Surviving Traumatic Brain Injury

To Life – La Chaim! . . . . . . . Hank Figurski Memorial

To Life – La Chaim!

presented by

Donna O’Donnell Figurski

And to death … well, my father-in-law, Hank (Henry) Figurski, did it with grace and dignity.

On January 5^th, we said our final farewell to Hank. It was bittersweet. He lived a very long, fulfilled life. He lived surrounded by the love of his family – his sons, his grandchildren and great grandchildren and his brothers and their families. He lived with the dream of someday being reunited with the love of his life, Lydia, in what he believed was the afterlife. We will miss the man that we loved, but his memory will live on in our hearts and our minds.

Another Fork in the Road . . . . . TO Support-group … or NOT TO Support-group

“Another Fork in the Road”

This category is an extension of my radio show, “Another Fork in the Road,” which airs at 5:30 pm (Pacific Time) on the 1^st and 3^rd Sundays of each month on the Brain Injury Radio Network. (See the “On The Air Show Menu” category for a list – with links – of all my shows, which are archived and thus always available.)

On the 1^st Sunday of each month, I host a panel of brain injury survivors, caregivers, and/or professionals in the field. On these shows, my panelists and I examine topics pertaining to brain injury.

On the 3^rd Sunday of each month, I host guests – brain-injury survivors, caregivers, or professionals in the field.

Since I spend countless hours in preparation for each show, I decided to share the knowledge that I gather with my readers.

TO Support-group … or NOT TO Support-group

by

Donna O’Donnell Figurski

There are support-groups for almost everything. Probably the most well-known group is “AA” (Alcoholics Anonymous). There are groups for eating disorders, domestic abuse, mental health, physical health problems, such as cancer and diabetes, groups to enhance relationships, and many others. If there is a problem, there is probably a group for folks to join. Groups for supporting brain-injury survivors and their caregivers, family members, and friends are cropping up everywhere. This is relatively new, since little was known about the seriousness of brain injury until rather recently. When the troops began to come home from the Iraq war with serious brain injuries, people started to notice. Then when the deaths and illnesses of so many former NFL players came to light – starting with Dr. Omalu’s finding of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in the brain of Pittsburgh Steeler Mike Webster during an autopsy in 2002 – more people took notice.

Bennet Omalu, M.D, M.B.A., MPH, CPE, DABP-AP, CP, FP, N

Two things you might consider when searching for a support-group are location (Is it within reach? Will you easily be able to get there?) and size (Is it large enough or small enough for you? Too large – you may get lost and not have any of your needs met. Too small – there may not be enough information to share, but it may be easier to connect with folks of the same interest). You will need to comfort-fit your support-group to your needs. If you are unable to join an in-person support-group, don’t fret. There are many support-groups on social media.

My husband’s brain injury happened in January of 2005. As his caregiver, I went it alone … for years and years. I wasn’t aware of the multitude of people who had a brain injury. I was ignorant that there were millions of caregivers like me, and I certainly never realized that there were support-groups for caregivers. It wasn’t until three years ago that I stumbled onto the support-groups on Facebook. I joined many of them, and I have made many good friends there – both virtual (some from across the world) and the ones nearer, some of whom I met in person to share a coffee or a lunch together.

There are virtual groups for caregivers. (One is just for spouses or partners of survivors.) There are groups for both survivors and caregivers together. There are groups for traumatic brain injury survivors; for acquired brain injury survivors; or for survivors with ataxia, multiple sclerosis, or stroke. Some of the benefits of support-groups are that folks are more apt to understand what you are going through. Because they share similar issues, they are able to offer emotional support, suggest advice, or provide tips that worked for them. There is a veritable smorgasbord of ideas out there in cyberworld. If you are looking for an online group to hold your hand, hear you vent, or answer your questions, I promise you will find it.

David H. Figurski, Ph.D. – Brain Injury Survivor

Support-groups are usually, but not always, beneficial. When my husband, David, had his brain injury in 2005, I had little knowledge of support-groups. We went to a local group a few times, but David didn’t find it helpful. In fact, for him, so early in his journey, it was not at all beneficial. He found it difficult to identify with the other survivors of brain injury. Though David was in poor shape physically and was unable to do much for himself, he still felt that his mental health condition was better than that of the others in the group. Being in the group brought David down and left him with little hope. He asked that we not go back, and I agreed. But, unlike this example, many people rely on support-groups.

Because our earth supports more than twenty-four different time zones, there is always someone available to talk with 24/7. That is one of the major advantages of belonging to support-groups on social media, and I am so grateful that I stumbled onto them. I finally knew that I and David weren’t alone. Just in the United States, there are more than five million people living with brain injury. Can you imagine the number if you counted up all of the survivors of brain injury around the world? Astronomical!

If you are not yet convinced that support-groups can be helpful for you, here are a few more reasons. They empower you. They put you in the driver’s seat to take control of what is happening in your life by helping you to find answers. You immediately become a member of a like-minded group of people who accept you, understand you, and is not judgmental. So, if you feel a support-group would be beneficial to you, by all means find one. They can be wonderful!

So, how do you find a support-group to comfort-fit your needs? If you choose to be a part of an in-person support-group, ask your primary-care provider, your neurologist, a social worker, or your church minister to recommend any groups near you. You may also contact the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAUSA.org) and locate your local chapter for your state to find a support-group near you. But, if you prefer the comfort of your home (as I do) and you have nimble fingers, open up your computer and find a Facebook group. There are more than thirty to join. I know … because I am a member of at least thirty. I only wish that I had known about the social media support-groups when David had his brain injury over eleven years ago. With a support-group, you are never alone.

Click here to listen to my show

Another Fork in the Road – New Year Expectaions with Craig Sicillia & Me

(Clip Art compliments of Bing.)

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