My husband was in a horse riding accident 12 years ago. We found out about Brainstorming4us a few years ago, and decided to attend a meeting. We have participated in the annual "brain injury awareness walks" and attend most every meeting. Just knowing there are others who share similar experiences has been very helpful to us.
My 18-year old grandson, Chris, was in a car accident almost three years ago. He suffered a traumatic brain injury. When his family brought him home, he was completly dependent on them for all of his care. No one in family really knew what to do to best help him. My daughter contacted Brainstorming 4 Us, Inc, and they helped Chris and all of our family through all the most difficult times by providing volunteers to help, information so that we would know what to expect and how to respond, and continued support as Chris has improved. They also provide an extreemly valuable support network for the injured person and all of family, including people to talk with that have personal experience with brain injuries and supporting people with those injuries. I know from personal experience that Brainstorming 4 Us is an efficient and valuable organization and that they serve a unique service that is not available through any other oranization in Southern California.
Well, the story of my accdient, which occured when I was just 17 years, 4 months and 4 days old took place on Monday, July 19th, 2004. I was returning home from work, working in a local law firm, the summer before my senior year in high school. I actually missed the entire first semester of my senior year, but was still able to graduate on time with the rest of my class mainly because I had basically graduated by 11th grade. I was on my way to accomplishing everything I wanted, and was headed down the path I wished to be walking down. Then, things took a dramatic turn for the worse when I was T-boned on the driver-side door of my 2002 KIA Rio by a Ford F-150 when I was just a few miles from my house. I was sent spiraling directly into a coma upon impact, staying in this helpless state for approximately 2 1/2 months, and sustained a severe Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) with shearing and a ventricular bleed. My brain began to swell and bleed and a shunt had to inserted in order to relieve the pressure that was building up. I was lucky, if you can find any "luck" in this horrible incident because an ambulance was in-route to somewhere and the paramedics were able to give me life-saving treatment with the "One Golden Hour Rule" that is applied to all severe injuries. I was also cursed with HO (Heterotopic Ossification) in my left knee and theigh, and still suffer from memory loss, poor balance, and a plethora of other disabilities. However, I have not let that take over my life. I am a fighter and have always done what needs to be done in order for me to succeed. It may take me twice as long, if not longer, to accomplish what I would have done in months in the past, however, I hope that I will be able to accomplish all my goals in the future.
