TBI – Survivors, Caregivers, Family, and Friends

Posts tagged ‘Hugh Rawlins’

On the Air: Brain Injury Radio Another Fork in the Road . . . . . . Rosemary Rawlins, Author & Caregiver

On the Air: Brain Injury Radio Interview –

Another Fork in the Road

with

 Rosemary Rawlins, Author & Caregiver

images-1

When I closed down the studio last night after spending 90 minutes talking to Rosemary Rawlins about her life as a caregiver, I popped into my husband’s office. He had listened to the interview on his computer. He smiled and said, “Great interview! I wish it wasn’t over. I could have listened for another hour.” I knew exactly what he meant. I could have talked with Rosemary forever. Our stories, though different, run parallel to each other.

david-running-in-hall

David Figurski 3 weeks before his TBI

Both of our husbands were in the prime of their careers – doing what they loved best in their office/lab and after hours too. Hugh loved to ride his bicycle. David loved to run and exercise. Both Hugh and David exercised to relieve their daily stress. It was that exercise that caused their brain injuries.

Hugh Rawlins - racing

Hugh Rawlins – racing

Talking with Rosemary was refreshing. She really KNOWS what I went through, and I REALLY know what she went through. We GET IT!

Anyone who has “lost” a spouse to brain injury will totally understand and completely relate to Rosemary’s and my conversation. Please, go ahead! Eavesdrop on our tête-à-tête. We’d love you to.

 

Thank you, Rosemary, for sharing your story with me and my listeners on “Another Fork in the Road” on the Brain Injury Radio Network.

Rosemary & Hugh Rawlins 2

Rosemary & Hugh Rawlins – after TBI

 

 

Click the link below to listen to caregiver, Rosemary Rawlins (author of “Learning by Accident: A Caregiver’s True Story of Fear, Family, and Hope”), share her story of how she and Hugh pulled the pieces of their lives together.

 

See you “On the Air!”

 Rosemary Rawlins, Author & Caregiver

Click here for a list of all “Another Fork in the Road” shows on the Brain Injury Radio Network.

“Another Fork in the Road” . . . Brain Injury Radio Network . . . Rosemary Rawlins: Caregiver & Author

YOU ARE INVITED!

putthis_on_calendar_clip_artIt only takes a split second for lives to change forever. Rosemary and Hugh Rawlins lives were turned upside down when Hugh was struck by a car during an afternoon bike ride. Rosemary was immediately thrust into caregiver mode as Hugh was reduced to helplessness. Rosemary’s book, “Learning by Accident: A Caregiver’s True Story of Fear, Family, and Hope,” details, in an easy-to-read story, how she and Hugh, with their two daughters, picked up the broken pieces of their lives and glued them back together.

          Come One! Come ALL!

What:        Interview with Rosemary Rawlins, caregiver of her husband, Hugh Rawlins, and Author of “Learning by Accident: A Caregiver’s True Story of Fear, Family, and Hope”

Rosemary & Hugh Rawlins after TBI

Rosemary & Hugh Rawlins after TBI

Why:        Rosemary will talk about how her life and those of her family changed forever and how they are picking up the pieces and rebuilding new lives after TBI.

Where:     Brain Injury Radio Network

When:       Sunday, January 18th, 2015

Time:         5:00p PT (6:00p MT, 7:00p CT, and 8:00p ET) 90 minute show

How:         Click: Brain Injury Radio Network

Call In:    424-243-9540

Call In:     855-473-3711 toll free in USA

Call In:    202-559-7907 free outside US

or SKYPE

Learning by Accident: A Caregiver’s True Story of Fear, Family, and Hope

Learning by Accident: A Caregiver’s True Story of Fear, Family, and Hope

 

 

If you miss the show, but would like to still hear the interview, you can access the archive on On Demand listening. The archived show will be available after the show both on the Brain Injury Radio Network site and on my blog in “On the Air.”

(Clip Art compliments of Bing.)

(Photos compliments of Rosemary Rawlins.)

Caregivers SPEAK OUT! Rosemary Rawlins

SPEAK OUT! – Rosemary Rawlins

by

Donna O’Donnell Figurski

 

Rawlins, Rosemary

Rosemary Rawlins – TBI Caregiver, Author, Blogger, Speaker

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

Rosemary Rawlins

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

Glen Allen, Virginia, USA

3. What is the TBI survivor’s relationship to you?

Husband – Hugh Rawlins (We had been married 24 years at the time of his injury.)

How old was the survivor when he/she had the TBI?

46

What caused your survivor’s TBI?

A car (driving nearly 50 mph) hit him directly from behind as he was riding his bicycle home from an afternoon workout.

4. On what date did you begin care for your TBI survivor?

Immediately. I stayed in the Intensive Care Unit, and I visited him every day in Acute Brain Rehab. Hugh was in the hospital 33 days.

Were you the main caregiver?

Yes

Are you now?

I don’t consider myself his caregiver anymore.

How old were you when you began care?

46

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

Yes – twin daughters, age 14. My daughters, Anna and Mary, are wonderful. They were the reason Hugh and I were able to go on.

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

I was a self-employed résumé writer and consultant. I continued working, but I drastically cut down on work to care for Hugh.

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

All of my immediate family lived out of state, but people visited periodically, and that helped. Neighbors and friends helped with driving and food, but caring for Hugh was mainly my full-time responsibility. I hired a night nurse so my daughters and I could sleep. That went on for several weeks, until we were able to get Hugh on a day/night sleep schedule. I was exhausted all the time.

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

Immediately

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

Yes – for a week. I sat by Hugh’s bed for most of it. I kept a journal. My daughters were there a lot too. We simply waited and read notes to him from friends and family far away. We talked to him and waited.

10. Did your survivor have rehab?

Yes

If so, what kind of rehab (i.e., inpatient and/or outpatient and occupational, physical, speech, and/or other)?

Hugh was put into the inpatient hospital acute brain rehab for two weeks. He was then released to Day Rehab at a nearby facility for daily outpatient recreational, occupational, physical, speech, and other therapies. (He was in a group therapy and did Interactive Metronome therapy.)

How long was the rehab?

He was released from physical therapy first after a few months, then occupational therapy, and finally speech/cognitive therapy after about 14 months.

Where were you when this was happening?

I was usually at home trying to work, but went in with Hugh from time to time. I wanted to know his therapists, and they worked with me on ways to supplement therapy at home. It was a great help to learn from them. I also hired a personal trainer to cross-train Hugh after he was released from physical therapy, and that helped him make strides in his progress. He swam and did exercises that would use both sides of the brain. Physical exercise helps the brain; at least in his case it made a huge difference.

11. What problems or disabilities of your TBI survivor required your care, if any?

For three months, Hugh required a helmet and gait belt every time he stood up because he had a chunk of his skull cut out to relieve brain swelling. After three months, he had that bone replaced, and his balance improved. Hugh required help and prompting with everything – grooming, eating, dressing, and walking. He had swallowing problems and lost most of the use of his left side. By four months, he was more independent, but he had some short-term memory and judgment issues. By two years out, he was in very good shape and started working again.

12. How has your life changed since you became a caregiver?

I don’t consider myself a caregiver anymore in the regular sense of the word, at least not for my husband. Life was miserable in the beginning because there were so many questions without answers. I suffered ambiguous loss because Hugh sat and stared into space, and I missed him. He was with me, but radically changed. I felt grateful and ungrateful at the same time.

Is it better? Is it worse?

I see my life as “just life” with all its ups and downs, and I try to live it day-to-day as it unfolds. It’s the only thing that’s kept me sane. Life right now is good. I work and Hugh works. He made an amazing recovery.

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

Feeling safe in the world and feeling a full sense of joy. TBI has made me more neurotic, and I find I get stressed easier now. I work on trying to minimize this every day.

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

The love we rekindled and share. Also the work we do together to help others going through what we went through. Hugh speaks with me at some conferences, and we now have a shared mission in life – we didn’t have that before.

15. What do you like least about TBI?

How it robs a person of his or her identity. How it hijacks a family and takes over your lives for a very long time. TBI is full of cruel surprises popping out of nowhere, new deficits that surface, drugs and side effects, seizures and personality changes.

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

Yes. Loving him, plain and simple.

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

I’m sure it has affected my home life in ways I never imagined. My children became caregivers early in life to help me, and they had stresses of their own. In many ways, they missed out on doing a lot of things because their father was very sick, and I was completely focused on Hugh, when I used to be focused on them. But we are all very close today and know that things could have turned out much worse than they did. We’re thankful he achieved the level of recovery he did.

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

Yes. Friends come and go, but I see that as part of modern life too. We have one set of friends in school, then another when we start work, then they change as we marry and have children. It’s a part of life. We love our friends, and some have stuck by us through all of it – we cherish those friendships immensely. I have no hard feelings for friends that drift away; it’s just the natural ebb and flow. I love it when I see someone I haven’t seen in years and we pick up where we left off. Friends mean a lot to me. On positive note, I’ve met some of the best friends of my life through Hugh’s TBI. I feel very close to several people I’ve met because of brain injury, including a few doctors and therapists.

19. What are your plans?

To keep being a writer, a job I love. TBI started my book writing and speaking career, and I love working from my home and connecting with others.

What do you expect/hope to be doing ten years from now?

I hope to be semi-retired and living in Nags Head, North Carolina, at the beach. Hugh loves to surf, and I love the ocean and the serenity it brings. I’ll always keep reading and writing, though, for the love of it.

20. What advice would you offer other TBI survivor caregivers?

Wow, there’s so much I’ve learned in the past twelve years. Here are some I consider most important for caregivers:

  • Pace yourself – TBI is definitely a marathon, so be sure to keep some space in your life for you at all times
  • Keep up with friends, and ask them how they are. Try to do things that are not TBI-focused all the time. Go to a movie, or go for a walk and talk about your girlfriend’s new job. Friendship is a two-way street. Being isolated can lead to depression.
  • Watch your own health. I came down with shingles 15 months after Hugh’s injury because I didn’t manage my stress. I love guided-imagery tapes. They helped me sleep and relax.
  • Seek counseling or join a support group for times you want to vent, instead of using your family and friends to vent to all the time. You will be redirected toward more healthy outlets, and talking to someone “neutral” has a healing effect.
  • Right after Hugh’s TBI, I kept working toward returning to our “old” life. It took me a very long time to realize that the changes that occurred made that impossible. We had to start over. Counseling helped with this.
  • Be honest with yourself about what to expect, and try to celebrate each advance.
  • Advocate, vote, stay informed of your rights and let your voice be heard. Support your local Brain Injury Association and WETA, who produces BrainLine.org.

Do you have any other comments that you would like to add?

I have great respect for TBI caregivers. I can’t think of a harder job on this earth. Hugh got better, much better than most people do, and for that I am humbled and grateful, but I pray every single day for people who struggle a lifetime with TBI in ways that drastically limit them – especially when they cannot find the resources they need. These are the families that keep me motivated to advocate for the rights and support of TBI individuals and their caregivers. So much more research and funding needs to happen to make life more manageable and enjoyable for all families affected by TBI. We need awareness, education, support, research, treatments, and many people need ongoing rehab to maximize their potential. If we join together, we can all make a difference.

Rosemary’s BIO:

100_1987

Rosemary and Hugh Rawlins

Rosemary Rawlins is the author of Learning by Accident: A Caregiver’s True Story of Fear, Family, and Hope, and a regular blogger for BrainLine.org. She also writes the Family Matters column for Brain Injury Journey Magazine. Rosemary speaks nationally at libraries, TBI events, and conferences. You can learn more about her at www.rosemaryrawlins.com

 

You can also watch a very informative video about how Rosemary and Hugh pieced their lives together again with the help of some very special counselors. Brain Injury Resources – Couples and Traumatic Brain Injury

 

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

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

(Photo compliments of Rosemary.)

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

Brain Injury Resources . . . . . . Couples and Traumatic Brain Injury

Couples and Traumatic Brain Injury

Brain th-2Not only does the survivor deal with the effects of a TBI, but the caregiver does too. Much of the concern is directed to the survivor. But the trauma has totally changed the life of the caregiver also. The good news is that the love, partner, and “best friend” of the caregiver survived, but the survivor may look different, sound different, and/or act differently. The survivor may not be the same person that the caregiver knew and loved. In fact, the previous relationship may not seem to exist at all with the current version of the survivor. Often the caregiver works tirelessly out of love or in hopes that some part of their close relationship will return.

TBIs can be hard on relationships. Most relationships struggle, and some do not survive. A few psychologists now specialize in relationships affected by TBI. Here is a video of one couple, who, with the help of two psychologists, managed to withstand the storm of a TBI. Dr. Jeffrey Kreutzer and Dr. Emilie Godwin point out that neither the survivor (Hugh) nor the caregiver (Rosemary) is the same person that he and she were before the TBI. Drs. Kreutzer and Godwin emphasize the importance of acceptance of the “new normal,” not only by the survivor, but also by the caregiver. They both must accept that life will not return to the way it was pre-TBI. Dr. Kreutzer advised Rosemary and Hugh to “…grieve for your old life and build a new one.”

(Clip Art compliments of Bing.)

Comments are welcome.

Tag Cloud

Welcome to Harmony Kent Online

The home of all things books

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine

Blog magazine for lovers of health, food, books, music, humour and life in general

Pete Springer

Passionate Teacher and Future Children's Author

HOPE TBI

Help One Person Excel - To Be Independent

  WriteForKids - Writing Children's Books

Become a published children's book author via books, ebooks and apps.

For the Love of Books, Old and New

Katie Fischer, Writer and Reader of Stories

Charlie Bown

Children's Author

Jessica Hinrichs

“We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.” ― Anais Nin

VIVIAN KIRKFIELD - Writer for Children

Picture Books Help Kids Soar

Mindy’s Writing Wonderland

For authors, parents, teachers & everyone who loves children’s books.

Kaitlyn Leann Sanchez

Literary Agent

Surviving Traumatic Brain Injury

TBI - Survivors, Caregivers, Family, and Friends

Claire Stibbe

Thriller Author and Blogger

The Care Factor

Loving someone with a Traumatic Brain Injury

Brain Injury Support Group of Duluth-Extension

Brain Injury Information and SUPPORT

Brain Aneurysm Global Insight

Brain Aneurysm, cerebral hemorrhaging, hemorrhage stroke

%d bloggers like this: