and the flashing lights less annoying.  There it was right in front of me.  Focus on the children to make sure they were safe and having fun.  I also got almighty annoyed with a parent that fudged on his child’s height to get her on a ride.  I didn’t think of the words fast enough but my overwhelmed brain was kept busy with what I should have said, which was, “It is sad to me that the carnival worker is more concerned with your child’s safety and well being than you are.”  I refocused my brain on the children.  The lights and sounds were not actually any less annoying, I just kept my mind really busy with a different issue.  Was I relieved when we finally went home? Absolutely.  My shoulders still haven’t relaxed this morning.  But that is OK.  I coped with a high stress situation and came through it apparently in relatively good shape.  Win for me.  The kids had a great time.