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Survivors SPEAK OUT! . . . . . . . . Rick Von Linsowe

SPEAK OUT! – Rick Von Linsowe

Donna O’Donnell Figurski

Rick Von Linsowe

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

Rick Von Linsowe

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

I live in Goldsboro, North Carolina, USA. I had my TBI in Tucson, Arizona, USA.

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

My TBI happened on August 26, 1998. I was 22 years old.

4. How did your TBI occur?

I was addicted to alcohol and drugs and fell down a hill outside my apartment complex. While in a blackout from alcohol and drugs, I flopped off a retaining wall and smashed my head on the pavement below.

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

I believe a man found me on his way to work in the early morning hours. I was unconscious and needed immediate surgery.

Rick Von Linsowe – in Hospital

6. What kind of emergency treatment, if any, did you have (e.g., surgery, tracheotomy, G-peg)?

I had a right frontal craniotomy to relieve a massive hematoma that was crushing my brain. My chances of surviving where very slim, and the doctor told my dad after the surgery that he didn’t believe I would make it through the night.

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

I was in a coma from August 26 until late September, so it was approximately 4 weeks. I have heard other accounts from family members, but 4 weeks is my most accurate estimation.

8. Did you do rehab? What kind of rehab (i.e., In-patient or Out-patient and Occupational, Physical, Speech, Other)? How long were you in rehab?

I had speech, occupational, and physical therapies for 1 year as an In-patient. Then I continued with physical therapy only for 2 years after the other therapies ended.

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

I had a long list of problems, including anger issues, balancing, and right-side paralysis. I still work out and exercise on a daily basis to combat the physical problems. My anger has subsided by finding the positive in every day.

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

Since having my TBI in 1998, my life has drastically improved. I am married with a 6- year-old daughter. I went to

Rick Von Linsowe – Collecting Degrees – Post-TBI

college and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a Master’s Degree in Counseling and Psychology. I am a Life Coach with my own business that helps individuals move past the obstacles that are holding them back. I am directly contracted with a brain injury rehabilitation center. I help motivate the residents to complete therapy and have lots of fun while doing it! My website is Rejuvenate Life Coaching.

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

Sometimes I think about the friends who I used to have and my popular social life, but most of my old friends are dead from drug- and alcohol-related injuries. I have to remember that life is about quality and not quantity. Today I want quality friends who will be there for me when I need them the most.

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

My life is not weighed down by the past, hurts, habits, or hang-ups! I am a new person who has created an awesome new life – drug- and alcohol-free!

13. What do you like least about your TBI?

Some people judge me before they actually get to meet me. I have a wobbly walk, and I can’t swing my right arm as well as my left, so many people ask me if I had a stroke or they want to know what is wrong with me. Sometimes it frustrates me, but I don’t let it get me down. I know what other people say about me is not a reflection of who I am, but rather, it is a mirror of how they feel about themselves.

14. Has anything helped you to accept your TBI?

I learned that only I am in control of my feelings and that nobody else can control how I feel. I learned to smile a lot and laugh often. Having a TBI is not the easiest thing in the world, and I have learned through my work in the field of mental health that many people are worse off than I am. That’s why I spend so much time giving back to the communities that I live in and helping the people around me. I started a new website for recovering addicts to tell their stories of triumph over addiction. The website is Clean and Sober Voice.

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

Yes. I carried anger around like an old friend. It was there to protect me when I felt attacked. My relationship with my wife was very difficult because I did not know how to treat a woman, and I had anger issues on top of it! I can’t believe she has stayed for 15 years! We still get up each day and give it another shot. She is a truly an inspiration to me.

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

My social life went from a big network of party friends, who only wanted to see the fun side of me, to a small network of good people, who stand by me and my family.

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

I am 100% independent, but my wife has been my main caregiver since the beginning. She used to work in the nursing home where I was placed to live out the rest of my days. She has stayed with me on this amazing journey for 15 years.

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

My future plans are to grow my business of Life Coaching and Recovery Coaching and to help individuals overcome the obstacles holding them back. I am the administrator to many groups on Facebook to help give back to those who need support, so nobody ever has to go through what I did to become clean and sober. The addiction support group, Clean and Sober Voice, is designed to support recovering addicts and helps them tell their stories to the world. Telling your story is healing power! I also have a unique Brain Injury and Addiction Support Group that caters to the support of individuals recovering from brain injury and have addiction-related issues. You’re always welcome to join either or both sites.

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.

My helpful hint is to remember how your anger can affect your whole family. You are in control of your emotions! Make the best out of each day. Start out by taking baby steps. Work into being able to gain stamina, and take bigger steps to accomplish your goals!

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

I would offer to other survivors my advice to keep moving forward and don’t look back! Find something positive in every day. Do not try to find the “old” person you once were. The “old” you is gone, and you should work on creating the “new” and awesome you! Remember, you are the only one who controls your feelings. When you are in complete control, nobody else can tell you how to feel!

Rick Von Linsowe

Thank you, Rick, 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.)

(Photos compliments of Rick.)

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

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Survivors SPEAK OUT!

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

SPEAK OUT! Itty-Bitty GIANT Steps

Donna O’Donnell Figurski

What have you accomplished this week? Have you met any goals – BIG or small? It can be as teeny as blinking an eye – something that most of us take for granted, never think twice about. But for someone with no motion in his or her body, this would be a monumental accomplishment.

Your “giant step” may be tying a shoe, walking a few steps, not interrupting a conversation, or remembering an appointment. Or maybe you started a new job or are heading to college. All these are accomplishments.

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 me an email at donnaodonnellfigurski@gmail.com. It need only be a sentence. 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.)

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

(Clip Art compliments of Bing.)

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Survivors SPEAK OUT! . . . . . Cezar Cehan

SPEAK OUT! – Cezar Cehan

Donna O’Donnell Figurski

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

Cezar Cehan

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

Denver, Colorado, USA

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

Age40

4. How did your TBI occur?

My TBI wasn’t really an “injury.” I discovered a (benign) tumor (acoustic neuroma) inside my skull, due to some “weird” sensations, balance issues, vision disturbances, etc. But they weren’t so serious, and I opted for a radiation-type of intervention (Gamma Knife). However, the tumor was already large (3.5 cm), so the radiation did not stop the growth. When it got to almost 4 cm, I had to ask for a surgical intervention. That surgical intervention was the actual “injury.” I’ve been told that the surgery lasted more than 10 hours.

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

I first knew I had a problem in 2004, due to some (minor, but repeated) issues with balance, walking, and vision – especially when I was tired. (Since I had quite a demanding occupation at that time, the tiredness was almost continuous.)

6. What kind of emergency treatment, if any, did you have (e.g., surgery,

tracheotomy, G-peg)?

I had Gamma Knife. (They literally screw a metal frame into the skull, but it’s not as bad as it sounds.) I also had brain surgery to remove the tumor.

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

8. Did you do rehab? What kind of rehab (i.e., In-patient or Out-patient and Occupational, Physical, Speech, Other)? How long were you in rehab?

Yes. I did both – In-patient and Out-patient. They kept me in the hospital for an entire month. (I actually had three brain interventions, besides the tumor removal itself. They also had to insert a shunt – a tube to help me with the hydrocephalus that developed.) Other patients left the hospital after a week. They also told me that I would not be able to walk all that much, given the state of my body. (I had taken steroids and stayed in bed without moving for about one year, so my muscles were pretty weak.) I’d been given a wheelchair and a walker (just in case I wanted to “be brave” and walk on my own). I had some great physical therapists – with huge hearts, who encouraged and challenged me to become a “walking” human being again. Fortunately enough, I didn’t have any mental impairments (at least from my perspective ☺). Also my speech was only a little bit affected, and I am actively working on that. (In the past, I studied Bel Canto, i.e., voice training.) After the “official” physical therapy ended, I continued at home on my own (since there wasn’t much I could do all day anyway!). However – being human – once I reached a level where I could function again independently, I slowed down my practice. That means that I would probably walk better (or even be able to run) and I would have improved my balance if I had continued the exercises with the same determination that I put in when I could not walk at all.

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

Balance is an issue that I have. Fatigue also. As for personality, I would say that the change was two-fold. On one hand, I tend (sometimes) to feel embarrassed and intimidated when I have balance issues in public. My self-esteem seems to want to be lower, and I want to apologize. On the other hand, all this happening is, for me, a “rebirth,” if you wish, a “second chance.” I feel now that it is “my duty” to “be the best that I can be,” to live by my values, to go for what I feel that my purpose is. I appreciate more “what is.” I choose to be present and expanded, since I’ve been given this “second chance” to experience consciousness with which to create my reality. I feel that it’s my duty now to create it – to the best of my potential – by expanding my understanding of the world. Whining, feeling self-pity, or focusing on shortcomings – these are not options that I entertain. They would be of no help anyhow.

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

Both. I could call “worse” the fact that I have less energy (so I need to take naps during the day) and I get tired easier. Also my balance is “funny.” (Sometimes I carry a walking stick – which I also find “trendy.”) Perhaps my patience with other people’s melodrama and self-imposed limitations is shorter (but I’m already better with that). I could call “better” the fact that I feel that I am now “allowed” to focus on my values, on my purpose (the way I feel it). I feel more connected with “what is.” Considering that I have already been “on the other side of the fence,” fear is just a word for me now. (For most situations, of course, I am still human.) Even the fact that I am not able to do now the previous (money-making) activity that I used to do, it’s probably a good thing, after all. This “limitation” has the gift to guide me into doing what I really love to do – assisting people to let go of the limitations of their own minds and to become extraordinary in what they are.

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

That’s an interesting question – because it made me think. I didn’t think of this before.

Why would I even think of “what’s missing”? I choose to focus on “what I CAN do,” on “becoming.”

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

Somehow, in a weird way, I feel freer – of the cultural conditionings and of the “you have to do this because that’s nice and people would like you.” I am able to think in terms of the values that I have, instead of needing other people’s approval for what I do. I feel that I am “allowed” to be more creative. (Note: It’s not that somebody stopped me from being creative and living by my values before the TBI. But, weirdly enough, suffering frees people of their ego’s limiting stories that they “should do this” or that they “could never do that”!)

13. What do you like least about your TBI?

Again, a tricky question. One rule of my life is to only do things that would help me. Somehow, I fail to see how focusing on what I “don’t like” would be of any help – for me or for anyone else reading this ☺.

14. Has anything helped you to accept your TBI?

Meditation, acceptance, and NLP (neuro-linguistic programming). Also continuous reading, studying, learning, and maintaining a live curiosity about life. Never surrender on despair. I accepted the possibility of death. I mentioned that I was immobilized in bed for almost one year. All that time, I never stopped reading, learning, or, when my eyes would hurt, listening to books or audio programs.

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

Yes, it did, unfortunately. My income dropped dramatically. Also, this situation put my new wife through tremendously challenging emotional turmoil. For her, besides the pressure of having moved to a new country, living in a different culture, and not knowing the language well, was my health condition. No wonder she was scared, stressed out, and pressured. She took good care of me, but her emotional state was affected. I can see why. I’m also sure that (at least at times) I wasn’t the most pleasant sick person that one could meet ☺. So, all in all, our relationship suffered.

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

I hear with only one ear now. So, loud environments make me really uneasy. I cannot hear properly what people say. Since my balance is “shaky,” I have to pay attention to the surfaces that I walk on. Uneven surfaces are not fun ☺.

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

If by “caregiver” you mean someone who “takes care of me,” I don’t have one. I am alright on my own now.

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

I plan to get better and better at the things that I can improve – like my balance, my muscles, and speaking. Other than that, I plan to learn to live perfectly well with what I have and to be an inspiration for people who tend to let themselves down and surrender to the stories of their ego. I plan to learn from everything and everybody around me and to become the best that I can be (that is, there is no need to compare myself with others’ possibilities).

To be able to reach a destination, you need to know where you are now – and to accept that. If I want to go to Los Angeles, and it so happens that I am in New York, it makes no sense to start complaining and feeling bad about the fact that I AM in New York. It is only after I accept that fact that I am able to design a trip and to start going on that trip – towards Los Angeles. Similarly, I had a tumor. This was a fact. (Of course, I had my episodes of tears and “why me?!”) It took me a while until I took that fact as “what is.” But once I did it (experientially, not only logically or intellectually), a lot of things became clearer to me. This did not mean that I “surrendered.” Not at all – acceptance is not surrender! But I was able to “design” a path – a “trip” – in a detached manner, rather than in an emotional one (which never leads to good results – you know that!).

So, the lesson, the understanding, that I gained is this:

– if you feel and look THROUGH the life-situation you find yourself in, you’ll only create more of that.

– if you don’t want to create that, the trick is to accept that life-situation (that it does exist) and look AT it, as an observer, as a scientist of your life (that you are, actually, because you’re much more than the body you see in the mirror).

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

Besides the “lesson” above, consider this: all your life, you have experienced all sorts of emotions, sensations, situations, etc. You’ve been happy, sad, healthy, ill, energetic, and exhausted. You’ve experienced love and being out of love, etc. Beyond all that, is there a part of you that is constant among all of those things? Consider for a moment – what is constant all the way? Is it your emotions? Perhaps not. Is your energy level? Perhaps not, also. What is it for you? Get in touch with that. You may discover who you really are.

Thank you, Cezar, 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.)

(Photos compliments of Cezar.)

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

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Survivors SPEAK OUT!

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SPEAK OUT! NewsBit . . . . . . . . . Brain Implants To Restore Lost Memories?

Brain Implants To Restore Lost Memories?

270,000 veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have been diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury. TBI could become the signature injury of these wars. The Military is therefore very concerned with finding treatments for vets and troops with brain injuries. A major concern is memory loss. As part of President Obama’s multimillion-dollar BRAIN (Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Technology) initiative, DARPA (the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) has awarded $15 million to the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and $22.5 million to the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) for four years of research on brain implants that will provide electrostimulation to neurons involved in specific memories. This seems like science fiction, but the neuroscientists heading the two teams are optimistic, although they say the work will be very hard. From their research on epileptic patients, they think stimulation will help neurons retrieve memories. (Full story)

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Survivors SPEAK OUT! . . . . . . . . Kevin Middleton

SPEAK OUT! – Kevin Middleton

Donna O’Donnell Figurski

Kevin with his granddaughter

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

Kevin Middleton

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

Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada  5gemm9@gmail.com

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

Circa 1973

4. How did your TBI occur?

Birth defect

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

1977

6. What kind of emergency treatment, if any, did you have (e.g., surgery,

tracheotomy, G-peg)?

I had 7.5 hours of surgery to remove two blood clots and to clip off several aneurysms. An AVM (arteriovenous malformation) and a haematoma were removed December 05, 1977.

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

8. Did you do rehab? What kind of rehab (i.e., In-patient or Out-patient and Occupational, Physical, Speech, Other)? How long were you in rehab?

No. I was just sent home and told “No school for a year.”

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

Neuropsychological tests in 1978 and 1994 showed identical results. Short-term memory and recall in the 7 percentile mean that I am disabled. Anger issues ensued, born of frustration over continually forgetting. Editing oneself is challenging.

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

Since I was quite young, the loss of a photographic memory was a challenge. I withdrew from society. I have no close friends. I have many acquaintances, but I don’t like to socialize. The plus side is that my intellect increased from the removal of the blood clots. The downside is that by then I resented school. Learning took four times longer, and it was difficult to write an exam. My greatest joys are my five children and ten grandchildren.

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

My memory

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

Family

13. What do you like least about your TBI?

I dislike the fact people say they forget too. They don’t understand the frequency or the fact you lost your kids more than once or your wallet eight times.

14. Has anything helped you to accept your TBI?

Time helped. Being involved with a brain injury society has been beneficial. Even having friends who understand is helpful.

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

I experienced a divorce. I attribute partial blame to my not being rehabilitated professionally.

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

Yes. Though I have been married 23 years, I like being by myself with my dogs. My wife socializes without me.

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

My wife is my main caregiver. It was she who said, “There’s something wrong here.” Due to her, I sought out help, which she supported.

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

I’m 54, so retirement is my goal. I’m so done with my brain injury. I like to help online those who are just beginning the healing journey.

It’s not your fault that you forget…it’s the fault of the brain injury. In other words, don’t take forgetting personally. I beat myself up for this all the time. However, why am I apologizing for something I have no control of?

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

Don’t get caught in the trap of chasing your past self. Before you know it, it’s 40 years later, and still your former self is bigger than life itself. My 18-year-old self had not fathered, had not grandfathered, had not held a job for 14 years, nor owned several businesses, yet he still was bigger than what I have accomplished. How ludicrous is that? Embrace who you are…a survivor…and move forward because that is where the future lies. Leave your past self in the rear view mirror where he/she belongs.

If you’d Like to learn more about Kevin Middleton, please visit his blog at My Broken Brain.

Kevin’s brain.

Thank you, Kevin, 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.)

(Photos compliments of Kevin.)

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

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Survivors SPEAK OUT! . . . . . . . . George Visger (former NFL 49er)

SPEAK OUT! – George Visger

(former NFL SF 49er)

Donna O’Donnell Figurski

#74 NFL San Francisco 49er, George Visger @ 1981

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

George Visger

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

Cypress, California, USA visgergeorge@gmail.com

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

I was first injured – had surgery – at age 22 during the 1981 Super Bowl season with the San Francisco 49ers.

4. How did your TBI occur?

I had a number of concussions throughout my 12 years of playing organized football. My first serious concussion occurred at age 13, during my third year of Pop Warner. I was hospitalized on that one. My final, and most severe, concussion occurred in 1980 against the Dallas Cowboys. I suffered a major TBI in the first quarter, yet I never missed a play by the use of over 20 smelling salts during the game (or so I was told later in the week when my memory returned). I also never missed a practice. Several months later, early in the ‘81 season, I developed hydrocephalus (water on the brain) and underwent emergency VP (ventriculoperitoneal) shunt brain surgery at Stanford. I have since survived nine emergency VP shunt brain surgeries, including five in a nine-month period in ‘86-‘87 while completing my Biology degree. I have also had several gran mal seizures, and I have been on anti-seizure meds for over 30 years.

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

I realized I had a problem during the ‘81 season. I developed major headaches and projectile vomiting. I saw balls of light in front of each eye each night. The team doctors diagnosed me with high blood pressure and prescribed diuretics for over two weeks, until I suffered focal point paralysis of my right arm. The team doc diagnosed me in the locker room with a brain hemorrhage. I drove myself to the hospital, where I underwent emergency VP shunt brain surgery.

6. What kind of emergency treatment, if any, did you have (e.g., surgery,

tracheotomy, G-peg)?

I have had nine emergency VP shunt brain surgeries since then. They drilled a hole in my skull and installed a permanent drain tube, which runs to a pressure valve in the back of my head. They plumbed that to drain into my abdomen. I am also on Lamictil for seizures.

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

Nine months after my first shunt surgery, the shunt failed while I was fishing in Mexico with my brother. It took him a day to get me home, and I was in a coma from the pressure on my brain. I had two more brain surgeries ten hours apart and was given last rites. I was 23 at the time.

8. Did you do rehab? What kind of rehab (i.e., In-patient or Out-patient and Occupational, Physical, Speech, Other)?

I was never offered rehab. In fact, I was forced to sue the 49ers for Work Compensation just to get my second and third brain surgeries paid for. Until now, it was brain surgery, out the door, and “See you next shunt failure.” I did use Vocational Rehabilitation Services when I returned to school in ‘86 to complete my Biology degree. But, I was on my own to rehab after each of the five brain surgeries that I had while finishing my degree. I discovered B.R.A.I.N. (Brain Rehabilitation And Injury Network) founded by Sue Rueb in Cypress, CA, last year while speaking at a TBI conference. I literally moved there last August to get daily treatments – first treatments I have ever had. I do neurocognitive therapy and Yoga therapy, and I counsel other TBI survivors, which helps me as well.

How long were you in rehab?

I’ve been rehabbing since August 2013.

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

I have gran mal seizures, MAJOR short-term memory issues, poor judgment, anger-management issues, loss of direction, poor concentration, problems getting my words out or thinking of the right word, numbness in extremities, constant headaches, vision problems when my shunt goes out, diminished hearing, personality changes, problems handling finances, and brain seizures from alcohol, to name a few.

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

I completed a Biology degree in 1990 at age 32 after eight brain surgeries, and I followed my second dream to be a wildlife biologist. I have never let my injury define me, and I thank God for it. I wouldn’t be where I am now had I not been injured. But recently, things have begun to spiral out of control. I lost my environmental consulting business (Visger & Associates, Inc.) in 2009, and I lost our house in 2011. My wife of nearly 19 years, and the mother of my children, and I are going through a divorce. It’s been too much for her.

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

I miss my family. I miss being The Giant – the guy who “could do anything,” as my wife used to say. I miss being able to remember things. I literally do not remember numerous out-of-state bow-hunts, months of my life, kids’ activities, etc.

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

I enjoy being able to use my injuries to help others. I feel it is my God given mission in life now.

13. What do you like least about your TBI?

Loss of my marriage

14. Has anything helped you to accept your TBI?

I’ve been helped by my belief that God has a plan for me and that “something good comes out of everything.”

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

It has destroyed my marriage, and I lost my ability to provide for my family.

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

Social activities were impacted, as I liked to drink back in the day. Now the only impact is that I will forget to attend a social outing. I have never been embarrassed about my injuries. I’m just as goofy now as I was before my injury.

17. Who is your main caregiver?

I was single until my late 30’s, and I have been my main caregiver ever since. My mom stepped in for a few days during surgeries, and my older brother, whom I worked with, kept an eye on me. My wife has done what she could over the years, but she has never been through a surgery with me.

Do you understand what it takes to be a caregiver?

I understand better than most what it takes to be a caregiver. I also understand what caregivers go through. I call it the “Ripple Effect.” My family members and caregivers have taken a worse beating from my TBI than I have. It is much harder on our loved ones than it is on ourselves.

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

I founded The Visger Group – Traumatic Brain Injury Consulting in 2010, and I have spoken all over the country. I coordinate directly with the NFL on rule changes to reduce TBIs in football at all levels. I have spoken at congressional hearings, conduct motivational talks at schools and businesses, and currently am working with our veterans suffering from TBI. I am also suffering from frontal lobe dementia, and I hope to kick a few butts and rattle a few cages while I can, in hopes of changing the way the medical field treats TBI survivors and families. In ten years, I expect to be working with government agencies, our military, academics, and sports leagues. I plan to be leading and speaking at TBI-recovery groups.

George Visger #74
4th row from bottom, 2nd from right
@ 1981

In football, there is a saying: “Short, Choppy Steps.” If you over-stride, it’s easy for someone to knock you on your butt. You want to keep your butt down, your head up, and take short, powerful 12-inch strides. Forget about breaking long touchdown runs. Get the little things done each day, and you will reach your goals. If a football team only got four yards each play – no more, no less – they would never lose a game. Think about it. They would get a first down every three plays, and they would score every time they had the ball. Life is no different. You need long-term goals for sure: score a touchdown, win the game, win the Super Bowl. But, you will NEVER get there if you don’t get your four yards a carry. We sell wrist bands on our website (www.thevisgergroup) that say “Short, Choppy Steps” and another one we give to coaches and players that says “Use your head, DON’T use your head.” Focus on small daily victories, and you’ll win the game.

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

Keep in mind everyone has a cross to bear. Carry your cross; don’t let it carry you. All of us TBI survivors have a lot to give to everyone. Turn your negative into a positive and touch people’s lives. Focus on your positives. Work hard, and put it in God’s hands. It will all work out.

That’s all anyone can do.

You can learn more about George Visger on his blog and these YouTube videos.

George Visger Blog – Life Before and After Football

George Visger talks about his life in these videos:

The Damage Done — George Visger’s Concussions

Battle Scars: Stagg High Alum, Former 49er Fights on Despite Brain Injuries

George Visger addresses specific topics in these very short videos:

Do Helmets Give Football Players a False Sense of Safety? Visger-275x300

Would This Retired NFL Player Do It Again?

Thank you, George, 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.)

(Photo compliments of George.)

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

Category:

Survivors SPEAK OUT!

Tagged with:

So, Whaddya Think? . . . . . . . Contact Sports Are Not Safe for Children

So . . . what do you think? Is there something you are passionate about in this TBI world? Do you want to be heard? Your opinion matters! You can SPEAK OUT! on “So Whaddya Think?”

Simply send me your opinion, and I will format it for publication. Posts may be short, but please send no more than 1,000 words. Send to donnaodonnellfigurski@gmail.com

I hope to HEAR from you soon.

Contact Sports Are Not Safe for Children

David Figurski

presented by

Donna O’Donnell Figurski

In 4-6 weeks, American football players will be getting ready for the 2014-2015 season. Millions of people enjoy playing the sport – from the pros in the NFL to college and high school athletes to young children in Pop Warner leagues. Millions more enjoy watching the sport and participating in pools and fantasy leagues. There is no question that football is a major part of US culture.

I admit I enjoy watching the game, but do players and spectators really know the risk involved? As a TBI survivor and someone who has learned first-hand how a brain injury can dramatically change a person and affect his or her life, as well as significantly change the lives of loved ones, I have become acutely aware of the dark side of contact sports. This revelation has been reinforced by the interviews Donna has published on this blog.

Many of the news items posted here have to do with the risk of brain injury in contact sports. Donna and I also posted an opinion about the danger of some sports to children. In fact, one of the TBI survivor interviews was by a young girl whose brain was injured during a volleyball match. On Thursday, Donna and I watched the PBS Frontline report (available online) called “League of Denial” about the NFL and its policy on concussions. The next interview will be from a former defensive lineman of the San Francisco 49ers, who had to quit because of a brain injury. A recent documentary, “Gladiators: The Uncertain Future of American Football” (trailer here), depicts the brutality of football. On the other hand, Roger Goodell, the Commissioner of the NFL, has gotten behind the Zackary Lystedt Law, which is designed to protect young players with a concussion. The PBS and Lystedt videos show contrasting sides of the NFL. I recommend watching both.

Knowing what I know now has greatly diminished my enthusiasm for contact sports, especially football. I see a crisis growing, but awareness by the public is also increasing. It is important that we make at least players, parents, coaches, and educators fully aware of the risk to the developing brains of young people. A brain injury can affect someone’s entire life. No parent wants that for his or her child. We who know need to speak out.

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Category:

So, Whaddya Think?

Tagged with:

SPEAK OUT! NewsBit . . . . . . . Championship Women Players Campaign Against Heading by Children

Championship Women Players Campaign Against Heading by Children

Heading is the leading cause of concussions in soccer. Players from the USA women’s soccer team that won the 1999 World Cup are speaking out to make heading illegal by children under 14. An increase in the allowable age won’t eliminate the problem (brain injury can still occur after age 14), but it will significantly reduce brain injuries. A child’s brain is especially at risk because it is still developing. The women players are trying to bring awareness of the seriousness of “seeing stars” after heading the ball. Cindy Parlow Cone, who suffers headaches and fatigue possibly from her many headers, says, “I didn’t know that (about the dangers of heading) growing up. No one really did. The knowledge just wasn’t out there back then. But now there’s no excuse. We need to do better for our kids.” (Full story)

Category:

NewsBits

Tagged with:

Survivors SPEAK OUT! . . . . . . . . . Michael J. Kline

SPEAK OUT! – Michael J. Kline

Donna O’Donnell Figurski

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

Michael J. Kline

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

Franklin, Pennsylvania, USA 9lt308@gmail.com

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

November 18, 2011 09:35 am Age 41

4. How did your TBI occur?

While on duty as a firefighter, I fell from a standing position to a concrete floor.

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

I knew immediately that there was a problem because of the sound when I hit the floor. The fall was not witnessed.

6. What kind of emergency treatment, if any, did you have (e.g., surgery,

tracheotomy, G-peg)? 

I was intubated. I had induced paralysis and an induced coma due to combativeness and the need to fly me to a trauma center in Pittsburgh.

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

My coma lasted 5 days.

8. Did you do rehab? What kind of rehab (i.e., In-patient or Out-patient and Occupational, Physical, Speech, Other)? How long were you in rehab?

I had occupational therapy. I don’t recall the length. I think it was about 3 months.

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

I have 100% loss of taste and smell, and a 40% hearing deficit in my left ear. I have positional vertigo. I am unable to control my verbal filter at times. I have personality changes – I am a rogue or “lone wolf.” I do not drop my guard, and I protect myself ferociously with my words.

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

My life has changed in many ways. I enjoy the Earth much more because I do not take anything for granted like I used to. It is worse because I am very misunderstood. I look the same, but people don’t understand that the pre-injury Mike is not here anymore. I am judged by the words that I say and the way I protect myself from harm. I have a very hard time letting people close to me. I feel like everyone is out to see if I am truly different or making it up.

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

I miss having fear. The only thing that I am afraid of is people seeing me as disabled or a worse person because of my injury. People just cannot grasp the change that has happened and continues to happen and bothers me every morning when I wake up.

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

I love my new-found love for the outdoors. Everything on this Earth has a purpose, and I am able to see that now. I enjoy speaking to other survivors and caregivers. I enjoy educating others and making them aware of this relentless hidden injury.

13. What do you like least about your TBI?

I don’t like the burden that I have placed on my family and friends. I am no longer the father with an “S” on his chest, even though I try so hard. My focus and concentration are nowhere near what they used to be. I feel like I have aged 20 years because of this injury.

14. Has anything helped you to accept your TBI?

I do not accept this injury at all. I have spent my entire life helping people. It may sound selfish, but I did not deserve this. I have lived a very fulfilling life in my effort to help others. I have lost some of that ability, and it pisses me off.

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

I am no longer the “King of the Castle” who can solve anything quickly. I can see it in my family’s eyes. They love me unconditionally, but I can see how they view me a little differently. I want to be the bulletproof man in the house like I used to be.

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

My social life has changed tremendously. I have lost many friends because they do not understand me like they used to. I have gained other friends in some of the support groups, and they are AWESOME people. I feel like I do not fit in the way I used to because I have been beaten up by this injury. I am a very positive thinker, but sometimes I have to put up a facade to prove it.

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

My wife and daughters take care of me and keep me in check when needed. I wish I knew what it is like to be in their shoes. I know I can be a bear at times, and I know that everything they do is best for me. I don’t always agree with it, but they do not give up, and I am thankful for that.

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

My plans are to retire from my job and become a speaker. I want to speak about my experiences to survivors, caregivers, and medical professionals. I will not give up, and I will reach that goal. Every cloud has a silver lining. Sometimes it is just very hard to see it.

I tried to rush my recovery way too much. At times, I refused to listen to anyone. That has held me back. If I would have just been patient and allowed myself time to recover without overloading my brain all of the time, I may be better off and less angry about my TBI.

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

Keep trying to improve yourself. It may be the smallest forward step ever, but it is a step. Then follow through and achieve that goal. Wake up every morning and tell yourself how you are going to be awesome that day. Do not be hard on yourself when you hit a roadblock – we all have them and always will.

Thank you, Michael, 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.)

(Photo compliments of Michael.)

You can learn more about Michael on his blog, “My Fall to Life.”

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

Category:

Survivors SPEAK OUT!

Tagged with:

Brain Injury Resources . . . . . . . . . . TBI Awareness, The Drew Carter Project Interviews Me!

Interview with TBI caregiver, Donna O’Donnell Figurski
as seen on TBI Awareness, The Drew Carter Project

Drew, thank you for your interest and for taking your time to interview me for your blog. Drew writes about a lot of great topics. I hope my readers will stop by to see what he shares with his readers – as we raise awareness of TBI – one view at a time.

1. How do you find time for yourself? Does this change according to your husband’s recovery? (I think I remember you telling me he had one)

My husband’s traumatic brain injury happened more than nine years ago. He wasn’t expected to survive any of his three brain surgeries (for a cerebellar hemorrhage, removal of an aneurysm, and removal of an arterio-venous malformation), but he did! When David returned home from his stays at the general hospital and the rehabilitation hospital (two and a half months after his event), picture a rag doll. He was reduced to an infantile state and was completely dependent on me. He was unable to feed himself, dress himself, and take care of any of his daily activities. Fortunately, some friends and family helped me in the beginning. After taking a family leave for three and a half months to stay by David’s side in the hospitals, I returned to teaching my first graders. However, whenever I was home, I was totally responsible for David’s welfare. For at least a year, I was never able to leave him alone. David was a prisoner without bars. So was I.As the years passed, David became more adept at caring for himself, and slowly I felt confident enough to leave him alone at home for short periods of time. The intervals grew as the years marched on, and now I can comfortably leave David for long spans of time. This has freed me immensely. I am able to run errands without having David accompany me. I am able to attend my writing-group meetings, and I have joined the theater, as an actor, assistant stage manager, and director. Despite my new freedoms, David and I remain tethered together by our cell phones. I am only a phone call away.
Unfortunately, because of David’s severe loss of balance, even nine years later he cannot leave the house unassisted.

2. Do you have a sense of community, like support groups or other services?

When David was released from the rehabilitation hospital, I took him to a local brain-injury support group. Although David’s brain was severely damaged, he was not able to relate to the other folks there. He said it made him feel worse, so we stopped going.

When David was in the hospital, I met a woman whose husband had a TBI two weeks after David. I made a point of getting to know her because I thought I could help her. Though the TBI of Judy’s husband is very different from David’s TBI, Judy and I became close friends. But, since we live a distance apart, we offered support via email, phone calls, and an occasional visit.

I was not aware of any other support groups for caregivers back then. It was only in December of 2013 that I found via Facebook brain-injury support groups online. I am now an active member of several traumatic-brain-injury groups, all of which offer friendship and support and answer questions for both caregivers and survivors.

I’m so glad to have found these groups. They provide instant information and support for anyone who needs it.

3. What have you found to be the hardest part of a TBI recovery?

Wow! That’s a hard question. The lives we knew were ripped from us on that fateful morning of January 13, 2005.

I feel very much like Dorothy, when the cyclone picked her up in Kansas and dropped her on the yellow brick road. Like Dorothy, I searched for a way home to the secure and familiar. Unlike Dorothy, I’m still searching.

When something burst inside David’s head, our lives changed forever. It was a complete role reversal. In an instant, I was suddenly in charge, and I was not prepared for my new life. Before TBI, David oversaw the business of running our home – juggling the bills, doing home repairs, making decisions, and . . . taking out the trash. I liked it that way. I chauffeured the children to their soccer games, gymnastic meets, doctor’s appointments, etc. and prepared breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. I liked it that way. In the evenings when David returned from his laboratory at Columbia University and I came home from my 1st or 3rd graders, we fit in “walk-talks” through the neighborhood. We liked it that way.

After David’s TBI, I had to figure out how to run the house. The kids were grown and gone, but I had to pay the bills. (What bills? I didn’t even know what bills we had!) I had to get money from an ATM. I know it’s crazy, but I didn’t know how. David had shown me many times, but, like Scarlet O’Hara, I never paid attention. “Tomorrow, I’ll do it tomorrow.” Well tomorrow slammed me in the face on January 13th, 2005. I was stuck when David slipped into an unconscious state and the code slept with him. I didn’t know who to call for home repairs or to distinguish between junk-mail and important mail, and . . . I had to take out the trash.

Those are some of the things that were very difficult for me. Another was dealing with insurance companies. Fighting with them to pay the bills was overwhelming and extremely stressful. The phone calls and the letters seemed unending. I felt it was unfair for my insurance company not to pay the claims that they so proudly advertised they would do when they were recruiting my business. I kept my part of the bargain. I paid my hefty insurance payments for countless years on-time each month, with no reminders or urging from the insurance company. I never missed a premium payment, though I hadn’t need of their services. Yet, when it came time for them to cover David’s hospital and doctor bills, they tried to renege, not only making me jump through hoops, but also making me feel like I was shaking a tin can on the corner. It was not only downright insensitive, it bordered on criminality. I know many folks will relate to this. I am not alone.

But, the absolute worst of course, was losing the man I married. The man I met at age sixteen went to sleep in a coma, and the man who woke up is a new version of him – a wonderful guy, just the same, whom I will love to forever, but I often miss the “old” guy too.

4. What has been the easiest part of recovery?

This question, too, takes some thought. When I brought David home after his spending two and a half months in hospitals, I thought I would lose my mind. Not only was he like a rag doll and able to do nothing for himself, he was also not quite right with his thinking. He didn’t understand what was going on, and it was very difficult for him and me to live our daily lives without the hospital support. For years, I became his extra self. I did everything for him.

But after time, as he slowly regained some of his missing skills, life became a little easier. David eventually returned to his laboratory at Columbia University. His nature before his TBI was always good, but with his job, he was usually on overload and lived with a lot of stress. After his TBI, he seems more relaxed and lets many things roll by. He tries to make things easier for me, and, now that he is more able to care for himself, he encourages me to pursue my many interests. I have become involved with the theater and my writing groups. I am able to meet girlfriends for lunch dates and walk-talks, or slip out for a quick coffee with a friend.

So, I guess David’s accepting attitude, coupled with his persistence to get better and to make a better life for both of us, is what gets us through.

5. Have you found a spiritual path helpful?

Truthfully, neither of us follows a spiritual path, but our belief and love for each other is what bolsters us through each day, week, month, and year. Together, we will do this!

Category:

Brain Injury Resources

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Surviving Traumatic Brain Injury

TBI – Survivors, Caregivers, Family, and Friends

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Survivors SPEAK OUT! . . . . . . . . Rick Von Linsowe

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

Survivors SPEAK OUT! . . . . . Cezar Cehan

SPEAK OUT! NewsBit . . . . . . . . . Brain Implants To Restore Lost Memories?

Survivors SPEAK OUT! . . . . . . . . Kevin Middleton

Survivors SPEAK OUT! . . . . . . . . George Visger (former NFL 49er)

So, Whaddya Think? . . . . . . . Contact Sports Are Not Safe for Children

SPEAK OUT! NewsBit . . . . . . . Championship Women Players Campaign Against Heading by Children

Survivors SPEAK OUT! . . . . . . . . . Michael J. Kline

Brain Injury Resources . . . . . . . . . . TBI Awareness, The Drew Carter Project Interviews Me!

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