In 1998, the prime of my career, I was sidelined for roughly three months dealing with what was diagnosed as post-concussion syndrome. Its a part of my life I do not enjoy talking about because there wasnt much joy in the months before, or after, stepping out of the car.Because of my experiences, Im often asked to reflect on it when a similar injury arises in our sport.Such was the case most of Friday after the announcement that?Dale Earnhardt Jr.?would miss this weekends race at New Hampshire Speedway because of concussion-like symptoms.Im very sensitive to reacting to a driver in this position because I understand the toll this circumstance puts on someone. Its very difficult for a driver to acknowledge publicly that he is compromised, not feeling 100 percent.And its equally uncomfortable to surrender control of your future, not to mention surrendering your race car to another competitor.Knowing this, I will not venture down the path of what Dale should, or shouldnt, do -- or why, when or where he should or should not return to competition.Every scenario is different and I can only speak to mine, but every driver must be front and center on how they manage this type of injury.What I will share are a few things I learned from my experience that might help Dale in his recovery.(1) You must be your own advocate.Regardless of who you employ to help or guide you through this experience, the urge and temptation to compete will dominate you as your health improves.Its when you feel ready to return that you must pause, self-evaluate and weigh the risks against the potential reward.Be honest with those you are closest to, those among the team that are treating you, but most importantly: Do not cheat yourself.It took me a long time to recover from the residual effects of my three concurrent concussions in 1997. There were good days and bad days, but eventually the duration of good days became commonplace again. But it took a long, long time.My urgency to return ASAP in 1997 compounded my symptoms well past that season and into the next.The insecurity of watching someone compete in my car, with my team, consumed me to the point of making poor decisions. I survived that equation professionally because I was in my early 30s. I most definitely wouldnt have a decade later.Drivers are on a slippery slope when their age starts beginning with a 4. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is 41. At that point, drivers must choose their battles wisely, so to speak, because a poor decision could accelerate those final innings.(2) Time is your greatest cure.I participated in a plethora of tests and evaluations to the point of feeling vulnerable about ever reaching the perceived target of 100 percent.Head injuries are frustrating. You have no cast, youre administered no antibiotic. You are essentially asking your body to repair itself. But you wonder, is my body capable?The scary thing for me, one that I seldom share, is this: I was preoccupied with having lost a percentage of my skills from this injury-riddled period. I feared I would never be 100 percent again, and that fear created an avalanche of emotion, most of which I chose not to expose -- at least not intentionally.My doctor at the University of North Carolina explained to me that I shouldnt be dominated by the test results -- the percentages of left ear function to the right and the like -- because there was no baseline from where I started. None existed.So your 100 percent could be different from your teammates.From that, I understood I must be clear in what I believe qualified as, feeling better. I had to chart the course and discover eventually where the finish line was in the process. Most important: You are the only one who knows. You literally own this.While the doctor can look in your eyes, read your scans, evaluate the tests, you are the only person qualified to make the decision, Im ready to return.Fortunately NASCAR does have a comprehensive baseline test for drivers today, but its only one measure and should never qualify as the exclusive pass or fail criterion.(3) Your history with concussions matters most.This might be the most important part of the discussion.Your age and your history of concussions should matter most in determining your path forward.I learned through this process that the injuries to the brain are difficult to diagnose and heal.Head injuries can be complex! What seemed more certain were the enhanced risks associated with multiple concussions, particularly when they occur in a narrow time frame.The compounding effects of repeated concussions can, and more than likely did in my case, thwart the ability to recover quickly.What cannot get lost in all this is the trust you must have in your body.If you are having concussion-like symptoms and they are consistent with the experiences of an earlier diagnosis, you must comply with your body and ask for time to rest, time to recover, time to repair.I reached out to Dale immediately upon learning his decision. I applauded him. I admire his courage and always have.The hand he has been dealt this week requires more than courage; it requires enormous patience.It will require deep consideration not only of what professional goals remain ahead but perhaps more importantly his personal goals. He also must consider the views of those he is closest to.At Dale Earnhardt Jr.s age, there will be concern about how many years might he have left behind the wheel. In reality, the focus must be on how many quality years he will have left in life. Air Max Thea Norge . Pirlo limped out of Sundays 1-0 win over Udinese after just 13 minutes. Juventus says Pirlo underwent tests on Monday which revealed he has "a second-degree lesion to the collateral medial ligament in his right knee. Air Max Zero Norge . Oaklands loss to Seattle clinched the ALs best record for the Red Sox with one day to spare in the regular season. "I think everybody was kind of watching," catcher David Ross said. "Demp (Ryan Dempster) came out before he went to the bullpen and was just yelling that they lost. http://www.airmax-norge.com/ . Robredo, ranked No. 16, bounced back from an upset loss to Leonardo Mayer in the second round of the Royal Guard Open in Chile last week to down Carreno Busta in 1 hour, 25 minutes. On a day filled mostly with qualifying matches, fifth-seeded Marcel Granollers of Spain also entered the second with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 win over Aljaz Bedene of Slovenia, while Guido Pella of Argentina defeated Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain 7-6 (6), 6-4 to advance. Air Max 97 Norge . 31, the CFL club announced Monday. The team also has yet to decide on the future of Doug Berry, who began the season as a consultant to the head coach but took over the offensive co-ordinators duties in July. Air Max Plus Norge . Francis told several hundred members of the European Olympic Committees that when sport "is considered only in economic terms and consequently for victory at every cost . WASHINGTON -- Jamaal King scored 16 of his 20 points in the first half when St. Francis (Pennsylvania) built a 17-point halftime lead and used it to cushion an American comeback in a 69-62 victory on Saturday.Keith Braxton added 14 points and 15 rebounds for the freshmans second straight double-double, and Josh Nebo scored 15 points for the Red Flash (3-2).Saint Francis went up by 19, 44-25, early in the second half when the Eagles (0-5) came back, cutting the deficit to five, 53-48, with 8:12 remaining after Jalen Rheas 3-pointer.dddddddddddd Saint Francis rebuilt the lead to double figures a couple times after that before Leon Tolksdorfs 3-pointer got the Eagles within 66-60 with 57 seconds left. But King made a pair of free throws and Braxton one to hold off American.Americans Saeed Nelson finished with 24 points for the second straight game with Mark Gasperini adding 16. ' ' '