TBI – Survivors, Caregivers, Family, and Friends

Posts tagged ‘Brain Awareness’

Survivors SPEAK OUT! . . . . . Pam Richardson

Survivors SPEAK OUT! Pam Richardson

presented

by

Donna O’Donnell Figurski

Richardson, Pam McClurg 11. What is your name? (last name optional)

Pam Richardson

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

Louisville, Kentucky, USA    pamr1672@yahoo.com

3. On what date did you have your brain injury? At what age?

My brain injury happened in 2004. I was 46.

4. How did your brain injury occur?

I had a colloid cyst removed. It’s a benign brain tumor located in the third ventricle of the brain. Not much is known about a colloid cyst. It is thought to be something one is born with, but symptoms occur later in life.

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

I had headaches and dizzy spells for years. I went to all the appropriate doctors. I was diagnosed with sinus headaches and Meniere’s disease (an inner ear disorder causing dizziness).

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

I was passing out and falling down. A CT scan (computerized tomography, also known as a CAT scan – computerized axial tomography) showed that the tumor was cutting off my CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) in my brain. I was urgently scheduled for removal of the tumor the next day. I had a ten-hour surgery with a craniotomy (surgical opening of the skull) for the complete removal of the tumor.

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

I was not in a coma. However, I had no memory.

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 no rehab. After a year, I realized there had to be help for people like me, and I started getting on the computer. However, my short-term memory was terrible. I found the Brain Injury Alliance of Kentucky, and they changed my life! But I don’t remember. 😦

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

I have short-term memory loss, although my memory is (thankfully) getting better all the time. I made terrible decisions. I divorced my husband and don’t remember it. When people say, “Live in the moment” – that is what I did. It is a HORRIBLE PLACE TO LIVE! I have no concept of the past to be able to reference, and I have no ability to think of the consequences of my decisions for the future. I bought cars for both of my sons. I bought clothes I would never wear. I couldn’t remember what kind of food I liked to eat … and lots more I can’t think of right now. Oh, I tried to go back to work, but I couldn’t remember what I used to do.

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

My life is completely turned around. I was married to a physician. We would travel. We had a good time. We had a great life. I screwed everything up. I divorced him – don’t know why. I came to a realization a few years ago that I had to accept the NEW ME because that is the life I have now. No looking back. Accept where I am now. Live forward from today.

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

I miss being married. But it’s OK, and I’m still young. 🙂

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

I like that I have the ability to relate to others about traumatic brain injury (TBI). I love to help others. I am much more “healed” than I was when I started on this journey. Of course, each year I thought I was feeling much better. What I have learned is that it is a life-long journey.

13. What do you like least about your brain injury?

I dislike my short-term memory issues.

14. Has anything helped you to accept your brain injury?

God – and my family and friends

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

Yes, as mentioned above. Also, you really learn who your true friends are. People just don’t understand TBI.

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

My social life has changed completely. When you don’t “remember” to call your friends back time after time, there is a time when they don’t call you back.

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

At first, my main caregiver was my husband. But after I left, it was my sister. She still is there whenever I need her.

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

I don’t really know what the future holds for me. I now have grandchildren who are the love of my life. I take one day at a time.Richardson, Pam McClurg 2

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 survivors with your specific kind of brain injury.

I wish I would have known more about what would really happen AFTER my surgery. I was told I might have a few memory problems – but nothing like what I have experienced. Of course, I had no time to prepare, nor would I have remembered it. Nevertheless, my family would have been more educated and informed. Physicians need to be educated about brain injury!

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

YOU WILL MAKE IT! Think positive! Have a good support system! Go to support-groups. Get online to support-groups. There are resources in your state and in your community. Never, ever give up. YOU ARE WORTH IT!

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

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.

(Clip Art compliments of Bing.)

(Photos compliments of contributor.)

As I say after each post: Please leave a comment by clicking the blue words “Leave a Comment”anim0014-1_e0-1 below this post.

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Survivors SPEAK OUT!

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SPEAK OUT! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Guest Blogger: Miki Mashburn-Bailey “Awareness: TBI Survivor Advocate”

Awareness: TBI Survivor Advocate

by

Miki Mashburn-Bailey

presented by

Donna O’Donnell Figurski

Girl Blogger cartoon_picture_of_girl_writingIt has been twenty years since my husband’s traumatic brain injury (TBI). Unawareness has been our enemy and hurt us tremendously. Awareness has found its place in our home just this past year, and it has brought along with it forgiveness, acceptance, and understanding.

Awareness has turned our life around. And, everyone who suffers from a TBI deserves to understand this life he or she lives. So obviously, awareness is important to me. It has become my passion. I ask you to help me prevent further damage by making the world aware. Your response could save a life – a marriage – a family.Miki Mashburn-Bailey 1

My husband was hit in the head by a brake drum that had flown off an eighteen-wheeler. The brake drum was traveling at highway speed. It wasn’t actually a “car accident,” but it was an unnecessary and unfortunate accident. (It’s for a reason such as this that you can receive a ticket for “failure to maintain your vehicle.”) My husband’s car veered to the left. The barrier between the highway lanes slowed him to a stop, as he was combative and lost all control of his being. An ambulance just happened to be driving by soon after, and the EMS (Emergency Medical Services) team just happened to look down into my husband’s vehicle. They saw him and took immediate action.

I am thankful for this EMS team because they helped save my husband’s life. They responded quickly and effectively, and my husband was rushed to the nearest trauma center. The team there responded quickly, and the surgeon was able to do what was necessary to prevent further damage. This man and the trauma center team saved my husband’s life. I am forever grateful to them. They did their jobs, and they did them well. Had the EMS team not responded in the manner they did, it would’ve made the trauma center’s job more difficult.

Miki Mashburn-Bailey and Jay Bailey 3My husband survived an incident he should not have. He improved much sooner than expected. He recovered miraculously and was discharged earlier than expected. I am thankful to everyone. They did their jobs well.
 HOWEVER, there was still a job that was necessary. There was still work to do. There was still much-needed therapy. There was still much-needed counseling.
 A life was saved, but it was forever changed, and no one was there to help make sense of it. No one was there to guide my husband and me to the next step. No one was there to warn of the subtle changes that have huge impacts. No one was there to enlighten and give insight as to what to expect next. 
EMS did a great job and sent us on to the next step – the trauma center. The trauma center did a great job and sent my husband on into surgery. The surgeon did a great job.

But, the only place left to pass my husband on to was home. “No more treatment necessary” written on discharge papers means “There is no more left for us to do on our end,” but, to the sufferer of a TBI, it reads as, “You’re fine. You will heal right up!”
 My husband and I go home. We expect things to be different. We adjust. We assume time is all that’s needed. Time marches on, and things don’t improve, or we begin to notice this and that here and there. By the time we recognize things aren’t healing cognitively as well as they are physically, we go to a doctor confused and try to communicate our concerns. My husband is brushed off because he “looks fine.”

Trauma centers need to have a “TBI Survivor Advocate” to hold the survivor’s hand into the next step of the TBI journey – not to hand out written material that will be lost in all of the other paperwork given at discharge. TBI Survivor Advocates would sit down with survivors and their families and/or friends and help them understand that, while EMS and the hospital saved the survivors’ lives, there are others who will help survivors LIVE their lives. TBI Survivor Advocates could direct and guide survivors to find therapists and counseling that will help transition and adjustment to their “new normal.” 
A disservice was done to my husband – to his future, to the company he worked for, to our relationship, and to our family.
 We were denied effective help and expected to carry on, due to my husband’s “miraculous” physical healing. Because of that, the cognitive damage that affected his being never got the attention or therapy it desperately needed.

Awareness of the reality of TBI as often being an invisible disability is vital in the health of the world we all live in. TBI is a thief in the night and has no prejudice. It can happen to anyone of any status. Please help me make others aware. Miki Mashburn-Bailey 4We can be that hand that guides others to their next steps in their journeys. The world we live in is full of those who have influence. A difference CAN be made in the way a brain-injured individual adjusts to his or her new life. All it takes is ONE person to make a difference. The more we help one another, the better our world becomes.

Thank you, Miki Mashburn-Bailey.

Disclaimer:
Any views and opinions of the Guest Blogger are purely his/her own.

(Clip Art compliments of Bing.)

(Photos compliments of Miki Mashburn Bailey)

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Guest Bloggers

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Survivors SPEAK OUT! . . . . . Debra Cody

Survivors SPEAK OUT! Debra Cody

presented

by

Donna O’Donnell Figurski

Deb Cody Post accident1. What is your name? (last name optional)

Debra Cody

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

Ailsa Craig, Ontario, Canada     debcody63@gmail.com

3. On what date did you have your brain injury? At what age?

I was 47 when I was diagnosed, but I was 42 when I had my first concussion.

4. How did your brain injury occur?

I suffered four concussions over a five-year span.

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

It was clear I had a problem about four months after my last concussion in 2010, but my mother and my husband say they noticed a difference in me about two years before that.

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

I was assessed in the Emergency Room after the first, second, and fourth concussions. I was always told to go home and rest for a couple weeks for the concussion. I opted not to go to the hospital after the third one because I knew I would just be told to go home and rest. For the fourth one (after the car accident), I was taken to the hospital by ambulance, as the concussion (according to the doctor) was “the least of my worries.” I had other injuries that needed surgery, a tracheotomy, and a G-PEG (gastric tube that leads directly to the stomach for feeding).

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

No

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)?

Yes. I was in an outpatient treatment program.

How long were you in rehab?

I have been in the program for three years now.

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

I have headaches. I tire easily. My personality was affected. I have issues with perception, hearing, anxiety, depression, confusion, and vertigo.

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

I like to say that “life is my oyster and my brain injury is the pearl.” My life started out as worse, but it has slowly gotten better. My life is quieter now. I am less socially active than I was before, but I am finding (TBI). I am careful about how I choose to spend my time, as I have so little “functioning” time to spend.

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

“Me”

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

I enjoy having the awareness of how valuable time truly is.

13. What do you like least about your brain injury?

My limitations

14. Has anything helped you to accept your brain injury?

Counseling and the love and support of my husband and children have helped me to accept my TBI.

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

My home is quieter, and we have gotten rid of a lot of things. I get over-stimulated easily, so we streamlined our home. My relationships have changed greatly. There are fewer people in my life – I found that family and friends stopped coming around and calling. Slowly, over that past eight months, I am seeing some of “The Lost” coming back. Over all, people found the changes in me hard to understand and accept.

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

I go out less, and I am careful about the events I attend. It takes a lot of planning and preparation for me to go somewhere. The spontaneity is gone from my life.

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

My husband is my main caregiver. I don’t go far without him. I truly do understand what it takes to be a caregiver. (It helps the understanding that I am the mother of four children.)

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

My plans are to keep moving forward. I look back to where I was four years ago, and I know that I never want to go back there. The only way to prevent that is to keep “getting better.” As for ten years from now, I don’t know. I have become a “one-day-at-a-time” person. What I can say is that I hope to see that I have been able to reclaim some of my independence.

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 survivors with your specific kind of brain injury.

My advice is to be gentle with yourself. I lost a lot of time trying to “force” myself to be who I once was.

20. What advice would you offer to other brain-injury survivors? Do you have any other comments that you would like to add?Deb Cody Pre accident

Planning, preparation, and pacing are huge in my life now. On days when I think I am “Superman” and can “fly” by the seat of my pants, the “kryptonite” (my brain injury) “defeats” me every time! The three things above will make your life so much easier. Look for something good in every day. Remember to celebrate your accomplishments, no matter how small they may seem to others. And, be gentle with yourself. It takes time to create something as amazing as you are going to be!

 

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

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.

(Clip Art compliments of Bing.)

(Photos compliments of contributor.)

As I say after each post: Please leave a comment by clicking the blue words “Leave a Comment”anim0014-1_e0-1 below this post.

Feel free to follow my blog. Click on “Follow” on the upper right sidebar.

If you like my blog, share it with your friends. It’s easy! Click the “Share” buttons below.

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Survivors SPEAK OUT!

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Caregivers SPEAK OUT! . . . . . Janiece Naber Martindale

Caregivers  SPEAK OUT!  Janiece Naber Martindale

presented by

Donna O’Donnell Figurski

Martindale, Janiece Naber1. What is your name? (last name optional)
Janiece Naber Martindale

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

Chickasaw, Alabama, USA

3. What is the brain-injury survivor’s relationship to you? How old was the survivor when he/she had the brain injury? What caused your survivor’s brain injury?

My husband, James Martindale, was 61 when he was diagnosed with multiple system atrophy (MSA, a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects the brain). In December 2008, my husband and I drove an empty semi-tractor to Calexico, California, to our drop yard. We were to pick up a loaded trailer for our trip home. Because of rain, the drop yard was extremely muddy. The semi got stuck in the mud, so James walked through the muddy yard looking for our loaded trailer, when he fell in the mud. James hurt his back at that time, and he began to complain of dizziness. He also complained of a nasty headache. I believe that that was the beginning of James’ MSA.

4. On what date did you begin care for your brain-injury survivor? Were you the main caregiver? Are you now? How old were you when you began care?

I began my husband’s care in June 2009. I was 45. I was his main caregiver. I am not now because my husband passed away on October 16, 2014.

5. Were you caring for anyone else at that time (e.g., children, parents, etc.)?

No

6. Were you employed at the time of your survivor’s brain injury? If so, were you able to continue working?

Yes, we were working at the time. But, we had to quit.

7. Did you have any help? If so, what kind and for how long?

My husband had hospice care for the two years before he passed away.

8. When did your support of the survivor begin (e.g., immediately – in the hospital; when the survivor returned home; etc.)?

For the first three years, I was the only caregiver, and I didn’t really have any help. But, I had a lot of help in the final two years with hospice care coming into the house.

9. Was your survivor in a coma? If so, what did you do during that time?

No

10. Did your survivor have rehab? If so, what kind of rehab (i.e., inpatient and/or outpatient and occupational, physical, speech, and/or other)? How long was the rehab? Where were you when your survivor was getting therapy?

My husband had no rehab.

11. What problems or disabilities of your brain-injury survivor required your care, if any?

My husband had problems with his balance and his gait. He couldn’t write. He wasn’t able to drive a car. Eventually, he lost all ability to move. He had an upper respiratory infection.

12. How has your life changed since you became a caregiver? Is it better? Is it worse?

My life is better because I now have the knowledge to help other people

13. What do you miss the most from pre-brain-injury life?

I miss being able to go out and ride around the Gulf coast together.

14. What do you enjoy most in post-brain-injury life?

It’s hard to enjoy life, since I have to start over all by myself.

15. What do you like least about brain injury?

My husband died too soon.

16. Has anything helped you to accept your survivor’s brain injury?Martindale, Janiece Naber 2 091515

I just accepted it. It was the way of life.

17. Has your survivor’s injury affected your home life and relationships and, if so, how?

I had to stay at home a lot. I realized that I could change that when I had the help of hospice workers.

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

My social life was affected at the time. Now I’m trying to put my life back together again with a husband.

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

I plan to help someone who is living in this situation – I may even start a support-group, so people have a place to go and chat.

20. What advice would you offer other caregivers of brain-injury survivors? Do you have any other comments that you would like to add? 

Keep a positive attitude. Hold your head high. Be patient. Encourage the survivor.

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

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.

(Clip Art compliments of Bing.)

(Photos compliments of contributor.)

As I say after each post: Please leave a comment by clicking the blue words “Leave a Comment”anim0014-1_e0-1 below this post.

Feel free to follow my blog. Click on “Follow” on the upper right sidebar.

If you like my blog, share it with your friends. It’s easy! Click the “Share” buttons below.

If you don’t like my blog, “Share” it with your enemies. I don’t care!

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Caregivers SPEAK OUT!

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SPEAK OUT! NewsBit . . . . . . . . . . “Concussion” Movie Based on True Story – (trailer)

“Concussion” Movie Based on True Story – (trailer)

starring Will Smith

presented by

Donna O’Donnell Figurski

newsboy-thAmerica loves football, but the National Football League (NFL) fears a new movie that will be released on December 25, 2015. Team owners in the NFL are already preparing their responses to the movie, “Concussion.”will-smith-concussion-01-600x350

There are a lot people who believe that football cannot survive, including George Visger, a former NFL defensive lineman for the San Francisco 49ers. His comments can be heard in my interview of him two weeks ago during my radio show, “Another Fork in the Road,” on the Brain Injury Radio Network. A rookie linebacker in the NFL resigned after one year of play over fear of brain injury. Already there is a 2.2% decline in participation in high school football, including an even higher rate of decline in Texas, which has led the nation in football players for two decades. One elementary school banned tackling and instituted flag football, to no objections. As more and more parents become aware of the risk of contact sports to the human brain (some will because of this movie), the rate of decline in youth football will increase, and the pool of talented NFL-bound athletes will get smaller. (Full story and trailer)

(Clip Art compliments of Bing.)

As I say after each post:

Please leave a comment by clicking the blue words “Leave a Comment” below this post.anim0014-1_e0-1

Feel free to follow my blog. Click on “Follow” on the upper right sidebar.

If you like my blog, share it with your friends. It’s easy! Click the “Share” buttons below.

If you don’t like my blog, “Share” it with your enemies. I don’t care!

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NewsBits

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Caregivers SPEAK OUT! Tatiana Puckett

Caregivers SPEAK OUT! – Tatiana Puckett

presented

by

Donna O’Donnell Figurski

Puckett, Tatiana Caregiver 1 0713151. What is your name? (last name optional)

Tatiana Puckett

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

Palmdale, California, USA     tatianamdiaz@yahoo.com

3. What is the brain-injury survivor’s relationship to you? How old was the survivor when he/she had the brain injury? What caused your survivor’s brain injury?

The traumatic brain injury (TBI) survivor is my spouse (Joshua). He was 31. Josh was assaulted late at night outside our apartment building.

4. On what date did you begin care for your brain-injury survivor? Were you the main caregiver? Are you now? How old were you when you began care?

I began care on April 10, 2013, the day Josh left the hospital. I have always been his main caregiver. I was 30.Puckett, Tatiana & Josh 071315

5. Were you caring for anyone else at that time (e.g., children, parents, etc.)?

I was caring for my two sons, and I was pregnant with the third.

6. Were you employed at the time of your survivor’s brain injury? If so, were you able to continue working?

I was employed but gradually had to go from full-time to part-time, which got me laid off from that position. My mother-in-law moved in with us, which allowed me to continue working and accept a new job.

7. Did you have any help? If so, what kind and for how long?

My mother-in-law takes care of the boys almost around the clock since the date of the injury to now.

8. When did your support of the survivor begin (e.g., immediately – in the hospital; when the survivor returned home; etc.)?

I began care as soon as Josh got home from the hospital.

9. Was your survivor in a coma? If so, what did you do during that time?

No. Josh wasn’t in a coma, but he was given a lot of sedatives. Josh is very rebellious and antsy. You can’t tell him to sit still because, even prior to his TBI, he wouldn’t. Josh constantly tried to flee the hospital and the rehab center. I even had to go to the hospital one night in the middle of the night to convince him to stay. I drove between home and the hospital a lot, especially since the hospital didn’t allow children under 12 to visit. My mother-in-law and I had to take turns.

10. Did your survivor have rehab? If so, what kind of rehab (i.e., inpatient and/or outpatient and occupational, physical, speech, and/or other)? How long was the rehab? Where were you when your survivor was getting therapy?

Yes, Josh had inpatient rehab – occupational, speech, and physical therapies. It should have been a lot longer, but Josh managed to talk his way out of it in two days time. When Josh had rehab, I was right there with him.

11. What problems or disabilities of your brain-injury survivor required your care, if any?

I try to keep Josh calm, which can be difficult. It changes daily and can get really frustrating, but I do my best to keep aggression at bay.

Puckett, Tatiana & Josh 2 07131512. How has your life changed since you became a caregiver? Is it better? Is it worse?

It’s difficult. I feel guilty because I feel torn between work, the kids, and Josh. Josh requires a lot of my time. I feel like my kids are missing out on time with me because, when I’m not at work, I’m with Josh. And, sometimes when Josh needs me, I can’t help him because I need to spend time with my boys.

13. What do you miss the most from pre-brain-injury life?

I miss being able to depend on my husband for everyday things. I have to parent with my mother-in-law instead of with my husband, which isn’t bad, but it’s not ideal. Josh can’t be around the kids too long because they overwhelm him. It’s hard.

14. What do you enjoy most in post-brain-injury life?

I like watching Josh discover new aspects of his creativity. He has a newfound excitement for writing and painting, both of which have bloomed since his TBI.

15. What do you like least about brain injury?

I find Josh’s new personality to be overwhelming at times. He wants to share every poem, every drawing, and every thought with me, even when I just want a quiet moment.

16. Has anything helped you to accept your survivor’s brain injury?

Time. As time goes on, it gets easier, but some days are still really hard.

17. Has your survivor’s injury affected your home life and relationships and, if so, how?

Like I mentioned above for question 12, I feel stretched in every direction. I did before as a working mom, but even more so now. I feel like, in a day, I end up with maybe two minutes to myself, but, once I get those minutes of silence, Josh needs me to listen to a song, a poem, etc. I’m happy for him, but, between work, handling home finances, kids, and him, it’s so tiring.

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

A little. I mean, maybe Josh and I go out a bit more. With his mom home, we get to go to open mics, so Josh can play music and read his poetry.

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

I’d like to say that we will own a home in ten years. We all need space, so this two-bedroom apartment isn’t cutting it.

Puckett, Tatiana Caregiver 2 07131520. What advice would you offer other caregivers of brain-injury survivors? Do you have any other comments that you would like to add? 

Give yourself and your TBIer some space. Don’t let your emotions get the best of you. If you feel an argument starting, stay calm and, as calmly as possible, explain that you should both step away before emotions escalate out of control. Remember not to take things personally. It’s not you your survivor’s mad at. It’s a frustrating world, and it’s scary, and your survivor’s lashing out. Just keep calm and step away.

 

Disclaimer: Any views and opinions of the Contributor are purely his/her own.

(Clip Art compliments of Bing.)

(Photos compliments of contributor.)

As I say after each post: Please leave a comment by clicking the blue words “Leave a Comment”anim0014-1_e0-1 below this post.

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SPEAK OUT! Faces of Brain Injury Dan Zimmerman – the Trike Man

SPEAK OUT! Faces of Brain Injury Dan Zimmerman – the Trike Man

presented by

Donna O’Donnell Figurski

 Brain Injury is NOT Discriminating!

bigstock-cartoon-face-vector-people-25671746-e1348136261718

It can happen to anyone, anytime, . . . and anywhere.

The Brain Trauma Foundation states that there are 5.3 million people in the United States living with some form of brain injury.

On “Faces of Brain Injury,” you will meet survivors living with brain injury. I hope that their stories will help you to understand the serious implications and complications of brain injury.

The stories on SPEAK OUT! Faces of Brain Injury are published with the permission of the survivor or designated caregiver.

If you would like your story to be published, please send a short account and two photos to me at neelyf@aol.com. I’d love to publish your story and raise awareness for Brain Injury.

I am 50 yrs. (Proud of it!) 6’-4” tall, 203-208 weight
I don’t drink, smoke.
I have 2 sons -14, almost 18. They live with their mother. I have them 25% time. Nice. Young man, well-mannered.
I am neat-freak.
I don’t procrastinate.
I hate: lazy, smokers, dirty, rude people.
I can’t stand being still. I am always planning trip, ride.11695319_10205618433474274_6308388584089389432_n
I am project-man around the house, trailer, trike – anything.
Every year, I leave June-September. Summertime too hot ride trike in AZ. I have 30-foot RV trailer. Nice one. Home away from home.

I like going to movies, coffee, cooking and grilling, talking to people and people-watching, traveling, concerts. I like all music!
I am touchy and feely person. Hold hand and cuddling.

My passion is riding trike 170-220 miles each week.
I love to ride triking! My trike Catrike 700. Last year my tour – 5380 miles – started June 29 at WA State, ended Key West, FL, Nov. 29, 2014.

I am on tour now – “Rails to Trails” started June 1 to Oct. 1.

www.spokesfightingstrokes.org

Watch my video, please. Filmed two years ago. I am talking much better now.

Zimmerman, Dan Survivor 071015

I had stroke 9 3/4 yrs ago. Dr told me that I’d be in wheelchair for life and no talking.
They were wrong. I am walking and talking. Although, my writing and spelling is affected a little, so patience would be appreciated in that area. I have taught myself how to spell again.
DanTrikeMan

To learn more about Dan, please click on the link.

On the Air: Brain Injury Radio Interview with Catherine (Cat) Brubaker and Dan Zimmerman Another Fork in the Road: Catherine and Dan’s Reflections – Triking Across America

Disclaimer: Any views and opinions of the Contributor are purely his/her own.

(Clip Art compliments of Bing.)

(Photos compliments of contributor.)

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SPEAK OUT! NewsBit . . . . . . . . . . . National Hockey League Player Retires at 24 Because of Concussions

National Hockey League Player Retires at 24 Because of Concussions

presented by

Donna O’Donnell Figurski

newsboy-thFootball and hockey are the two sports that are responsible for the majority of concussions in athletes. A concussion is now known to be a brain injury and can be serious. More and more people are becoming aware of the possibility that a concussion may lead to a major life-change.Capitals_Predators_Hockey-09eb6

Previously I wrote about Chris Borland, a starting rookie linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL (National Football League) who quit after one season because of his concerns about brain injury.

Now, Patrick Wey is quitting the Washington Capitals in the NHL (National Hockey League) at a young age (24) 185618_ebbecause he had two concussions in 2014. Wey plans to substitute “educational interests” for hockey.

(Clip Art compliments of Bing.)

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Caregivers SPEAK OUT! . . . . . Kendra Brittain

Caregivers SPEAK OUT! – Kendra Brittain

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by

Donna O’Donnell Figurski

Kendra Brittain 2 Survivor 0423151. What is your name? (last name optional)

Kendra Brittain

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

Sapulpa, Oklahoma, USA     brittainhome@yahoo.com

3. What is the brain-injury survivor’s relationship to you? How old was the survivor when he/she had the brain injury? What caused your survivor’s brain injury?

My TBI (traumatic brain injury) survivor is my son. He was about 13 when his injury happened. He was playing football and got hit on both sides of his helmet. This caused a severe concussion. No one knew what was going on at that time. Of course, both the coach and we let him keep playing any sport out of not knowing what happened to him. As a result, his injury did not have time to heal.

4. On what date did you begin care for your brain-injury survivor? Were you the main caregiver? Are you now? How old were you when you began care?

I immediately took him to a seizure-doctor because I suspected his juvenile epilepsy had come back. But, it was very different. Nothing showed up on what was wrong with him until six months later. My son’s concussion was around 2008. I was 37 when his injury occurred. My son is now 18, and he is mostly unable to take care of himself.

5. Were you caring for anyone else at that time (e.g., children, parents, etc.)?

My husband and I were taking care of our daughter in addition to our son.

6. Were you employed at the time of your survivor’s brain injury? If so, were you able to continue working?

No, I wasn’t working. I had been injured at work, which left me disabled. So, I wouldn’t have been able to work anyway. But, I was able to care for my son better.

7. Did you have any help? If so, what kind and for how long?

My husband helped me a lot when he could. Other than that, I didn’t have any help.

8. When did your support of the survivor begin (e.g., immediately – in the hospital; when the survivor returned home; etc.)?Brittain, Tyler Survivor 2 042315

My husband and I helped our son immediately by taking him to the doctor.

9. Was your survivor in a coma? If so, what did you do during that time?

No, my son wasn’t in a coma, but he lost all memory of before the accident and the week of the injury. He can’t remember his childhood at all.

10. Did your survivor have rehab? If so, what kind of rehab (i.e., inpatient and/or outpatient and occupational, physical, speech, and/or other)? How long was the rehab? Where were you when your survivor was getting therapy?

My son did have to do a lot of physical therapy for his back because he developed a syrinx due to the injury. (A syrinx results when cerebrospinal fluid, which normally flows around the spinal cord and brain and transports nutrients and waste products, collects in a small area of the spinal cord and forms a pseudocyst.)

11. What problems or disabilities of your brain-injury survivor required your care, if any?

My son needs constant reminders to do stuff because his memory isn’t very long. He requires reminders to take his medicine. Because his depression was so great, we had to give it to him.

12. How has your life changed since you became a caregiver? Is it better? Is it worse?

My son’s brain injury has made life better because we are closer as a family, and it made us realize what is important in life.

13. What do you miss the most from pre-brain-injury life?

My son loved sports, and we loved to watch him play. But, because of his memory, no one will give him a chance – not even to play basketball, which he is good at and enjoys. He really misses playing too, so he has had to find enjoyment someplace else.

14. What do you enjoy most in post-brain-injury life?

I enjoy our family life and the closeness we have as a family. I would not change it for the world.

15. What do you like least about brain injury?

I dislike all the struggles my son has to go through and the limitations he has that no one can see by looking at him. I also dislike when he has a seizure and I can’t do anything about it.

16. Has anything helped you to accept your survivor’s brain injury?

I’ve been helped by my faith in God’s wisdom and knowing He can heal anyone.

17.  Has your survivor’s injury affected your home life and relationships and, if so, how?

We are a closer family than ever before.

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

No, not really.

Brittain, Tyler Survivor 04231519. What are your plans? What do you expect/hope to be doing ten years from now?

My son got his driver’s license. He’s graduating high school and then heading to college to learn about computers. He will have a job that he went to school for – doing what he wants to do.

20. What advice would you offer other caregivers of brain-injury survivors? Do you have any other comments that you would like to add? 

Don’t give up – even though your circumstances may look dim. There is hope in life and in God. There is a better plan for your life in the future. God will make something good out of something bad. Also, if you know your child or your survivor and you know that something is not right and you feel that what the doctors say doesn’t make sense, get a second opinion and pursue it. We did that, and my son is ten times better.

 

Disclaimer: Any views and opinions of the Contributor are purely his/her own.

(Clip Art compliments of Bing.)

(Photos compliments of contributor.)

As I say after each post: Please leave a comment by clicking the blue words “Leave a Comment”anim0014-1_e0-1 below this post.

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SPEAK OUT! Faces of Brain Injury Tony Giglio

SPEAK OUT! Faces of Brain Injury – Tony Giglio

presented by

Donna O’Donnell Figurski

 Brain Injury is NOT Discriminating!

 

bigstock-cartoon-face-vector-people-25671746-e1348136261718I suffered my traumatic brain injury (TBI) in a near-fatal car accident back in 2004. I live in the eastern Pennsylvania region. I have come a long way throughout the course of my recovery. (I’ve always been in healthy-athletic shape; I played sports up until my second year of college in Florida; I had a few serious relationships in the past; I graduated high school, Prep school, and college on time; I picked up driving fast again, etc.) Giglio, Tony

I still find myself facing the following challenges: balancing money in the best way every so often and seeking romance relationships with women. I’m a truly caring gentleman, and I live independently – in my own apartment. In the coming years, I’m looking to get married, while living a great life. I have recovered well, but I have also made mistakes in the past where I lost certain friends. But, the fact is that I learn and always move forward in a positive direction. I’m always happy and carefree. I learn better from my mistakes, even with my having a brain injury, than do non-brain-injured people.

Giglio, Tony 2Disclaimer: Any views and opinions of the Contributor are purely his/her own.

(Clip Art compliments of Bing.)

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As I say after each post: Please leave a comment by clicking the blue words “Leave a Comment”anim0014-1_e0-1 below this post.

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