She tried to 'put on a brave face' [=she tried to appear brave or calm] despite the pain of the injury.
You can refuse to talk to her if you like, but you're just 'cutting off your nose to spite your face'.
They made it on time 'in spite of the fact' that they got a flat tire.
(..) And if a bullet gets me, so help me, I'll laugh at myself for being an idiot. But there's one thing I do know... ...and that is that I love you, Scarlett. In spite of you and me and the whole silly world going to pieces around us... ...l love you... ...because we're alike. Bad lots, both of us. (..)1939 Gone with the Wind