›› Brain Injury
My 21 year old
cousin was a very talented painter and graphic artist. He had recently
moved out west to pursue employment and enjoy his freedom. He quickly
made friends, loved his work and enjoyed living within close range to
the mountains.
Unfortunately, he was out mountain biking one day. He attempted a stunt
which involved riding down a nearly vertical incline. He lost control
of his bike and flew over the handlebars, smashing his head on a rock.
Although he was wearing a helmet, he still ended up in a coma for three
months. When he finally woke up, he was a different person. He had
suffered a moderate brain injury and would never be the same.
His personality changed drastically. He went from being a shy,
sensitive and caring person, prior to the accident, to an obnoxious,
angry and confrontational young man. His family was very supportive,
but after several violent outbursts, his parents and sisters became
afraid of him.
Today, thanks to
medication, my cousin is no longer as given to these angry episodes. He
has a modest apartment in a residence for disabled persons, not far
from his family home. He works one hour a week in a local donut shop
and has been reduced to a very limited functioning capacity. All due to
his brain injury.
A couple of years after my cousin's accident, my own 23 year old sister
were driving home from work. She was in her second year of teaching at
a Montessori school - she had really found her calling. She was about
five minutes from home, on the edge of town. An older man driving a
one-ton truck, made a legal left turn just as she proceeded into an
intersection on a green light. The vehicles collided and my sister was
mashed inside of her crumpled car. Ambulance attendants had to use the
Jaws of Life to get her out of the vehicle. She was rushed to the
hospital in critical condition. Along with a broken back, shattered arm
and ankle, she also suffered a brain injury.
It's been two years
since my sister's car accident. She will likely never be able to return
to teaching. She spends most of her time in bed and is medicated to
such an extreme degree that she's basically sleeping her life away.
Prior to the accident, my sister was a very kind, loving and
compassionate person. We have noted extreme changes in her attitudes
and behavior due to the brain injury. She has great difficulty being
around children for any extended length of time. She becomes very
anxious in social settings and has demonstrated self-destructive
behavior on many occasions.
In addition, since the car accident, she has demonstrated strong signs
of Bipolar Personality Disorder, triggered by the trauma and resulting
brain injury. Her life will never be the same.
Both cases indicate the disastrous results of vehicle accidents and the
ensuing tragedy of living with a brain injury. It's a sobering reminder
to value our health and to never take for granted life as we know it.
››
A Healthy Dose of Good Advice
