Surviving Traumatic Brain Injury

Caregivers SPEAK OUT! . . . . Roxanne Greene

Caregivers SPEAK OUT! Roxanne Greene

presented by

Donna O’Donnell Figurski

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

Roxanne Greene

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

Wichita, Kansas, 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 was 35 years old when he developed sepsis due to an unknown infection. While he was at the hospital for that, the doctors discovered the presence of three frontal lobe brain tumors. My husband’s brain lost oxygen as they were trying to save my husband’s life. He also had a secondary brain injury – brain swelling – after brain surgery.

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 as my husband’s caregiver on February 13 2007 – the day I took him to the Emergency Room. I was his main caregiver then, and I still am now. I was 38 years old at the beginning of this journey – 12 years ago.

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

My husband and I had four young children – ages 3-12 at the time.

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

I was not employed at the time. I was a stay-at-home mom.

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

I was very blessed to have a lot of support. My husband’s parents were able to help, and I had other friends and family that came alongside me – helping with the children, meals, or house, etc.

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

The support began the minute we arrived at the hospital. Our pastors met us there shortly after we arrived. During my husband’s entire hospital stay and even through rehab, I always had someone with me.

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

Yes. My husband was in a coma about 5-6 weeks. He woke up very slowly and had to learn everything all over again. It was a very challenging time for the both of us. I was there as his cheerleader – cheering him on. It was hard to have a balance between caring for my husband and taking care of the children. I was very overwhelmed at times, but again, family support was crucial to my husband’s success.

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. My husband had inpatient rehab for about a month, and then he transitioned to in-home rehabilitation, where the therapist would come into the home to do therapy. My husband had physical, occupational, and speech therapies and even counseling. He was in intensive therapy for about a year, and he had outpatient cognitive therapy off and on for another year?

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

My husband’s brain injury caused him to become aggravated easily. He has had memory problems and also issues with communication. I had to watch him when he was around the children in the beginning. He was totally dependent on me for everything. I was like a single mother – I paid the bills, and I took care of the house, cars, etc.

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

My life has changed drastically. My husband and I both say our new marriage started February 13th, 2007. He was then, and is now, a different person. We had to figure out how to be married again to each other as new people. It has been good because our love is stronger than before. It has also been very difficult because this is not what I pictured for my future. I have moments of self-pity and sometimes wish it could be the way it was. Those moments are fleeting, and I know I have so much to look forward to.

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

I miss my husband’s going to work every day. I miss his doing projects around the house. I miss his being able to be the protector and the provider that he once was. I miss being a stay-at-home mom and spending one-on-one time with the children (even though most are grown now).

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

My husband and I get to spend more time together. My husband is more loving than before. Before injury, he worked a lot and was not home as often.

15. What do you like least about brain injury?

I miss having more financial freedom. I sometimes don’t like having to do everything, including all the paperwork that goes into maintaining a home. I have to organize all of my husband’s doctor appointments, medications, and dealings with SSDI (Social Security disability insurance). It can get so overwhelming sometimes that I just want to cry.

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

Accepting the reality of my husband’s condition has helped. It is what it is. There is nothing I can do to change what happened to my husband. I decided I can either wallow in self-pity or pick up my feet and move forward. I have also read many books on brain injuries and educated myself through this journey. The one thing I wish for is a brain injury support group for caregivers. I know I am not alone.

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

Yes. I have become the main parent and disciplinarian, as my husband cannot parent without getting overwhelmed and angry. He has improved, but the children, even as adults, come to me for advice.

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

We both had close friends before my husband’s brain injury. We would go out and socialize and have people over often. Now we still have friends, but we rarely have anyone over to our house. We go out with family once in a while, and my husband has a few friends that will invite him to lunch once a month. It sometimes happens that my husband will not make the most appropriate comment.

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

I am a grandparent now, which brings a new set of challenges. My plans are to continue my education. I am in school to become an ASL (American Sign Language) interpreter for the deaf. I had to go back to work to increase our income just so we could pay the bills. I would love to travel some, but I am not sure if that will ever become a reality, as I have to work full-time.

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

Even though your life has changed, remember you are stronger than you realize. I look back and think of how much I have accomplished and learned about myself during this time. I am not sure I would have gone back to school if my husband had not become ill. Caregivers have been giving a gift that most people never get to experience. We get to see miracles every day as our loved ones fight to improve their lives. It’s a humbling thing to be a part of such a journey.

(Clip Art compliments of Bing.)

(Photos compliments of contributor.)

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