TBI Warrior

Carolina Reyes invites El Paso Military Spouse, Roxana Delgado, to attend State of the Union | U.S. Representative Silvestre Reyes

noreply@blogger.com (TBI Warrior) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:09:00 +0000

Carolina Reyes invites El Paso Military Spouse, Roxana Delgado, to attend State of the Union | U.S. Representative Silvestre Reyes Here is my wife. She will be attending the State of the Union Address tonight!!!

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD or PTS)

noreply@blogger.com (TBI Warrior) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 21:10:00 +0000

First and foremost, I will make the disclaimer that I am not a medical professional. I am not trying to act like one. I believe that my experiences and the fact that I survived a Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury gives me a voice to express thoughts in this subject. The purpose of this article is to create a healthy and respectful discussion.

Many times, in the military, I hear the terms Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD or PTS) forced together in a phrase or a sentence. It is implied that TBI and PTSD are "kind of" the same thing and that the treatment for one works on the other. As many of you know I sustained a TBI in Iraq. It is expected for me to have PTSD. Well... I am PTSD free. My symptoms are 100% neurological that resulted from the TBI.

I have heard that PTSD and TBI are comorbid. I am sure that in many cases both conditions are present. But according to the definition of comorbid, one does not exclude the other. Not because they can coexist means that one will be treated and the other should be taken care by itself (which I have heard many times). The American Heritage Medical Dictionary defines comorbid as coexisting or concomitant with an unrelated pathological or disease process.

Rarely, I hear "amputee and PTSD" on the same line. The amputee receives treatment and rehabilitation for the loss of a limb. If there is PTSD present they receive care for that as well. Two separate injuries, two separate treatments. But when it comes to TBIs, commonly I hear it side by side with PTSD. Rarely I hear TBI by itself. I believe talking about these two different conditions so attached to each other brings misconceptions, dismissal, downplay, and widens the room for error.

The National Institute of Health defines Traumatic Brain Injury as: a form of acquired brain injury, occurs when a sudden trauma causes damage to the brain. TBI can result when the head suddenly and violently hits an object, or when an object pierces the skull and enters brain tissue. Symptoms of a TBI can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the extent of the damage to the brain. A person with a mild TBI may remain conscious or may experience a loss of consciousness for a few seconds or minutes. Other symptoms of mild TBI include headache, confusion, lightheadedness, dizziness, blurred vision or tired eyes, ringing in the ears, bad taste in the mouth, fatigue or lethargy, a change in sleep patterns, behavioral or mood changes, and trouble with memory, concentration, attention, or thinking. A person with a moderate or severe TBI may show these same symptoms, but may also have a headache that gets worse or does not go away, repeated vomiting or nausea, convulsions or seizures, an inability to awaken from sleep, dilation of one or both pupils of the eyes, slurred speech, weakness or numbness in the extremities, loss of coordination, and increased confusion, restlessness, or agitation.

Also, the National Institute of Health defines Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as: is a type of anxiety disorder. It can occur after you've seen or experienced a traumatic event that involved the threat of injury or death.

Clearly, TBI and PTSD are two separate and very different conditions that should require two separate and very different approaches. One is a physical injury to the brain whereas the other is not. In my opinion, the care team should include different specialists for each of these conditions. I am not a medical professional and I can see the difference.

I have heard that many of the behavioral issues after a TBI are due to a frontal lobe injury. http://neuroskills.com defines the function of the frontal lobe as: The frontal lobes are considered our emotional control center and home to our personality.

A question comes to mind: How many PTSD are frontal lobe injuries? Or, how many frontal lobe injuries are taken as PTSD?

Bottom line: TBI and PTSD are obviously two separate and very different conditions.

I leave you all with the question: Why are these two conditions are being forced to be "married"?

Traumatic Brain Injury: Feeling Useless or Unproductive?

noreply@blogger.com (TBI Warrior) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 19:02:00 +0000

Many times after a Traumatic Brain Injury we feel as if we are not good with anything. In my experience this is a feeling that comes and goes. From my personal stand point, at times I feel it becomes very difficult to engage on things. Most importantly, it is those things that others expect us to do but we cannot find a motivation or a drive to get our hands on the given tasks. I have to say that even utilizing the compensatory strategies it is hard to find that drive or motivation. Everything seems to be a lot of work. Even the things we used to enjoy before the injury. I experience these feelings quite frequently.

I have learned to go around my impairments in a way that I do not focus on them. There are some areas that are what makes us functional, those I do face with courage. At the end we want to achieve complete independence, with or without impairments.

So, how to feel useful and productive?

The answer lies within our own selves. What works for me is not going to work for everybody, but it can give you a general idea on how to to avoid such feelings. I always try to focus on the things I can do well, and set a goal on a daily basis. This set goal is one that can be achieved, is realistic and can be measured once completed.

For example:
I like to write and journal. Let's say today my goal was to write this post. Since I have been doing it for a while it has become something that does not take that much effort. As soon as I finish writing it I will be able to see that I achieved what I had planned. As for realistic, my goal was to write a blog post, I did not set myself the goal of writing a book or an essay today. In no way that can be a realistic goal, it is not likely that I will be able to complete that goal in one morning or one day. It do not matter how many road blocks or struggles I find on my road today, at least I can say that I accomplish one task and one goal.

In my opinion feeling productive has a lot to do with what we accomplish in a day. Accepting our limitations is a crucial part of overcoming feelings of uselessness. We have to set those goals that we know we can achieve. Setting goals that are too hard or close to impossible will bring those feelings we do not like and we want to avoid.

So, how do I succeed at accomplishing what others require me to do? My life has become about setting goals and accomplishing them. I have created a task list that goes by days and deadlines. Every morning I look at the tasks for the day. As I accomplish any given task I cross out the task as completed. My goal every day is to clear the tasks that I have on my list. At the end of the day I have a great feeling when I see my list being cleared. When I am not able to clear it, I still feel good because when I look back I can say that I accomplish many things in the day.

Every Traumatic Brain Injury is different, I know that compensating is different for all. I hope that my experiences and strategies can be helpful in achieving success.

No matter how your day goes, always remember that "IT WILL GET BETTER".

Speech to the Miners at the University of Texas at El Paso

noreply@blogger.com (TBI Warrior) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 02:50:00 +0000

Hi all. This afternoon Roxana and I had the opportunity to address the women's basketball team at the University of Texas at El Paso. Needless to say it was a very gratifying experience. We shared the floor with a person that survived a car accident caused by a drunk driver. Him along with his wife and two children shared their survival experience with the team. The audience as well as Roxana and I were deeply moved by their story.
I spoke about my injury as well as coping skills, hope, and motivation. Also during the speech we addressed how life can change in the split of a second. The audience was you and energetic. I was humbled to see how my words had caught their attention.
As their season approaches we were ask to talk to them to help the come into focus and motivation for the upcoming games.
They could clearly understood that besides the blessing of being able to play their sport, there are opportunities that present in our lives that should not be taken for granted. I included in my speech my perspective of a team and leadership. I told them that the principles applied in the military for the execution of missions could be applied to the game of basketball. In order to be successful they needed to understand that they have to know each member of the team. They need to be able to know what the other is thinking when no words are spoken. I addressed that regardless of winning or loosing they always needed to play the best game possible. Life is not easy as the games are not going to be easy. But they had to play their best game every time.
At the end they seemed motivated and I think the goal of the event was met. Roxana mentioned something that stuck on them as well as on me. She said "The opportunities of today will define your future".
They named us honorary coaches of the team. I am honored and humbled by the opportunity.
Good luck to the Miners during this season. Go Miners!

September: Suicide Prevention Month

noreply@blogger.com (TBI Warrior) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 03:31:00 +0000

Hi everybody. September is the Suicide Prevention Month. Many days in our lives are busy, rushed and at the end we wish we had more time to accomplish more. At the same time we are going through our regular days, some people are going through an extremely irregular day because they might be contemplating the idea of suicide. When was the last time you looked at all those around you and wonder if they are in need of help? The National statistics (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db64_fig5.png) are alarming. In 2009, there were approximately 11,838 suicides. That is a significant number. In my opinion, 1 or 11,838, is significant when we are talking about suicides.

How can we prevent suicide? Regardless of our social status, job position, age, ethnicity, gender, political affiliation, etc, we should be taking care of those to our left and right. We should be talking to them and be concerned if we see any sign of suicides. As we see this signs we should become an instrument of hope, support and information.

There is a very famous quote by Charles F. Browne "We can't all be Washingtons, but we can all be patriots". In suicides, one cannot prevent all but we can all prevent one. It is sad to see that a life is so hopeless that they contemplate suicide as an option. It deeply saddens me when I learn through the media that somebody has committed suicide. There is a lot that all of us can do to help prevent such deaths.

There are resources that by us knowing we can share with those in need. Nationally we have the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the Veterans Crisis Lifeline, the Defense Centers of Excellence, Real Warriors, churches, chaplains, among many others.

Let's do our part!

Let's put our grain of sand!

Let's be people of action!

Let's help others!

Let's be instrument of change and support!

One life lost is too much!

Sleep Problems After a Traumatic Brain Injury?

noreply@blogger.com (TBI Warrior) — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 16:19:00 +0000

Yesterday a friend contacted me and mentioned that he couldn't sleep
well after his head injury, which is the reason why I am writing this
today. The things I am about to mention are based on my personal
experience. I am not a medical professional but I can tell you that I
know first hand what a brain injury is.
Immediately after I sustained a brain injury I had sleep issues. The
issue that stood out the most was that I could not sleep enough. I
went from being a person that could sleep a few hours, waking up full
of energy to a person that could not get enough sleep. That was one
of the first signs that those around me noticed. When it was time to
wake up, the alarm would be going off for hours and I could not hear
it. I would sleep twelve plus hours. This is an issue is an ongoing
today but I have disciplined myself to avoid any oversleeping.
I have heard from other TBI survivors that their problem is the
opposite. They cannot sleep. This has happened to me but the most
common for me is not being able to wake up in the morning.
Sleep is something that more than a need it is a process. For this
process to happen optimally we have to understand that we have to
control and adjust our environment. I know that many have TV sets in
the bedroom. This is not recommended but at the same time it is
something that many of us are extremely used to. The question now is:
what are you watching prior to sleeping? Are you watching Law and
Order? Are you watching a news channels? Watching programs as such
affect the amount of time I need to fall asleep. Many of us are
dependent of the TV, one thing that has worked for me is to watch
documentaries. Not the type that show the gangs or people fighting in
prison. I watch the type of documentaries that involve nature,
especially those that involve the ocean. This type of programs make me
feel some kind of relaxation. Last week I watched Oceans, a
documentary produced by Disney. I found this one very soothing. It
got me so relaxed that I even fell asleep watching it.
Other things Roxana and I do is that we keep our bedroom very clean
and organized. In order for me to have a pleasant sleep, I need the
environment to be peaceful. I honestly don't believe that having a
mess can contribute or help for a good night sleep.
Once we are ready to go to sleep, we turn on a water fountain and the
recording of a thunderstorm. I grew up in a place that thunderstorm
were almost a daily event. The recording I have sounds exactly like
the TStorms back at home. We leave the fountain and the TStorm
recording run all night long. With that I rarely wake up in the
middle of the night.
I have met other people that use things like guided imagery or
meditation before going to sleep. According to them it works greatly.
If you are having sleep problems this can be another tool to
experiment with.
I have heard also, that avoiding looking at the clock while trying to
sleep is helpful. So, I recommend to put the clock in a way you can't
see it. I use my phone as a clock at night. When is time to sleep I
flip it upside down.
In my opinion, good sleep hygiene does not involve only the act of
sleeping but is a process that includes the person and the
environment. A neat environment can contribute to feeling at ease.
Only you know what bothers you and what might help. Others can only
offer advice.
Remember, that after a brain injury we have to adjust the environment
to maintain our independence. The same goes to sleep. We have to make
adjustments to succeed at having a good night sleep. Keep trying and
you will see that you will succeed.

IT WILL GET BETTER

TBI Warrior Launches New Redesigned and Improved Webpage

noreply@blogger.com (TBI Warrior) — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 16:58:00 +0000

http://www.tbiwarrior.com ~ During the past several months I gave some thought on how to improve the TBI Warrior webpage. On the new webpage you will find Forums. Users will be able to share, ask, answer, or just simply connect with others in the Traumatic Brain Injury community. I encourage survivors, caregivers and care providers to introduce themselves and network with others in the community.
You will also find a redesigned News tab. Here you will find the latest headlines Related to the care and treatment of TBIs.
Aside from the forums there is a "Share Your Story" area. Here, Survivors or Caregivers, Military or Civilians, can write and publish their own story.
The new page has a military look but is NOT limited to military and veterans. Bottom line, regardless of your mechanism of injury, a head injury is a head injury. We all have symptoms that manifest differently but they can be categorized within same categories. Military and civilians possess the power to support each other.
Feel free to stop by the webpage and submit any feedback to info@tbiwarrior.com.

"IT WILL GET BETTER"

Brain Injury (TBI) Rehab In The Military: A Firsthand Look to the National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE)

noreply@blogger.com (TBI Warrior) — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 05:22:00 +0000

After a long trip on the Washington DC Metro from King Street I arrived at the Medical Center station. Arriving was a relief until I saw the never ending stairway to heaven. The escalator was so steep I had to hang to the handrails with both hands. As soon as I started moving up the escalator I felt my balance getting unstable. I avoided looking up or down. I simply kept a steady stare at the few steps right in front of me. After a long trip I arrived to the light and the city once again unveiled in front of my eyes. The first thing I saw was the National Health Institute building, a little farther pass the NIH was an intersection that will take me right to the gate of the Naval Hospital. I proceeded to show my ID to gain access to the hospital grounds.

Once I was inside the Naval Hospital compound I saw to my right the marvelous structure that houses the National Intrepid Center of Excellence or NICoE as many know it. I had heard about the NICoE program in the past, but nothing prepared me for what I was about to see. I was blessed to tour the facility and see firsthand what the NICoE is about.

Walking through a set of glass double doors, I could feel the relaxing environment that is created for Service Members to feel at ease. The structure is curved with no straight lines; I could not see any corners in the structure either. It is pleasant just to look at and appreciate inside. Throughout my tour I had the opportunity to meet a committed group of providers. Just by the way they talk and conduct themselves I could sense their level of knowledge, compassion, care, and understanding of what Traumatic Brain Injury is.

As I was brought to each of the areas, I was amazed by the technology they use to give treatment to so many TBI survivors. They have the most advanced technologies for assessment and therapy I have ever seen. Almost everything I saw made me feel as if I was getting cared for in a video game. Many Veterans that have sustained a brain injury overseas are young and of the video game generation. I can see the benefit of such advancements in the care of TBIs.

Just to mention a few things that I saw firsthand include:

· A driving simulator with an actual car cabin that features interactive roads that appear on screens in front of the simulator.

· A Fire Arms Training Simulator. Right now the NICoE’s mission is to return service members to active duty, so this is important step in getting Soldiers and Marines comfortable with their weapons again. All weapons are coded out weapons that have a Bluetooth system adapted to them (non firing weapons). These weapons are fired to a big screen featuring many different ranges and scenarios. Sort of a realistic video game.

· Virtual Iraq and Afghanistan. Here Service Members are given goggles that allow them to immerse themselves in a virtual battlefield. As they move their heads the images within the goggles move. They also have a device that produces the smell of the battlefield we operate on. It may be used in the future in a virtual re-immersion therapy method, placing the Service Member back in the experience where he/she initially sustained the TBI, allowing doctors to more accurately assess the individual needs of each patient.

· I could see from a distance a room that had a Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment (CAREN). It is one of the eight in the world and features a motion platform, embedded treadmill, and virtual environments for evaluating and rehabilitating a patient’s vision, reaction time, gait and multi-tasking ability. This amazing technology also is meant to treat the vestibular system that causes balance problems to so many of us. One stands on this platform as it moves at the same time an IMAX type screen displays the virtual environment in front of them. (Pretty cool!!!)

· The gym where physical therapy takes place is a state of the art area with lots of space and advanced exercise equipment. It has a harness that hangs from ceiling rails to help those with balance problems or injured (or missing) limbs.

· The structure has an apartment built in it. This area targets rehab in household task, i.e. preparing meals, doing laundry, etc.

· There is an amazing conference room that is equipped with projectors to present images in 3D.

· The NICoE also features a place called Central Park where there is an indoor labyrinth, a huge natural skylight, lots of plants and places to sit and relax. It also has different terrains, from rocky to bumpy terrains, this can be useful for the retraining of visual and balance problems.

· The NICoE also is practicing “Family Centered Care”. The entire care program is built around the patient and their family (could be Mom, Dad, brother or sister, Aunt, Uncle, boyfriend or girlfriend. The “family members” are determined by the patient).

I have to conclude that I am amazed and thoroughly impressed by the advancement that has been accomplished in the care of Traumatic Brain Injuries. I could clearly see that the military is viewing those invisible injuries with a sense of seriousness and commitment. If centers like NICoE succeed in the care of these injuries, it should be replicated across the Nation, not only throughout the military but also throughout the civilian sector too. The technology is useful, but not alone, it takes compassion and understanding from those providing the care. And the NICoE has a strong blend of military providers who know what it’s like to be deployed, as well as some of the brightest civilian doctors in the country. We are all part of a historical time that is revolutionizing the care TBIs. We have come far, but definitely the road ahead holds endless possibilities and infinite successes. Congratulations to Dr. James Kelly and the staff at the National Intrepid Center of Excellence for a job well done! Your commitment sets the example for many to follow.

Different Terrains in Doors

Balance Training

Driving Training

*****The above images were obtained through open source online. The were altered by me to protect the privacy of the individuals.*****

Do you see yourself as a VICTIM after a brain injury?

noreply@blogger.com (TBI Warrior) — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 04:01:00 +0000

******This blog is part of http://www.tbiwarrior.com

Dear friends, I hope you are all doing great and that you are having a wonderful week. A few months back I met a fellow Veteran online and the first email he sent me was a one liner. It was the question: Do you see yourself as a VICTIM? Needless to say, many thoughts rushed through my head. Among the thoughts was: "Who the hell this guy thinks he is?". It only took me a few minutes to reflect on the question. Today I thank him for that question. He really made me think and see my inner self.
Do I see myself as a victim? The answer is NO. Life is not easy and many time the card we are dealt is not the card we want for our next play. It is my philosophy that regardless of the hand life plays me I am going to make the best game possible. Victim for me is a moment in time. A moment that comes and goes, or better to say it is a moment that comes and we have to let it go. Life is about decisions. For me is: either I choose to move forward and get the best out of my condition or I stand still and let the condition get all out of me. I choose to move forward. I cannot rewrite my past, but for sure I can write my future. I was successful before the injury and I will be successful after the injury.
As a Soldier I learned to stand up and fight for what's just and for others. I am going to do what the Soldier in me learned. I am going to help as many people as I can. I always tried to be the best example for those under me, and today I am going to be an example for many more. Is TBI the end? Hell no. At least not for me. This is a new beginning. This is my second chance. This is the new me.
Today I encourage you to see your present situation as your chance. This is the chance, this is the moment, this is your time to write your story. A story of how many lives were changed because of you. This is your story, you are the star.

Ask yourself this question: Am I a VICTIM? What am I going to do about it?

God Bless you all!!!

*******This blog is part of http://www.tbiwarrior.com

TBI Rehabilitation: Hitting the Wall

noreply@blogger.com (TBI Warrior) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 20:16:00 +0000

Neurorehabilitation is the best treatment after a brain injury. This rehabilitation is a comprehensive and holistic approach to create new pathways in the brain and heal the aftermath of this type of injury. It includes speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, nurses, social workers and psychologists. Cognition problems are prevalent among TBI survivors. In rehab they'll teach new ways of thinking and how to compensate for the loss. Balance problems are addressed by physical therapy. Any behavioral issues, i.e. frustration, sadness, depression etc are addressed by the social worker or psychologist.
During the first few months of rehabilitation we experience big improvements in almost all areas. Then the improvement rate starts to slow down. In my experience here is where the lingering effects become noticeable. The process slows down but there is improvement happening. I'm at the stage that I don't see improvement. After 12 months of rehabilitation I think I'm probably reaching my optimum benefit from therapy. I still have many issues that are obvious but I don't see significant changes happening. I've been thinking: maybe this is it, I'm ready to go on my own. There is an underlying frustration that may be there forever, I don't know.
I am happy with my progress. If this is the card that life played me then I'll make the best game possible with it. Looking to my left and right I can say that I'm lucky. It all could've been worse, I could've died. Instead here I am writing to you. That alone is a blessing that some BI survivors don't have. I count my blessings and they outnumber my problems or issues by far.
May I be hitting the wall? Am I as recovered as I'll be? I don't know. There is only one way to find out and that is keep moving forward without looking back.
If you feel like leaving a comment, please do so and share you experience. Did you hit the wall?

Thanks.
"IT WILL GET BETTER"
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

TBI Support Network: Advice and Encouragement at the Right Time

noreply@blogger.com (TBI Warrior) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 05:47:00 +0000

***This blog is part of http://www.tbiwarrior.com
Hello friends. I hope everybody is doing fine. Motivation and initiative have been an issue for me in the past several months. It is because of this why you see my blog posts not as often as I used to. It is something I'm working on. Sometimes I ask myself: where did I go? At times I feel as if I have to get to know me as if I have just met me. One thing I notice about Traumatic Brain Injuries is that it never stops to bring a new surprise. As much as I try to avoid doing things as the old me, there is always that desire of trying. I do get to try but in the process I see that I either have to modify the way of doing it or simply just can't do it and have to accept the limitations.
So, we got that TBI brings unexpected things with it. Many of the surprises are not easy to accept emotionally. If you are new to this injury expect for it to be a rollercoaster. The hardest thing about all this is coping with it. So, how do we cope? Please know that I am a work in progress and I am relatively new to this life. Back to coping. It is my personal experience that one will cope as good as the Support Network is. Yes, I think that external elements are what makes coping less hard.
Take me for example. I was a confident, motivated, energetic, analytical, among many other characteristics (some good, some bad, lol). After the injury all those were affected if not completely gone. During the initial stages of the injuries my insights were unclear as well as my views on things or events. There was anger, frustration, sadness, etc. Obviously, I was unable to cope without help. The support network is the element that make this possible. It is because of my wife that I was able to cope and move forward past obstacles. Her encouragement, understanding and level of love and caring made this possible. She would help me comprehend events, causes and effects. She would talk to me about ways to cope but never did it for me. She guided me but I was the one that had to put forth effort to move forward. To a certain extent is like she was my cheerleader on the sideline.
I undertand that not everybody suffering from this injury has a spouse or a partner. Your support can come from a friend, family, or even a provider.
As I express before I have been dealing with some issues that come from the mourning process of not been able to continue doing what I love doing, which is Soldiering. I am facing the end of my military career and that brings many emotions. I'm coping with it as best as I can. Thankfully I have Roxana and very special friends. Among my friends I have to highlight Tracy. Tracy and I met online and met in person only once. He is the person that wrote the meditation article on tbiwarrior.com. He is a person that is always there and always has a word of encouragment and wisdom. Just tonight I received and email from him.
Tracy (http://www.tracyquantum.com) wrote on his message:
"My beloved friend, do not see your transition as failure. In fact it's an opportunity to move into something 'Greater'. You have been molded to be who you are because greatness lies in your inherent nature. More importantly, GOD is calling you to be the voice of TBI's. What's about to happen to you this year will astound you."
"Because of you, you have impacted more lives than you could possibly imagine. You are still serving your country, but in a larger role."
"You have impacted me in ways,which you have no idea. You are such an instrument of magnificence and honor to the world."
"See this as new opportunity to become more of who you are. Greatness is your core Nature. And more importantly, love every part of your exquisite self. Even the parts that you seemingly don't like…also the parts when you don't feel like talking, depress, hopeless, and despair…or challenges with your beloved brain. When you can acknowledge these feelings, it starts the healing process to a New Awakening. It is perfectly fine. Because when you can appreciate every emotion and feeling, you're on the road to recovery my beloved friend."
I am blessed by having such a great friend just a phone call away. As I said before, the people in your support network can be anybody. The only two things they need to have to help is caring and compassion. As Tracy said, whenever you are not feeling well, reach out to others. It is alright to talk and more. Behind the wall we see as obstacle today lies a long road. The goal is to move forward leaving the obstacle behind.
***This blog is part of http://www.tbiwarrior.com
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Surviving Traumatic Brain Injury: Resolution 2011: Managing Frustration

noreply@blogger.com (TBI Warrior) — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 18:35:00 +0000

*** This blog is part of http://www.tbiwarrior.com

I hope everybody had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I took a break last month to refocus and rest. It was great. I was able to spend some quality time with Roxana. We didn't travel this past holiday. We stayed at home to make it a holiday of just me and her. We had some wonderful times and enjoyed every second of our time. Our relationship is growing stronger with every moment that passes. We treasure our time together today just like it has been for 15 years.
One thing I have to work on this year is to better manage the feeling of frustration and sadness. This is caused by the abrupt change that happened in my life since the injury. At times I think that it probably was better if I couldn't remember how I was pre-injury. But that is not my reality. I remember exactly how I was. I remember having photographic memory, I remember not having to open a book to get an A in college, I remember reading a 600 page book in a few nights, I remember running 8 miles a day, I remember how successful I was. Looking at this I can see is a pretty hard truth to swallow. I've been adjusting my life to make it as enjoyable as it can get. I'm comfortable with it. After adjusting my life the harder part is seeing it as a new normal. Sometimes I think I can do things as if nothing happened and I fail. This adjustments seem to never stop. I have to remind me every day to use cognitive strateegies. It seems at time like it doesn't sink in. All this adjustments bring a daily frustration and sadness. I wouldn't call it depression, I am resilient and avoid being disengaged from things and people. I see the reality and I'm conscious of my limitations. The frustration and sadness takes a toll in my relationships because as much as I try to leave it outside the house it comes in with me. I try to hide it but Roxana knows me to well to know that I'm not ok. If you have dealt witha Traumatic Brain Injury survivor you know that we can't control some things. This is a resolution I have for this new year. To cope and manage the frustration better so it don't affect my relationships.
In other subjects, I'm back in full force and energized to keep pushing with this mission. My goal is to be able to help as many people as I can. To come up with innovative ideas to bring together the TBI community. I have in plans the establishment of a foundation among many other things. Just by stopping by and reading this blog is a great support to me and many others. Together we can make a better world for those families surviving brain injuries.
Thank you!
IT WILL GET BETTER

*** This blog is part of http://www.tbiwarrior.com
Victor Medina
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After a Traumatic Brain Injury: Stages of Healing

noreply@blogger.com (TBI Warrior) — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 17:57:00 +0000

***THIS BLOG IS A PAGE AT http://www.tbiwarrior.com

In general, after a Traumatic Brain Injury a few stages of healing happen. Most of them are driven by our inner person. The first stage is unconscious denial. Here is when, in my opinion, everybody notices something wrong with us, but we don’t notice it. As an example, in the early stages of my injury, others would tell me that I was acting very different, and that I would forget simple instructions, that I just simply could not put things together, that I could see or talk normally or that I could not balance well. Even though they mentioned to me how I was behaving, I did not see it and I did not take it serious. All through this stage, there were some doubts in my mind, and I kind of saw all they were mentioning as a blur, I could not see it clearly.

The second stage is what I will call the shocking truth. Here is when after going to extensive clinical testing we start to accept the presence of an injury or that there is something different. Here is when I first really saw that I was having cognitive problems. It was at this stage that I became extremely frustrated because I saw I could not remember simple things, not even a three line story or a list of five words. At this stage I became irritated when others would point out deficiencies. Keep in mind that here there is a shock but yet there is no acceptance.

I will call the next stage the race against a ghost. Most of us have a clear memory of how we were and at this point we could see the deficiencies. We could see how annoying is not been able to balance ourselves, remember things, not understanding what we read, basically not been proficient at anything. As rehabilitation happens, we maintain a focus on trying to be who we were. I had put a lot of energy in attempting to be who I was. I was trying to rush thru everything so I could get back to work. There was still no acceptance of the severity of the problem at hand. I was taking it as if it was a flu or cold. Everything I did I tried to remember how I had done prior to the injury and I would fail. Instead of learning new ways I was trying to perform as if nothing had happened.

The fourth stage is sadness, grief, and anger. Sadness and grief will happen all through the healing process. As a result of us witnessing our new acquired problems and our inability to perform how we used too, we start grieving and asking ourselves many questions. I would ask myself: Why me? Will I ever get to be how I was? How long is going to take? Do others see me different? What am I going to do now? At this point we all have been seen by many clinicians and at least one of them has mentioned that it could be a behavioral problem, PTSD or depression. We know is not mental, but by them mentioning that, it raises more questions inside us like: Am I going crazy? Those doubts should never be put on our heads as it makes all this process harder to deal with.

The next stage is acceptance. After dealing with the sadness, grief and anger, we then have to see things as they are. Nobody can change the past. We have to deal with the card that life played us. At this point we see the severity of the injury and we realize that denial just makes it worse. Here is when we are trying to make the best of our new found reality. We start to put all efforts in our rehabilitation and try to work with a better outlook in life. The real healing and rehabilitation starts at this stage. Here we try to gain our independence back, we learn how to set attainable goals that would minimize frustration, and we start learning about our condition. After a brain injury acceptance is what gives us clarity of what is it that we are dealing with. We start owning our injury at this stage. We try to make the best out of it, the only downside during this stage is that ownership of the injury has not really happened yet.

The last stage is healing through ownership. At this stage is when we take control of our condition and we know exactly what our impairments are. We try to find what works best to balance the losses. We find new ways to cope and do things. We see that attainable goals bring a sense of accomplishment and success. We see ourselves as tools to help others and help them in their healing journey. In this stage is when most of us have a new found purpose in life, which normally involves helping others.

Thanks!

IT WILL GET BETTER

Disclaimer: This article is based on my experience. I am not a clinician and I am not pretending to be one.

***THIS BLOG IS A PAGE AT http://www.tbiwarrior.com

Traumatic Brain Injury Healing: Selfless Health Professional Become Part of my Support Network: Dr. Rachel Lacy and Tracy Quantum

noreply@blogger.com (TBI Warrior) — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 22:40:00 +0000

*This Blog is now a page of http://www.tbiwarrior.com/

Last week Roxana and I traveled to the city of Atlanta, GA for the wedding of Erika Porter, and we took the opportunity to spend Thanksgiving Day with her and her family. Some of you may remember that Erika Porter was my Platoon Leader in Iraq at the time when I was wounded. We enjoyed every minute with her and her family, and needless to say we ate a lot. She had a beautiful wedding, we were very happy to be there with them.

During that trip, we also had the opportunity to meet some of the most selfless, compassionate, knowledgeable, loving, and committed health professionals. One of the days we had lunch with Dr. Rachel Lacy and her husband. Her sensibility and ability to listen are a true reflection of her commitment and dedication to the Traumatic Brain Injury survivors and their family. Rachel and I met over the social networks last summer, and the time I spent with her last week it felt as if knew each other for a long time. Dr. Lacy holds a very special place in my life as she was the very first person to support me on my efforts to bring brain injury awareness. She never shut her door on me, on the contrary she always offered to help and advice. Dr. Rachel Lacy is a great asset to the TBI community, her extensive experience and education makes her a blessing to any TBI surviving family, military, veteran, or civilian.

I want to share with you Dr. Lacy’s background and education. She is “is a licensed psychologist trained in working with people who have acquired brain injuries, chronic pain, chronic medical conditions, and various psychological disorders.” Her “credentials include a Master’s in Guidance and Counseling from the University of Georgia, and Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Clinical Psychology from Georgia School of Professional Psychology /Argosy University. She received specialized training in neuropsychological assessment from Emory Center for Rehabilitation Medicine and completed her internship in neuropsychology and behavioral medicine at the University of Miami Medical School/ Jackson Memorial Hospital. Her two year post-doctoral residency was completed at The Center for Cognitive Rehabilitation in Decatur, Georgia under the supervision of Stephen J. Johnson, Ph.D., ABPP, and John R. Sass, Ph.D. Dr. Lacy is a member of the American Psychological Association, National Academy of Neuropsychology, International Neuropsychological Society, American Academy of Pain Management, and National Register of Health Service Providers”.

If you want to know more about Dr. Rachel Lacy visit http://renewedbrain.com/.

During the same trip last week I also had the opportunity to meet Tracy Dyson, better known as Tracy Quantum. He does not only possess a personal inspirational story but he has great techniques to achieve resiliency, regardless of the situation. I also met Tracy over social networks about 3 months ago and he selflessly offered to help me on my personal healing journey. By him offering this for me, I knew that he was a great person but when I got to meet him in person I realized that “great” was an understatement. He is a superb human being with a great sensibility and with a personal mission of helping others including myself. His happiness irradiates from him and is extremely contagious. Tracy is an extremely selfless person; he is focused in helping and motivating others. Tracy Quantum helps people in many ways. Among his expertise are meditation, motivation, and self help. His personal attributes add effectiveness and quality to his work. Even with the short time I got to spend with him, I can conclude that Tracy Quantum is a great resource to help others achieve resiliency because he can understand emotional trauma from personal experience. He is a believer that healing occurs from the inside out.

So you know a little about Tracy Quantum, let me take the opportunity to share who is him: “Tracy Dyson is one of the world’s leading experts on meditation in business. Tracy is a meditation coach, motivational speaker and self-help innovator in the development of human potential and personal effectiveness. He delivers simple yet profound message for increasing the quality of life for every person on the planet through sustainability. As a motivational speaker, Tracy utilizes his personal story to inspire international, statewide and national audiences. Not aligned with any particular religion or tradition, Tracy credits his business and personal success to consistent meditation and intense study of both quantum and metaphysics. A student of Meditation, Quantum Mechanics and Metaphysics for over 15 years, Tracy has won numerous awards in the corporate sector, where he worked for over 20 years.”

To know more about Tracy Quantum visit http://www.tracyquantum.com/.

It was a blessing to go to Atlanta last week. Not only I had the chance to spend time with a very special friend, but I had the blessing to meet these great human beings. Meeting passionate, dedicated, and selfless people is always a blessing. People like the Dr. Lacy and Tracy Quantum are out there to help us and support us during the recovery and healing from Traumatic Brain Injury. I am honored and joyful to say they are part of my Support Network. It is because of people like them that I always say: IT WILL GET BETTER!!!!

Roxana, Erika, and I

Dr. Rachel Lacy and I

Tracy Quantum and I

*This Blog is now a page of http://www.tbiwarrior.com/

How Change Begins? The New Military Perspective on Traumatic Brain Injury

noreply@blogger.com (TBI Warrior) — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 07:03:00 +0000

Hi all. I know there have been quite a few weeks since I wrote in this blog. There have been several reasons as to why I have not written. I will share them with you in the upcoming posts. Today I wanted to share with you how the military is changing their views, treatment and prevention of Traumatic Brain Injuries. As we know there are several thousands of Service Members and Veterans that have return from Operation Inraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom with such injury. Their life has been altered as a result of the brain injury and the least we could do is treat the injury as what it is: an injury. Historically throughout different conflicts, the military have encountered issues with new unexpected injuries. The good thing is that also, historically the recognition of these unexpected injuries have been achieved. Injuries like Post Traumatic Stress and the neurological injuries from the Agent Orange in Vietnam have faced a battle for recognition and care. Same has happened with Traumatic Brain Injuries in recent conflicts.
As many of you know, I was a victim of these systematic issues that arise from these unexpected injuries. I will not deny that it caused pain, frustration, sadness, and a feeling of being left alone. Thanks to my support network and providers I was able to overcome these feelings and obstacles. As I see the bright future ahead, I encourage other Veterans to avoid taking this issue personal. Change will happen. Thankfully, medical professionals like Dr. James Kelly are leading this mindset makeover. And not only the efforts will make it better for us, but also they will make it better for all those following behind us. I wanted to share a video in which Dr. James Kelly, explains the efforts to change the culture and mindframe of the military in regards to Traumatic Brain Injuries.
*****This blog is now part of http://www.tbiwarrior.com stop by, visit us and follow us. Thanks *****

T.B.I…how do you see it?

noreply@blogger.com (TBI Warrior) — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 02:41:00 +0000

It has been a while since I last wrote something...I mean something this meaningful. A couple of weeks ago, I read your blog and you describe yourself as a person who is rediscovering your abilities and understanding who you have become. You identified yourself as “The Born Identity”, because after your experience you consider yourself as reborn again. Same with “David Webb” who now is “Jason Borne” because he does not associate with Webb’s past. You had a point and a very good one, so it made me thought about it a little more…
T-B-I… for most of the population are just initials, some letters, or speculation of what it might be…To Be Identified, True But Intriguing, Total Body Irradiation, True Body Injury, The Big Idea, Those Bearing Imbalance, The Burden Insufferable, The Breaching Interrupted, and it is ultimately Terrible But Insightful...I can go on and on, but they all have some suitability to it and no matter how you see it they all spell Traumatic Brain Injury. Everybody have a name for it, you called it The Born Identity, but I decide that for me it is Tough But Inspirational…
Most of you feel hopeless, but the reality is that you are stronger than you think; you are alive to account it and willing to surpass it, if that doesn’t say STRONG, then what does? I have read so many stories about the struggle, about the endurance, that I believe we should give a medal to the ARMY wives for their sacrifice and service to this Nation as well.
Traumatic Brain Injury is in fact an injury, whether it can be seen or not. It takes a toll on everyone involved in the process of recovery. I hear your struggle, I see your endurance, and I witnessed the pain from afar, and I can honestly tell you that if I admired you before because of the sacrifice you decided to make, now I am very proud of what you have become. Most of the people that now follow you have not seen you before the incident, did not know you before this battle, and can see what we have seen from the beginning…a honest, fighting, and relentless person. You are true to what you are, you love being a soldier.
Even if the injury cannot be seen, it is real and it affects more than the others. I believe that if you have an amputated arm or leg, you do not have to constantly prove it or convinced everyone that it has affected your life; you don’t need to struggle for everyone to understand that your leg is no longer there and that your state of mind is not about depression, because you are physically missing something, and that everyone understands. But for TBI patients, what I can see is that they have to prove it beyond the reasonable doubt that all their symptoms (which are many and different case by case) are related to this incident, that all the struggle is not a mere fake, and that every frustration is not related to depression.
I can honestly say that there is much more to learn about this monster and we as family need to stick together in this. Be aware that even if as a family you were alone for that period of time, that your soldier was too and in worst circumstances to surpass. When he/she returns home, be able to adapt and overcome the new perspective in life, be able to restart and reboot. This is only possible in a joint effort, be able to understand in that first year because most of the problems that I see is because they do not have a healthy support group coming back home, sometimes they are not able to process or behave the way they want or the way they were, it is a struggle for all to fit in, but with perseverance, love, and prayers God makes it all worthwhile.
I am not a soldier, I am not an army-wife, I am not a mother of a soldier, I am as close as a sister-in-law can get to a soldier and very far away from you to be able to personally support you. But I can tell you this…as long as I live, you will be family, I will be supporting you, and join you in the effort for this to be known, considered, and overcome.
I leave you with a quote which I love and think it fits you…
Good timber does
not grow with ease;
The stronger the wind,
The stronger the trees.
-J.Williard Marriott
With love, Melissa =)

Blast Induced Traumatic Brain Injury Explained

noreply@blogger.com (TBI Warrior) — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 16:23:00 +0000

Before my Brain Injury, I did not know what a TBI was, I never heard about it before. There are multiple researches that target to discover new things on brain injuries, from explanations to rehabilitation. It is obvious that our technology has not catch up to the brain injuries. I know the scientific fields are making progress and I acknowledge the complexity of the matter at hand. There are many problematics that need to be researched still. I think what makes it really hard to make progress is that every brain injury is different, and many are unseen by imaging technology. Nevertheless we know what the aftermath of a brain injury as some of us experience it daily. I often see and hear about how blast induced TBI behaves differently from a sports or car accident injury. Here I share a video from Brainline.org, they explain the difference between blast injuries and sports injuries.

Traumatic Brain Injury: Stuttering Improves with Practice

noreply@blogger.com (TBI Warrior) — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 16:18:00 +0000

Sometimes I think, “how lucky I am to be one of the few to have speech disfluency after a brain injury”. Is hard for me to see the improvement but those around me tell me that I have improved a lot. Applying the speech strategies to minimize the stuttering is extremely hard. It requires a great amount of concentration and effort. After an intense fluency therapy I feel like I just ran a marathon. It is by far what gets me tired the most out of anything I do.
I remember how it was at the beginning; it was so hard to say simple things. I couldn’t order on a drive-thru. I opted to write everything on a piece of paper to be handed to the cashier at the window. Every time I tried to do it the conventional way, I often got the “Sir, could you repeat” or simply they understood something different. At times I received the wrong order but since I didn’t want to repeat myself I just took whatever they gave me.
In other instances there was the usual call to customer service. During some calls I can’t even count how many times I had to repeat myself. I even had to hang up a few times because it was so frustrating. Roxana, used to ask me to make those phone calls. I would get so upset but never said no. I wanted to take some of the burden off her shoulders. Today, I look back and I think about how much that helped me. If it wasn’t because of how she pushed me from the beginning, I probably wouldn’t be writing me today. Everything she did was to help me and for sure is paying off.
I always practice my speech strategies, when applied it comes out emotionless. If I say “I am happy” it doesn’t sound like I am happy at all. It sounds kind of like a “flatline”. I am working on that during the speech therapies. They are teaching me how to talk “normal”. I know is not going to be like it was before the injury, but I will be good with just a “normal”. I do appreciate all the effort my therapist are putting on me. They have been great in pushing me and encouraging me along the way.
In the past few months I felt like I had hit a wall. In therapy today, I felt that I was going beyond that wall. I felt a big improvement. In therapy we worked on conversations. We talked for a little over 15 minutes and I was able to do it with minimal disfluencies. Yes, it was a little emotionless but I made progress and that’s what counts. This walk is about little steps. I celebrate every little progress I get. It might seem little to some, but for me it is a huge improvement.
What is the most significant thing that stuttering took away from me? It took away my confidence. All throughout my life I have always been described by other as a person with confidence. Well, not anymore. That is something I am working on getting back every day. It has gotten better and I know it will get better than this. I used to be a Soldier that gave orders to many Soldiers in combat. I would plan important missions, and they were always flawless. Now I find myself, not being able to give orders or do any planning anymore. That is a big part of who I am. I am a Soldier. So, you can imagine the frustration of not being able to do what I like because I cannot communicate properly or efficiently.
I am sharing this with you not for pity, but so you can see it thru my eyes. It is not an easy walk. It is a road that could potentially depress anybody. I am victorious to say that I have overcome the emotional effect of a brain injury. The things that bother to me emotionally today are minimal and manageable. Sometimes I just don’t pay attention to them. I ignore them and focus on something else.
This is not an easy road. There might not be a lot of progress at once. There might only be little improvements. Last I checked “improvement” is getting better. So I will uphold my motto. “IT WILL ALL GET BETTER”.

The Next Chapter: Traumatic Brain Injury Website with a Twist of Procrastination: www.tbiwarrior.com

noreply@blogger.com (TBI Warrior) — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 16:17:00 +0000

Good Monday to all. Here I am again after a one and a half weeks of absence. Good news right now is that my pain is under control. I have had some great days with minimal pain. Last week was very busy. I focused in putting my efforts in finishing this website. This website was in development for a few months. It was my fault that it took that long. My lack of focus and initiation are to blame for my delay. Focus and initiation…. They constantly get in the way of me finishing or initiating things. I can speak from my own perspective, I have become a procrastinator after the brain injury. Before the injury I was always on point, always ahead of the game and always following thru on what I had to do. Now it takes an act of God for me to initiate some tasks. It is always the ones that come from me that get done faster. If is somebody telling me what to do… well that takes longer, or just doesn’t get done. Many time it seems like I don’t care about certain things, but that is far from reality. It is like I need a jump start to accomplish some tasks. Sometimes Roxana has to be reminding me about doing things, and she sometimes does it for months before it gets done. Now, if I don’t do it, she doesn’t do it for me. She waits for me to do it, and then she says something that makes me feel bad about the delay in my action. I get upset, but not at her, I get upset at myself for not doing what I had to do.

I have talked to several brain injury survivors, and it seems like this is an area that affects all of us in different ways. For me it has gotten better, but it is still an issue. I now try to set up reminders, on my phone, my computer and alarms to remind me about accomplishing certain obligations. It has helped. So I know it will get better.

So, here I present you the new website. I hope you all enjoy it. I knew it was going to be done sooner or later. In this case it was more of “later”. And please feel free to send any feedback. If you feel that I should change something, by all means let me know. Also, if you have any brain injury related announcement send it to me and I will post it on the “Announcements” page.

Remember, It will get better.

Blessing to all.

Traumatic Brain Injury: How it affects the brain

noreply@blogger.com (TBI Warrior) — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 01:01:00 +0000

Good Tuesday to all,

I hope everybody had a great weekend. Many of us look for explanations of how the brain is affected after a brain injury, and why we feel the way we do. I am not a doctor and have never pretended to be one, all I can talk about is what I feel, my symptoms, my experiences, and what I am doing to get better. I am a living witness and example that with proper rehabilitation a brain injury gets better. But the big question is: what really happens to the brain that causes the injury? I am presenting today a video from Brainline in which Dr. James Kelly explains what happens to the brain. He explains it in an understandable fashion. If you are watching and are a brain injury survivor, take breaks every minute or so and take notes, like I did. You don't want to miss out on this great explanation. It is detailed but yet simple. This video helped me answer some of the questions I had. Take advantage of it.
Dr. James Kelly is the Director of the National Intrepid Center of Excellence in Bethesda, MD.
See you soon.

Making a Difference: Brain Injury Center at Ventura, CA and TBI Warrior

noreply@blogger.com (TBI Warrior) — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 04:37:00 +0000

Happy Friday to all.

Last September I wrote a small article that was published by the Brain Injury Center in Ventura, CA. It is a wonderful experience to have the opportunity to meet passionate people. Last July, Mrs. Lee Staniland shared her story on the TBI Warrior page, http://bit.ly/90F0qX. It was the beginning of a powerful, meaningful and long lasting friendship. She is part of the Brain Injury Center. The Center gives hope to so many lives. They are an organization that lives by their mission statement putting those in need first. Please read this amazing statement:

"Our Mission is to encourage meaningful, productive, fulfilling lives for people who live with brain injury and their families.

The Brain Injury Center meets the needs of clients and their families/caregivers in many different places on the continuum of care. The Brain Injury Center provides support for family members when their loved one is in initial intensive stages of hospitalization. During this time, we refer families to peers who have experienced this type of trauma.

After release from rehabilitation, the Brain Injury Center provides a vital link for families and individuals discovering the services needed to live with this type of injury. We also provide support for families later in the process, when five or ten years out, they realize that their loved one is no longer in crisis and impairment will be a lifelong issue. Providing support and resources during these critical junctures is the foundation of the Brain Injury Center’s work."

I am blessed to have met such a wonderful group of Angels. Whenever I need words of advice or encouragement, Lee is always there. What a blessing! Our passion brought us together. I want to thank the Center and Lee for opening your doors and arms to me. God Bless you all!

For more information on the Brain Injury Center please visit http://www.braininjurycenter.org.

Below is the article I wrote for them. ******Click on the image to open it, maybe it need to be zoomed in a little.******

Have a great weekend.
"IT WILL ALL GET BETTER"

Video: Me after the Traumatic Brain Injury

noreply@blogger.com (TBI Warrior) — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 01:20:00 +0000

Greetings. I hope you all are well.
First let me thank you for stopping by to read this blog. Thank you for your support. The video I present here had a link on this page for quite some time. I want to share my thoughts on it. This video was shot around January/February timeframe. It is shocking for me to watch it. It presents how I was after the Traumatic Brain Injury. The amazing thing is that today many people see me and comment about how much I have improved. I do see that things are better, and a feel the improvement. I will continue to strive to get better and to help others. This is not the end, it is a new beginning. I'm not going to reach who I was, I am going to reach a new 100%. I am looking forward to continue improving, but most of all I am looking forward to help and motivate others recovering from this injuries, caregivers, and health professionals. In order to improve the treatment of Traumatic Brain Injuries, we have to see it through the injured person eyes. Their insight is priceless. Thank you for allowing me to share this with you.

See you soon!

Brain Injury: The Price Paid by Caregivers

noreply@blogger.com (TBI Warrior) — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 13:15:00 +0000

Good Wednesday.
I hope everybody is doing well today. I have been a little disconnected from writing in the past few days. I had an intense low back pain, cause by disc hernias. Apparently they were being pushed too far out. It didn't matter what position I was in it was painful, riding in a vehicle was the worst. But after seeing the chiropractor the pain started to decrease. Right now, the pain is there but thankfully I can manage. Ahhhh!!! So many things after the blast. I never had any pain, I hardly ever saw a doctor. Now that's a daily routine. I guess it is what it is!
It saddens me to see how this brain injury affects my wife. Though I try my best to be independent in all I do, sometimes Roxana has to come behind me to follow through. Roxana goes to school full time, works full time, and on top of that she manages the household and takes care of me. I am fully aware of the stress she has, and I understand it. It saddens me that I can't do more. I'll keep trying though.
As you may know there are feelings that come with a brain injury, to include frustration and grief. Even with the injury I'm very good at managing those emotions, but it gets to me at times. Realizing that I'm as good as I'm going to be has taken a big toll in my emotions, it has made me very sad. Since Roxana and I are so intimately connected, she knows even when I don't say a word. I can see that she wants to do more, but right now all she can give me is support. I'm at the point in which I'm rediscovering myself. Nobody can take the frustration away, only I have to deal with it and figure out a way to accept my new life.
It is very easy to become selfish after any severe injury. We have to see that the injury also affect those around us, especially our loved ones. Selfishness is something that needs to be avoided because it hurts our family and friends. They will feel forgotten, not loved and not cared off. As brain injury survivors we have to recognize the great support of those around us. They don't owe us anything. The injury is not their fault. This might potentially be a reason for divorce after a brain injury, so in order to succeed we have to give love to our spouses. Did you think this was going to be easy on them? Well, the answer is that it is as hard as it is for you, just in a different way.
Whenever Roxana and I see that the injury is affecting one of us emotionally, we sit down and talk about it. We always figure out ways to make it better. I do know that as a brain injury survivor sometimes it feels that we are in an abyss. The same applies to our spouses. They don't want to see their soul mate suffer or in pain.
My message today is: the brain injury is not the fault of our loved ones. Don't take it on them. Always have open channels of communication. Talk about it. Trust me it can be dealt with. Don't let yourself fall too far down into the abyss. If you are married don't forget that what affects you will affect the other. The vows say "in sickness and health", but you have to give love too.
God bless all of you!
Victor Medina
"IT WILL ALL GET BETTER"
www.tbiwarriors.blogspot.com

Do you deserve better? or Do they deserve better?

noreply@blogger.com (TBI Warrior) — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 14:39:00 +0000

Good Thursday to all. Today will be a great day!
Yesterday, I went to a hospital and because of that I am writing today.
I notice that many times hospital employees look like it bothers them to be there at work. The reality of things is that they can be of healing for many people. I understand that they might have an expertise, but the personal skills and how they treat the patients is far more healing than the expertise. A smile and a greeting have healing power. I do not mean to offend anybody, but this is what I experienced yesterday. Among the many employees I saw yesterday, there was one that caught my attention. She was a technician that was wheeling the gurney with a patient on it. She was smiling and full of energy. I could tell she was different and that she enjoys her job. I spent about 20 minutes standing in line on a hallway; she was the only hospital person I saw with such an enthusiasm.
Let me make a quick analogy: when Soldiers go to combat, we become agents of change as well as becoming the face of our Great Country overseas. As you all know, part of our job overseas is to win the hearts and minds of the local nationals. If we are having a bad day, we have to hide it. If we are not motivated on a certain day, we fake the motivation. The way we project ourselves is the way we will be perceived. Having the wrong attitude can be detrimental to the mission and potentially others could get harmed. The same way medical professionals should be. When dealing with patients they should project the best attitude possible. They play a big role in the healing process of patients. Projecting the wrong attitude could potentially delay the healing of injuries, or it can cause emotional wounds to the people.
I fully understand that is hard to deal with some patients. So patients should have the right attitude too. Many patients think they deserve it all too. They think and have expressed that they are there to be pleased and they deserve everything. Even when they have the wrong attitude. We all need to understand that it is a two way relationship. We all have to do a little to make the experiences a little better. When going to a medical appointment, leave your attitude at home. The same goes to providers, when going to work, leave your attitude at home.
Try this on you next appointment, tell them: “Good morning, how are you?” or “How’s your day going?” or “Have a good day.” I have tried it and it makes the experience so much better. It makes it a pleasant experience. It brings a comfort to the environment. It is positive for all parties.
All I expressed here is based on my experience and opinion. Do not get offended if this applies to you. Be an instrument of change!

IT WILL ALL GET BETTER.

Never Accept Defeat

noreply@blogger.com (TBI Warrior) — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 13:21:00 +0000

Good Tuesday.
I haven't written in quite a few days. My past week or so has not been the best. Based on my last post you can tell that it wasn't my better days. This past week I have been in an extreme pain due to injuries on my back and neck. It was hard to even sit down. I rested a lot during the weekend and now I feel a little better. Not pain free but better. As you all know, I was frustrated last week because of the reality I am facing. A reality that could be depressing but thanks to my God and to my wife I'm not going down that route. It saddens me but thankfully it doesn't get to a depression.
I want to make a quick pause and thank all of you that keep me in your prayers. God bless you all.
I have learned through life and military training to be a fighter. Like the Warrior Ethos says in the Soldiers' Creed: "I will never accept defeat". And I'm doing everything within my power to remain victorious in this fight. It might put me down at times, but it will not keep me down. I will get up and keep fighting. It is not about winning the battle, it is about winning the war. Feeling down or in pain, is just a battle. Healing is the war.
Like any unit in combat, the fight can keep going until all supplies are depleted. Before that happens, supplies are delivered to ensure that all operations continue without interruptions. Ever since I started feeling like my batteries were running low, there have been a massive amount of messages of support. Not only messages of encouragement, but also messages of lives that have been touched by what's presented in this page. Many emails I received from brain injury survivors. It is gratifying and a humbling experience to see that others find the information on this page useful. It is a blessing from God to be able to experience it.
I get really happy when I hear the tone on my cell phone that a new message came in. I know that the message is from one of you. The fact that I know that some of you think about me throughout your day makes me really happy. I triggers the motivation to keep going. I hope that I get to meet personally some of you. Keep the messages coming. It is life changing to read what some of you say.
I have to make another pause and thank my wife. She is part of the happy moments and the not so happy. She is my personal cheerleader. She encourages me to keep going. She makes this so painless. I do recognize that is not easy for her, but faithfully she remains there. Guiding me. Walking with me. I think of her and I get a smile on my face. Even with the injury we still laugh and have good times. Sometimes we laugh at the brain injury. Some of the things I do, I think thy are funny. Funny is an understatement, they are hilarious.
Thank you Roxana for being by my side, for understanding, and for loving me unconditionally.
My message today is: Support the brain injury survivors. Not out of pity but because your support brings healing. To the brain injury survivors, never accept defeat. Keep fighting. I know is hard but you have to keep fight.
Until next time.

Victor Medina
"IT WILL ALL GET BETTER"
www.tbiwarriors.blogspot.com