TBI – Survivors, Caregivers, Family, and Friends

Posts tagged ‘TBI Survivor’

SPEAK OUT! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Itty-Bitty GIANT Steps

SPEAK OUT! Itty-Bitty GIANT Steps

 

Itty-Bitty GIant Steps for BlogSPEAK OUT! Itty-Bitty Giant Steps will provide a venue for brain-injury survivors and caregivers to shout out their accomplishments of the week.

If you have an Itty-Bitty Giant Step and you would like to share it, just send an email to me at donnaodonnellfigurski@gmail.com.

If you are on Facebook, you can simply send a Private Message to me. It need only be a sentence or two. I’ll gather the accomplishments and post them with your name on my blog approximately once a week. (If you do not want your last name to be posted, please tell me in your email or Private Message.)

I hope we have millions of Itty-Bitty Giant Steps.

 

Here are this week’s Itty-Bitty Giant Steps.

Yourself-Hugged-John Bell (survivor)…I hugged three of my four kids – the oldest couldn’t make it to dinner. (There is no school tomorrow for the two still in grade school because of the weather conditions.) I got in a pre-lunch run, and I plan another run tomorrow night with a run group. (The temperature is predicted to be in the low single digit range; with wind chill, it should feel like -25.) Firewood use has been nonstop. I’m trying to replenish the stock, but I need help to try to keep up with the demand. I just got back from skiing in Colorado with an old friend, but now it’s time to get back to work.

April Snyder Bomysoad (caregiver)…My husband went from having pneumonia to being more aware – all in a week. I am amazed! I can talk to him about my day, and the next day, he would ask me about it. The aide told me about how aware my husband is and how well he is doing. I said you would know, since I see him only once a week. My car has died, so I’ve got to save money to fix it. My husband asked me about it and instructed me on what I should do. It’s so weird – I feel like my husband has returned!

Jonathan Curtis (survivor)…Got friends, got a job, got dates, got transportation, got a nice view of the city, got spending money. I am loving life! I also got a past that22072823-origpic-ba2d02 I find to be remarkable – reminds me that I’m capable of so much more.

Jonathan Curtis (survivor)…I was given a tremendous blessing this morning. I was reunited with a wonderful ex-girlfriend. I haven’t communicated with her for twenty years, yet we chatted like we just dated yesterday!

Joshua Edward Daniel (survivor)…I joined a gym today. I have a hard time running now. I get lightheaded, but it should get better. 🙂

Michael Montepara (survivor)…I’ve had a few nice Itty-Bitty Giant Steps this week.graphics-laundry-basket-181953 I scheduled a follow-up with the vision surgical team for Friday morning. I washed clothes, swept floors, did some shopping, tried several times to contact my Ex, and kept sane for another week! Yippee!

Cindy McFaden Samartino (caregiver)…Good news today! My husband and I won a Cindy McFaden Samartinosweetheart photo contest with this picture from our December wedding. And, I had a preliminary part-time job interview, with a follow-up on Sunday. AND, I was finally able to get the stubborn stain off the shower floor.

 

Jim Ward (survivor)…Friday I had the second interview for a job. The position is with an environmental consulting company in the Madison, Wisconsin area. The interviewGot a Job lasted a whole fifteen minutes! It took longer to drive there through the drifting snow! I was asked a few questions. The last question was, “When can you start?” I almost blurted out, “Where is my office?” :} (LOL) I didn’t though. I start next week! I feel so blessed, and I am very thankful. I want to thank everyone for the prayers, the good wishes, and the positive thoughts to help with the outcome. People told me after I left the hospital, “You won’t be able to work again.” Well, thankfully, they were wrong! Work hard at it, have faith, and believe in yourself!

YOU did it!

Congratulations to all contributors!

(Clip Art compliments of Bing.)

 

 

 

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Itty-Bitty GIANT Step

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Survivors SPEAK OUT! Justin Phillips

Survivors  SPEAK OUT!  Justin Phillips

by

Donna O’Donnell Figurski

 

Justin Phillips - TBI Survivor

Justin Phillips – TBI Survivor

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

Justin Phillips

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

Annapolis, Maryland, USA

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

My TBI happened on November 11, 2010. I was 30 years old.

4. How did your TBI occur?

My TBI occurred because I was in a bad car accident on my way to work one morning.

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

Immediately

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

I was given a tracheotomy. I had a feeding tube. A DVT (deep vein thrombosis) filter was put into my vena cava.

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

Yes. I was in a coma ten days.

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?

Yes. I was given five months of therapy as an inpatient and another five months as an outpatient. I had physical, occupational, and speech therapies.

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

My balance/equilibrium was thrown off for two to three years. My temper is worse. I lost my sense of smell. I also make poor decisions.

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

My life is better than it was immediately post accident. I appreciate family and life much more. Small, insignificant issues don’t bother me or my family as much. What my family went through was awful. When something stressful is bothering us, we like to say, “We’ve been through worse.” Life is different now. I wouldn’t say “worse” because I’m still alive, but it’s definitely been changed.

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

Before my TBI, I felt young. I feel a lot older now. I miss not questioning EVERY activity I do to see if I can handle it.

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

I like how much more I appreciate everything.

13. What do you like least about your TBI?

I dislike questioning almost every activity I do to see if I can handle it or if it’s dangerous.

14. Has anything helped you to accept your TBI?

Time has helped me. It took almost two years before the injury wasn’t my first thought after waking up and wasn’t constantly in my thoughts until I went to bed. It’s nice not living in the past.

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

My son was only seven when the accident happened, so it was really tough on him. But, he handled it all like a champion. I’m married, and my wife had to be my caregiver after I moved home for five months, as I couldn’t drive and was still “off.” We pushed through it all and are still together.

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

I still have friends, but I don’t go out much to visit or anything. I had social anxiety for about a year. I would rather just spend my time with my family.

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

I am my caregiver now, but I still need my wife for lots of things. For example, I make poor decisions. My wife was my caregiver for about five months after I moved home. It was hard on her. Rehab was two hours from home. She and my son would come up to visit every weekend. My accident was in November, so my wife spent all winter driving through snow to come visit.

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

I plan on opening a kitchen-remodeling company within the next few months. I would like for that to be successful, and in ten years, to be well established.

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.

Time is your friend. A lot of my issues took a long time to heal. Brain injuries are terrible to overcome. You might choose to apply the adjective “blessed,” “lucky,” or “fortunate.” I’m actually all of them.

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

TBI is the hardest thing I’ve ever been through. Having my son to focus on was a HUGE motivator for my recovery. Time was essential for me, as many of the issues took a long time to heal. I’m blessed, lucky, and fortunate that everything turned out so well. Positive thoughts are also a great help. Being down emotionally makes everything seem more difficult. Take breaks; get plenty of sleep; and eat well.

Justin Phillips – 6 months pre-TBI

 

Thank you, Justin, 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.)

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.

(Photos compliments of Justin.)

 

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Survivors SPEAK OUT!

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Survivors SPEAK OUT . . . . . John May

Survivors  SPEAK OUT!  … John May

by

Donna O’Donnell Figurski

May, John E. 1

John May TBI Survivor since 2007

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

John May

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

Boston, Massachusetts, USA     johnmay@mindless.com

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

My brain injury occurred in 2007. I was 49.

4. How did your TBI occur?

This is a question that confuses me. My brain injury was not due to an accident, but to an infection.

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

I lived in Ft. Lauderdale at the time; I owned a house; I was a decorative painter; and I owned a tattoo shop. I, with the help of a partner (a world famous tattooist), did all the bookwork and the management of our employees. This was all possible due to my having ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) because I needed only three or so hours of sleep a night. I got lost driving to the supermarket less than a mile from my home. That night, I went to sleep and never woke up.

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

I was taken to the hospital in an ambulance. After a few days, my skull was opened. Most of my left temporal lobe and other areas on the left side of my brain had disintegrated. They cut out areas of my brain that were infected. My friends and family were told that probably I would never regain consciousness and that, if I did, I would never walk or talk again.

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

Yes. My coma was for a few months. I was kept alive only because my family and my friends were fighting a legal battle over who had the authority to make the decision to end life-support. One court had given my family the authority to disconnect me, but my friends appealed this ruling because my business stated that I had given them the authority to make that decision, until there was a second option. While they waited for a new court date, I woke up with no past memory and with the intelligence of a three-year-old.

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?

Once out of my coma, I drove the hospital crazy due to my constant curiosity and the fact that I laughed at everything. I was put into a rehab hospital for about nine months. There I was taught the basics of life. I’m proud that, although I didn’t even know how to shave or brush my teeth, I never dirtied my diaper.

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

My mostly always being happy was thought to be a symptom of brain damage, but it was eventually discovered that I’d been that way since birth. It was as though I was mentally challenged as a baby because I never cried.

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

The struggle over me and my property went on. At the same time, the value of my real estate crumbled with the recession. I’m lucky enough not to remember my life before my injury. I have no clue as to what I owned, but it was battled away. I no longer speak with my family. They sucked me dry of my money and then put me into a homeless shelter. I have learned much in only seven or eight years. It’s not clear whether I have relearned things or whether I have simply remembered what I know now. As long as I have a hat on to cover the huge dent in my head, people wouldn’t know I had brain injury.

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

I don’t know my pre-brain-injury life.

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

I enjoy knowing I have people in my life like Ali.

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

I wouldn’t know.

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

My true friends stuck by my side, but I kept a distance for a time while I relearned the basics of life. I now live in Boston and have a group of friends that never knew the old John May.

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

I don’t have many people to interact with. As such, I spend a lot of my time alone.

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

I am proud to state that I am my main caregiver.

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

One effect of my brain injury is that I have no conception of time. I might think that it is the 4th of July one minute and Christmas, the next.

18. 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 brain-injury survivors with your specific kind of brain injury.

I read all the brain injury sites and communicate with some.

May, John E. 3

John May – TBI Survivor (since 2007)

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

Don’t get angry with those who love you. They are having a hard time understanding brain injury. They need as much help as we do!

Thank you, John, 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.)

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.

(Photos compliments of John.)

 

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Survivors SPEAK OUT!

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SPEAK OUT! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Itty-Bitty GIANT Steps

SPEAK OUT! Itty-Bitty GIANT Steps

 

Itty-Bitty GIant Steps for BlogSPEAK OUT! Itty-Bitty Giant Steps will provide a venue for brain-injury survivors and caregivers to shout out their accomplishments of the week.

If you have an Itty-Bitty Giant Step and you would like to share it, just send an email to me at donnaodonnellfigurski@gmail.com.

If you are on Facebook, you can simply send a Private Message to me. It need only be a sentence or two. I’ll gather the accomplishments and post them with your name on my blog approximately once a week. (If you do not want your last name to be posted, please tell me in your email or Private Message.)

I hope we have millions of Itty-Bitty Giant Steps.

 

Here are this week’s Itty-Bitty Giant Steps.

Debra Cody (survivor)…I am so grateful to have my husband Phil by my side. I know that his life has been forever holding_hands_1changed by my injury and that he could walk away and have a much easier life, but he chooses to stay. I thank God for giving Phil the love in his heart and the strength of character to continue to hold my hand every day!

Karie Jacobson Collins (caregiver)…It has been a busy weekend here. On Friday night, we attended the service-awards banquet for my hubby’s work. He received an award for 25 years of service. Award 515wwJCwmXLWhile we were there, he repeatedly told me to be quiet – loudly. It was a bit embarrassing. Fortunately, we sat with people whom we are close to, and they helped to smooth things over. It still hurt, though. Then today, we went to a local event, called “The Crystal Classic,” with our daughters and grandsons. Then we washed his truck and vacuumed it out. (It has been unseasonably warm here, so he has been wanting to do that for a week now.) Then we went to dinner with our youngest daughter and her family before going to watch our oldest grandson ride mini-broncs in a rodeo. As we were leaving the restaurant after dinner, my husband apologized for being rude to me the night before. I almost passed out! This is the first acknowledgement of his bad behavior. Miracles never cease! It may never happen again, but I will take it for today. It was a great day.

Erica Renee Gilliam-Chiles (caregiver)…Today I saw my husband run. Fourteen months ago, he couldn’t move his left side. Being an active duty Marine, he had as one of his top goals to be able to run again, and he did!

15278739Kayla Bradberry Knight (caregiver)…Last year on February 13, my husband, Wyatt, took me out for a Valentine’s Day dinner. He and the kids gave me cards that morning. I was on cloud nine. Who would have thought that five days later my husband would be fighting for his life and our families would be turned upside down? God has taught me many lessons this year. Most of all, I’ve learned that earthly possessions mean nothing. Sure, they make one happy for a while. But no gift, flower bouquet, or box of chocolates could take the place of what I have today. My husband is still here! Oh, how happy it makes me to be able to say that! He may not realize that it’s even Valentine’s Day. Nor will he walk through the door with a gift, BUT I still get to hug him. The kids and I still get to tell him how much we love him. That, my friends, is irreplaceable. Don’t just sign that sweet card or have those beautiful flowers delivered. Show that person how much he or she means…not just today, but every day!

Sophia Hill Kusderci (caregiver)…My husband knows that I’m sad a lot living isolated in Germany. This past week, he said to me, “I try to talk to you. It’s why I ask you, ‘What are you doing?’ and ‘What are you reading?’ ” It was such a surreal moment that he “got it,” and I realized he’s trying very hard to make me happy. It’s nearly fourteen months, and I’m thankful for where we are right now. It’s not perfect, but it’s so far from where we were last year. It seems so small in real life, but for me, it is huge.cartoon-love-u-187615

Shelley Lawrence (caregiver)…My husband and I were in a shop today, and we walked past a huge Valentine’s Day stand. He stopped, looked at it, turned to me, and said, “I’d forgotten, but do you know that I love you so very much anyway?” I just grinned and said, “Yes!” How simply AWESOME is that!

Darcy Clarkson Leslie (caregiver)…Valentine’s Day – another gift-giving holiday with my brain-injured husband. I’m getting to hate this day because either he forgets or gives me a gift that his former wife would have liked. Last year at Christmas, he picked out a very large and bulky bracelet and watch set that was full of rhinestones. “You need a heart_&_key_2watch because you’re a nurse,” he said. I don’t do big. I don’t do bling. I am not a nurse. Today he gave me a necklace – a heart with a small key. “Now you really have the key to my heart,” he said. He picked this out himself. This is the first sign that my husband is really starting to get to know me again, and that is the best gift of all! Thanks for listening.

Lynn Sandoval (caregiver)…Today was a great Valentine’s Day for us! I had run to the gas station to get gas to mow the lawn, and I left my husband at home with his sister. When I returned home, I went into the kitchen and there was my husband – walking all by himself without his walker! It was the first time. thHe hadn’t realized that he did it at first. He just turned to walk over and try the chili that his sister had just made. When he got to the sink, he realized what he had done. He started walking back the other way, and that’s when I walked in. I began crying, and he walked over and hugged me. It was amazing!!! Best Valentine gift I’ve ever gotten!

 

YOU did it!

Congratulations to all contributors!

(Clip Art compliments of Bing.)

Category:

Itty-Bitty GIANT Step

Tagged with:

SPEAK OUT! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Itty-Bitty GIANT Steps

SPEAK OUT! Itty-Bitty GIANT Steps

Itty-Bitty GIant Steps for Blog

SPEAK OUT! Itty-Bitty Giant Steps will provide a venue for brain-injury survivors and caregivers to shout out their accomplishments of the week.

If you have an Itty-Bitty Giant Step and you would like to share it, just send an email to me at donnaodonnellfigurski@gmail.com.

If you are on Facebook, you can simply send a Private Message to me. It need only be a sentence or two. I’ll gather the accomplishments and post them with your name on my blog approximately once a week. (If you do not want your last name to be posted, please tell me in your email or Private Message.)

I hope we have millions of Itty-Bitty Giant Steps.

 

Here are this week’s Itty-Bitty Giant Steps.

Scott M. Chapman (survivor)…I walked almost a mile without my walker or a cane.One Mile Sign th

Michele Dempsey (survivor)…Sometimes doctors tell you that you will never walk, talk, or do other things again. They told me that when I was first injured seven years ago. I think they don’t want to give anyone false hope or something. In my case, I believed what they said. I came home in a wheelchair, and I couldn’t speak well. They said that I wouldn’t walk or talk. Now I do both! Some days, I don’t do either well. If I am tired, it is worse, but I walk with a cane, and I can talk pretty well. When I was tested, I did poorly on everything four years in a row. They said I that I would not be able to handle my own money, have a checking account, or shop on my own. It took time, but I slowly got better at the things they said I couldn’t do.

I shop and pay my own bills, and I recently got a checking account! Checkbook2I was excited, but scared, to do it, but I finally did it. I wrote my first checks yesterday. This morning, my nurse went over everything, and I did it right! I know it is a small thing, but it feels good to be able to do this on my own. I guess what I am learning over all these years is that, if people – even doctors – and testing say you can’t, keep trying. Try again and again and don’t give up! I am proud of myself today over something that might be a little thing to others, and I like it.

Megan Erikson (survivor)…I found a support group! I had to put my pride aside and say, “I do need help and support.” 🙂

Sue R. Hannah (survivor)…I went back to physical therapy today. Not only did I have an awesome session, but I also learned a very valuable lesson. My most recent acupuncturists and my vision therapist assumed that they knew what was best for me. I believe their heart was in the right place, but not so much, their awareness. Emily, my physical therapist, recognized that I needed to work towards MY level of functioning – not anyone else’s. Giving me skills that I’ve never had is a pretty silly goal. I have been impaired since I was so young that I have adapted and developed lots of work-arounds. What the other practitioners didn’t realize is that I didn’t lose skills. I NEVER had them! I guess part of this occurred because I didn’t stress how early my trauma happened, and they assumed that I fit in a box, which I don’t. It’s hard for me to tell people how I got hurt because often they are traumatized by hearing my story. I’ve learned that I need to be careful about whose advice to take, regardless of what their training has been. Can anyone relate?

Michael Lee Savage (survivor)…My wife, Patty, “threw me under the bus” this morning by sayinTreadmill1-483-x-600g I would walk “cane-free” into my therapist’s office. Well, I’m never one to back down from a challenge, so I walked from the outside deck, over the threshold, and up and down the hallway in front of my physical therapist. He said, “Looks like we have a new starting point.” Back at home, I hit the treadmill for 35 minutes and then looped the downstairs hallway four times “cane-free.” For the first time in six years, I felt human again.

Susan Shacka (survivor)…My Itty-Bitty Giant Step is trying to be calmer.

Damian Sill (survivor)…I am a person who has overcome TBI. Almost eighteen years ago, I was nearly dead. Today I am fully alive. I am living a wonderful life. I have a great job as a nurse. I own my own home. I am in a beautiful relationship with a great future ahead of me. I look forward to life today. Initially, I was so confused. My life was difficult. But, I kept working away one day at a time, and today I reap the rewards. Thanks to all who helped me along my way.   – Feeling Blessed

if_you_need_someone_to_shovel_snow_flyer-r830f727a107247489fac6587395693ab_vgvyf_8byvr_324Laurinda A. Sousa (survivor)…I got my car out of a giant snowdrift in my parking lot. I did it all with my right arm because I have a frozen left shoulder right now.

Dana Wiedenmann (survivor)…I flew to San Diego at Christmas.

Sandra Williams (survivor)…I am able to maintain my job. Huge! Absolutely huge! I attended an early morning DAC (Disability Action Center) meeting, and I am helping my husband start a business. I am ditzy, but I will press on. I can’t find words; my ears ring; I am seeing double; and I cry a lot, but I will not stop. I will not be beaten!

YOU did it!

Congratulations to all contributors!

(Clip Art compliments of Bing.)

Category:

Itty-Bitty GIANT Step

Tagged with:

SPEAK OUT! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Itty-Bitty GIANT Steps

SPEAK OUT! Itty-Bitty GIANT Steps

Itty-Bitty GIant Steps for Blog

SPEAK OUT! Itty-Bitty Giant Steps will provide a venue for brain-injury survivors and caregivers to shout out their accomplishments of the week.

If you have an Itty-Bitty Giant Step and you would like to share it, just send an email to me at donnaodonnellfigurski@gmail.com.

If you are on Facebook, you can simply send a Private Message to me. It need only be a sentence or two. I’ll gather the accomplishments and post them with your name on my blog approximately once a week. (If you do not want your last name to be posted, please tell me in your email or Private Message.)

I hope we have millions of Itty-Bitty Giant Steps.

 

Here are this week’s Itty-Bitty Giant Steps.

DeWayne Banner  (survivor)…I fixed the lights on my Jeep. I am proud of myself. I loved working on cars when I was younger, but I have not been able to do much since my accident. I think I’ll try some more.

Driving a carGlenda Gale Coker (survivor)…I survived a TBI when I was six years old. Post TBI, I had regular classes in school, got a college degree, got married, and learned to drive. And, I’ve had the same job for two years.

Jenni Flores (survivor)…I like “Itty-Bitty Giant Steps.” Last week, I continued using my manual wheelchair, even after I got out of the hospital; I took all my pills on time; and twice I made my own arrangements (and trusted people) to go and see my husband.

award_certificate_w_stampShell Lawson  (survivor)…I thought I’d share this – not to boast, but to encourage. I have a severe TBI and I just made the Honor Society. I did it all on my own, with a couple of exceptions: during my first semester, I had friends help me with a couple of essays via the ‘net, and I get extra time on my tests. I believe you can do anything you put your mind to. 🙂

Michael Montepara (survivor)…A pleasant “Good morning,” Donna. I had a semi-good week this week. I have been cleared from mental health, and I met with my lawyer about my SSI (Supplemental Security Income) hearing next week. Maybe 2015 will finally turn that corner, and things will iron out…MAYBE.Susan Cursive

Susan Shacka  (survivor)…I made it through three weeks of bible. (For me, it’s hard to read and concentrate.) Also, I wrote my name in cursive at occupational therapy.

Daniel Wondercheck (survivor)…I received my TBI on July 23, 1991. I live in Kansas. I have a personal assistant for 26.5 hours per week. I use a wheelchair (full-time) as a result of the TBI. In October 1993, the Social Security Administration eBay Power Seller TRSdeclared me totally and permanently disabled. In August 2003, I started selling collectibles on eBay for something to do. Selling collectibles on eBay morphed into a full-time business. I am now an eBay Power Seller with 100% positive feedback.

 

YOU did it!

Congratulations to all contributors!

(Clip Art compliments of Bing.)

Category:

Itty-Bitty GIANT Step

Tagged with:

On the Air: Brain Injury Radio Another Fork in the Road . . . . . . Bob Calvert, Jeannette Davidson-Mayer, and Juliet Madsen

On the Air: Brain Injury Radio

Another Fork in the Road

Helping Veterans & Troops Return From War

with

Bob Calvert, Jeannette Davidson-Mayer, and Juliet Madsen

images-1Meet my guests.

Bob Calvert, host of “Talking With Heroes” on Blogtalk Radio, will be my guest this evening. Bob has made numerous trips to Iraq and Afghanistan, where he talks with and brings hope to the troops serving in our military. As some of you know, TBI (traumatic brain injury) is the signature injury of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

Bob Calvert - Host of

Bob Calvert –
Host of “Talking with Heroes”

It is estimated that there are more than 11,000 troops who are affected with brain injury because of explosions from IEDs (improvised explosive devices), and many more troops experience concussions from the blasts. Often troops exhibit no obvious effects of brain injury until much later. So what happens to those troops while in the field? How can a commanding officer identify a troop who has a concussion? What happens to troops when they come home with these injuries? Those are a bunch of questions that I have. Bob and I will talk about how his show helps troops in the field and at home. We’ll also discuss the kinds of problems troops face when they return. Jeannette Davidson-Mayer, caregiver of her husband, a returned troop, and retired troop and brain injury survivor, Juliet Madsen will be joining Bob and me.

Jeannette Davidson-Mayer

Jeannette Davidson-Mayer Caregiver

Wife, mother, and caregiver, Jeannette Davidson-Mayer’s life took a new turn when her husband, DeWayne had his 5th accident in the service of the US Military. When in 2006, DeWayne was diagnosed with traumatic brain injury, post traumatic stress disorder, spinal injuries, as well as other medical problems, Jeannette stood up to help him. She became his advocate. Jeannette believes that both love and humor are vital to strengthening family relationships. I agree with her.

Juliet Madsen copy

Juliet Madsen TBI Survivor & USA Veteran

Juliet Madsen was a member of the United States Army for more than 17 years before she was retired from the Army due to medical conditions. Juliet is not only actively involved in her own recovery, but she is an advocate for other veterans. Juliet strongly believes in helping brain-injured troops and their families have a better quality of life and she tries to make a difference in the lives of those who were injured in the line of duty while serving our country.

Jeannette and Juliet both hold positions on the Board of Directors for R4Alliance. R4Alliance is an organization whose goal is to support military families through therapeutic and recreational activities. I love that concept. As a teacher of young children I believe that learning through play is key to success. So why wouldn’t fun through therapeutic and recreational activities also be a good way to approach healing with brain injury survivors? Sounds good to me.

Thank you, Bob, Jeannette, and Juliet, for sharing such wonderful information about what you each do to help veterans, troops, and their families cope with returning home from the wars with me and my listeners on “Another Fork in the Road” on the Brain Injury Radio Network.

Click the link below to listen to Bob, Jeannette, Juliet, and me.

See you “On the Air!”

Helping Veterans & Troops Return From War

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

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Survivors SPEAK OUT! Murray

Survivors SPEAK OUT! . . . . . Murray

by

Donna O’Donnell Figurski

Murray Brain Injury Survivor

Murray
Brain Injury Survivor

 

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

Murray M.

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

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada     murcast@hotmail.com

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

April 14, 2006     I was 28.

4. How did your TBI occur?

It was caused by a viral infection that resulted in encephalitis.

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

I started having a seizure-like symptom, which I had never had before. Thankfully, I was at home, and it happened in front of my family. They called 9-1-1.

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

I spent almost three months in the hospital.

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

Yes, I was. I had no control or understanding of what I was doing, so they put me into a drug-induced coma for a month.

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 had inpatient rehab for two months. The therapists helped me relearn how to walk, eat, read, and get dressed. Then I did, and still do, a type of outpatient rehab by volunteering at my local Brain Injury Association.

How long were you in rehab?

Inpatient rehab was about two months. Outpatient rehab, including my volunteering, has been about six years.

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

The way my brain had swollen from the viral infection caused the retina of my right eye to detach. This left me blind in one eye, and it has taken some time to get used to it. I also had a hard time getting used to my lack of memory, and I have had two seizures since the brain injury. I’ve found that I can get stressed and semi-lose myself VERY EASILY.

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

It is a little bit of both. If the injury hadn’t happened, I would’ve finished college and been working in the tourism industry. But I have found out who my true friends are. They are the ones who stayed friends no matter what. Also, I have found a new hobby since my volunteering. I have fallen for “embroidery on paper,” which I had never heard of until the arts program with my local Brain Injury Association.

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

I miss not having to live off my family. Before my injury, I worked and was in college. Yes, money was tight. But at least I could make it, whereas now I am not able to.

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

The new friends I’ve made have been great. I also love losing myself to some of my favorite tunes while I’m on a walk or out on my bike. I’ve also found a new love, thanks to the arts program with The Brain Injury Association. We made Christmas cards one year by stitching Santa into the cards, and that started my love for embroidery on paper. I also find that it is a huge help for relieving stress and feeling a bit more self-confident.

13. What do you like least about your TBI?

I dislike my lack of memory. It can make everyday things – things that most people take for granted – a chore for me to remember how to do them or what to do. Also, I find that I can get disorientated and basically lost really easily.

14. Has anything helped you to accept your TBI?

For me, volunteering at my local Brain Injury Association has been a HUGE help, along with having family and friends accept you.

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

My injury has added more stress to my family. I have to rely on them to pay all of my bills, as I have a zero income.

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

Yes. Due to my having sight in only one eye, I stay away from a lot of crowds.

17. Who is your main caregiver?

My husband and my mother are my main caregivers.

Do you understand what it takes to be a caregiver?

It’s someone who helps with everyday activities. Both my husband and my mother helped me relearn how to walk and to cut my food.

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

I am hoping to get back into a paid job, even part-time, to have some spending money and to rely a little less on my family.

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.

Personally, a major struggle for me was accepting the severity of my symptoms. It took a lot of pushing from my family and from friends to accept my limits. I urge you to focus on what you can do and on what you’ve achieved.

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

I believe accepting yourself and acceptance from the people around you are very important to aiding in your recovery from a brain injury. Volunteering somewhere that understands brain injury, like a local Brain Injury Association or an Assisted Living retirement residence, can be good for you. Showing your strong points by assisting someone or just being able to talk and discuss things with others can be a HUGE help.

Murray Brain Injury Survivor

Murray
Brain Injury Survivor

 

Thank you, Murray, 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.)

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.

(Photos compliments of Murray.)

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SPEAK OUT! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Itty-Bitty GIANT Steps

SPEAK OUT! Itty-Bitty GIANT Steps

Itty-Bitty GIant Steps for Blog

SPEAK OUT! Itty-Bitty Giant Steps will provide a venue for brain-injury survivors and caregivers to shout out their accomplishments of the week.

If you have an Itty-Bitty Giant Step and you would like to share it, just send an email to me at donnaodonnellfigurski@gmail.com.

If you are on Facebook, you can simply send a Private Message to me. It need only be a sentence or two. I’ll gather the accomplishments and post them with your name on my blog approximately once a week. (If you do not want your last name to be posted, please tell me in your email or Private Message.)

I hope we have millions of Itty-Bitty Giant Steps.

 

Here are this week’s Itty-Bitty Giant Steps.

Darlene Strickland Bartlett (survivor)…I was able to cook supper twice last week. Chef_Laura_CartoonIt was my first successful try in over twenty years! I also made biscuits from scratch for the first time in twenty years.

Sara Catherine Birch  (caregiver)…Two years ago today, I insisted that my husband see a doctor regarding his severe headache and vomiting. This day two years ago, the doctor saved his life by realizing that there was something more seriously wrong than just a headache and then referring my husband to the neurologist at the local hospital. Our son was five weeks old at the time, and our daughter, only four years old. It was a very stressful time for us, but I’m so proud of my children for taking everything that the last two years have thrown at us. They are still happy, (reasonably) easy-going, and loving children. I’m so proud of my husband for his recovery. He is starting to feel like he is on his way with his recovery. He is feeling a bit more normal, if you ignore the fatigue, the head-pain, and all the medication he has to take. I’m feeling a very lucky girl today.

shovel-snowBob Clydesdale (survivor)…Three hours of snow-removal cleared my headache pretty well. Sometimes I find that, regardless of how bad the day is, I need to make an effort to do something physical. Good for the mind and body.1194985265532141363ragazza_rossa.svg.hi

Tonisha Ryan (survivor)…My tiny success was at the grocery store a while ago. I didn’t have my list with me (my memory isn’t great, post TBI), but I remembered everything! Happy dancing!

 

YOU did it!

Congratulations to all contributors!

(Clip Art compliments of Bing.)

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Survivors SPEAK OUT! . . . . . Joshua Puckett

Survivors SPEAK OUT! . . . . . Joshua Puckett

by

Donna O’Donnell Figurski

 

Joshua Puckett TBI Survivor - 2013

Joshua Puckett
TBI Survivor – 2013

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

Joshua Puckett

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

Los Angeles, California, USA

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

April 1, 2013     I was 31 years old.

4. How did your TBI occur?

At 2:00 am, I went outside to have a cigarette to calm a Tourette’s attack. Apparently I offended a random drunk person because he then beat what should have been the last drop of life out of me.

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

My wife got up wondering where I was. I was face down in the grass with the sprinklers on.

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

I was in an induced coma for a few days; I had my periorbita (the area around the eye socket) replaced; and I spent a lot of time at Rancho Los Amigos, a rehab center here.

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

I was in a medically induced coma for three days.

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 physical therapy and speech therapy.

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

Artwork by Joshua Puckett TBI Survivor - 2013

Artwork by Joshua Puckett
TBI Survivor – 2013

My balance is bad – I use a cane now for that. I can’t seem to eat no matter how hungry I am. I can exhibit confusion or anger. I have the memory of a fish!

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

I changed every aspect of my life. Only very recently have I started seeing the gifts that came with my TBI. I have become so much more understanding to the struggles of all people. At the same time, I also feel more isolated and alone than ever.

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

I miss everything and, simultaneously, nothing. I was and am now an even more complex person. But, eating without my TBI would be like getting a tooth pulled.

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

Artwork by Joshua Pucket TBI Survivor - 2013

Artwork by Joshua Puckett
TBI Survivor – 2013

I love that my TBI gave me the clarity to know what is actually important in life.

13. What do you like least about your TBI?

Food is still the biggest culprit.

14. Has anything helped you to accept your TBI?

I did a lot of talking in the mirror. Also I became an alcoholic. Once I stopped that stupid show, things really started to open up for me.

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

At first, it was very tough. Two of my sons are severely autistic, and I was their full-time caregiver and nurse. Raising them was no longer in my hands. But recently, I have gotten insight about them that I wouldn’t have had before, and we are closer than ever. My marriage is trying. We are getting to a place where we are ready to part ways. Too much is different now – as much as we do not want it to be.

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

I was as social a butterfly as you could be. Now people and crowds terrify me. I was a night owl, which sucks now because I am afraid of the night too. PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) simply sucks.

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

I am able to care for myself, but I require some help – specifically with memory, eating, emotional swings, and childcare.

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

Honestly? I would like to change the world, helping everyone who wants or needs it.

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.

Best hint? Be honest with yourself. Other people are important, but the one you have to spend your life talking to all the time is you. I also choose not to judge myself anymore.

I judged and hated myself for so long because of my TBI. But at the same time, I wanted to be there and to understand myself. Other people can’t. And that is good. I don’t want others to feel like this. But I can be honest with myself.

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

TBI sucks. But let’s be honest, was your brain a well oiled machine before? This is a hurdle, but it can also be an opportunity to become the strongest, the happiest, and the most potential-fulfilling self you can – in ways that you can only do now with this wisdom, albeit possibly with a cane and some other assistance. 🙂

To learn more about Joshua Puckett, a very talented musician and artist, check out his You Tube videos. Here are some to get you started.

Viary: TBI

Viary: TBI and I (my “accident”)

TBI and I: The documentary

Joshua Puckett TBI Survivor - 2013

Joshua Puckett
TBI Survivor – 2013

Thank you, Joshua, 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.)

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.

(Photos compliments of Joshua.)

 

 

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