Surviving Traumatic Brain Injury

SPEAK OUT! – Luke R. Hostetler

by

Donna O’Donnell Figurski

Luke R. Hostetler

1. What is your name? (last name optional)

Luke R. Hostetler

2. Where do you live? (city and/or state and/or country) Email (optional)

Woodburn, Indiana, USA     Lrhostetler@gmail.com

3. When did you have your TBI? At what age?

September 10, 2010     Age 26

4. How did your TBI occur?

I fell down stairs.

5. When did you (or someone) first realize you had a problem?

Friends looked for me when they realized I was absent from the party for too long. The doctors diagnosed the TBI!

6. What kind of emergency treatment, if any, did you have?

I had a tracheotomy, and a feeding tube was inserted. My jaw was wired shut. 😦

7. Were you in a coma? If so, how long?

I think I was, but I don’t think it was for an extended period of time.

8. Did you do rehab? What kind of rehab (i.e., inpatient or outpatient and occupational and/or physical and/or speech and/or other)? How long were you in rehab?

I had rehab (occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech therapy – maybe others), both as an inpatient and an outpatient. Rehab was maybe two years?

9. What problems or disabilities, if any, resulted from your TBI
(e.g., balance, perception, personality, etc.)?

My right optic nerve is damaged. I have a problem with short-term memory. 😦

10. How has your life changed? Is it better? Is it worse?

I’ve met many new people, so that’s a very good thing!

11. What do you miss the most from your pre-TBI life?

I miss my occupation and driving!

12. What do you enjoy most in your post-TBI life?

A new friend whom I met because of my TBI. 🙂

13. What do you like least about your TBI?

My short-term-memory is junk. 😦

14. Has anything helped you to accept your TBI?

My new friend. She also has a TBI!

15. Has your injury affected your home life and relationships and, if so, how?

Home life: At 30 years old, I still live with my mom, and I depend on others for most everyday activities.

Relationships: I’ve made countless new friends. That’s ALL GOOD. 🙂

16. Has your social life been altered or changed and, if so, how?

I am much more of a social being.

17. Who is your main caregiver? Do you understand what it takes to be a caregiver?

My Loving Mother, Vicki Rose Hostetler, is my caregiver. I know and understand it’s hard work, and I appreciate that!

18. What are your future plans? What do you expect/hope to be doing ten years from now?

I hope to be able to live independently. I’d like to have had found the love of my life!

19. Are you able to provide a helpful hint that may have taken you a long time to learn, but which you wished you had known earlier? If so, please state what it is to potentially help other TBI survivors with your specific kind of TBI.

Patience is a virtue!

20. What advice would you offer to other TBI survivors? Do you have any other comments that you would like to add?

Live your life in stride. Good things come to those who wait. God has a perfect plan. 🙂

Luke R. Hostetler & Muskie

Thank you, Luke, for taking part in this interview. I hope that your experience will offer some hope, comfort, and inspiration to my readers.

(Disclaimer: The views or opinions in this post are solely that of the interviewee.)

(Photos compliments of Luke.)

If you would like to be a part of the SPEAK OUT! project, please go to TBI Survivor Interview Questionnaire for a copy of the questions and the release form.