Read some of our TBI stories!
Ben has a Traumatic-Brain-Injury. He has used this occurrence to change it into a positive in his life and grow stronger as a person. Here are some wise words of wisdom from Ben:
“Suffering a major TBI can happen anywhere in the world and the consequences are grave with many medical staff offering bleak perspectives. However, with an uncompromising attitude to one’s recovery and the right support from family and friends, recovery can take many different forms. The following memoir shows how one can recover from zero to hero with an uncompromising attitude to the trajectory one can take to recovery.”
As a matter of fact, Ben has his own website: and his own book out on Amazon. We at TBITalk strongly recommend his book.
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My name is Carole K and I’m writing to tell you a little piece of my story.
My son (Billy) was in an accident six years ago, age 34, and had a traumatic brain injury. The doctors didn’t expect Billy to live. One doctor stated this was the worst case he’s ever seen. Billy had his last rites read twice. The doctors also said if Billy did live he’d be a vegetable.
Billy survived much to everyone’s amazement (not ours as we know he’s a fighter). The first two years were the hardest. Billy went to many Rehab Centers and we also spent several hours a day working with him on book work, walking, balance, etc. Every time we thought there was no further place for Billy to go for help something would come up.
In the last four months my son has progressed tremendously, he exercises three to four hours a day and we were fortunate enough to meet Rik. Rik has been doing acupuncture and electric stimulation on Billy for four months now. I truly believe if it wasn’t for Rik, Billy would still be falling, he wouldn’t be walking as good, and his speech wouldn’t be as good as it is now. Billy’s memory has also improved. We see one of his doctors once a year and this last visit the doctor was amazed at how much he progressed in speech, and walking. Billy is continuing with Rik and I do believe Billy will continue to improve.
Carole
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Many, many times while driving by I noticed the Rik’s Acupuncture sign. I kept saying to myself that I needed to stop in. I should have screeched on my brakes and stopped that very moment. I had learned to live with the pain and blamed it on the aging process. Rik has since convinced me that we do not have to live with pain.
I have felt very comfortable in his office setting. The calm colors, music and Rik himself take the fear out of acupuncture. It is the details, email reminders of my appointments, session analysis of what I’ve felt like since my last visit, health tips on food and supplements, suggested readings and the acupuncture treatments themselves. Rik himself is a calm port in a world of chaos. His caring attitudes, humor and vast knowledge is paramount in my own personal treatments and every patient’s treatment. The combination of all these elements is putting me on the path to a pain free life.
Sincerely,
Dixie L.
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My hope is to tell you a little bit about my experience to help raise awareness of the effects of concussion.
4 weeks after the TBI became the same awful day only on repeat.
The 7 months since then has been a slow battle back to normal.
Holding a conversation in a room with other people talking.
Any attempt at a bike ride outside and or on the trainer reduced me to tears,and two days spent in bed.
“Well, doc,” I said, “My career just ground to a halt, I have no way to makemoney now, my girlfriend dumped me while I was stuck in a concussion fog in adark room, and I’m 500 miles from home. I’ll do my best not to think about anyof that.” Back home, back to the dark room, back to isolation.
They’ve all helped guide me out of what was a very dark place.
I’m no longer held back by a dark room and 100BPM. For awhile, I could hikebut would need to spend the rest of the day recovering, over-sensitive to everynoise and light.
I’m building on that now, and went on a run for the first time last week.
A friend told me awhile back that a brain injury takes between a week andforever to recover from.
For some, it’s a week of headaches and feeling off, for some it’s a battle theycontinue to fight for years.
My gratitude for new friends who have helped carry me through is high, and I have a new appreciation for anyone else who has struggled with unseen enemies.
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Ann Boriskie
The I was an elementary school teacher and corporate executive, I suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury during a 1998 car crash. I was left unable to work because of chronic pain and memory loss, I struggled to heal physically and emotionally. Read more about me hitting rock bottom and my steadfast determination to overcome the obstacles in my new life.
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My name is David A. Grant. I am a husband, a father, and a son. On November 11, 2010, I was unceremoniously forced to start closing the book on my old life and begin life anew as someone with a traumatic brain injury. My brain injury is singularly the most life-changing event of my life.
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