10 Years

Ten years ago to this day was the day I suffered a traumatic brain injury while sitting in the front passenger seat of a Ford Taurus.  I cannot believe how much time has passed since that day and how many things have changed.  There have been celebrations, challenges and changes.

Few days go by that I do not think about the untold numbers of people that were there for me in my time of need.  Their prayers, words of encouragement and support throughout my recovery will forever be in my memory.  I have lost touch with many of them since high school for multiple reasons but I still think of them individually from time to time.

At times I pick up the journals that were kept for friends and family to write messages to me and come across posts from people I haven't thought of in a long time.  If one of those people happens to read this post, please know that you hold a special place in my memory and I thank you for being there for me. 

It's natural for friends to grow apart after school; they start families, jobs and the commonalities that once brought them together have faded.  Social networking sites like Facebook have helped to lessen the drifting of childhood friends but former friends turn into 'Facebook friends.'  Then there are the friends that you scour the internet to locate but cannot.  All of this is inevitable but still regrettable. 

I want the friends of any kind and from any time in my life to know that you have never been forgotten.  What you did for me, no matter how small, has sustained me to this very day and I pray that the Lord blesses you for your goodness.

Ten years and one day have passed since I broke up with a high school girlfriend.  Not a day goes by where I don't think about her and how she stuck by my side while I was in a coma.  She was an angel then and she is an angel now who is in the nursery putting away the clothes of our little boy.  Thank you darling, you are the light of my life!

For those readers who do not know me but know someone with a brain injury, please take this post as proof that words, pictures and voices have meaning.  You will always be remembered for your goodwill.  To those who have brain injuries, do not forgot those who got you through one of the most critical times of your life.

God bless!

Moments in the life of a TBI Survivor - Seizure

I greatly apologize.  I know many of you have been anxiously awaiting my follow-up posts, but haven't seen anything in quite some time.  I've decided to both give you information about my life post-TBI as well as historical information about my injury. 

As I emerged from my drug-induced coma after sustaining a TBI in 2000, I suffered a few focal seizures.  I have no recollection of these seizures, but have been told they involved staring for long periods of staring.  From that moment on, I was put on seizure medication.

Over the last 10 years I have attempted to be taken off seizure meds, but it never ends up in my favor.  My recovery has been so miraculous in almost all other respects, that I think of this disorder as a mere inconvenience. 

Patients of TBI and closed head injuries, need not be discouraged by the abrupt changes in their life.  Nothing in this life is impossible, with hard work, a positive attitude, and persistence.  I always knew that life post-TBI would be hard, but what would life be if we didn't have challenges?  I am a much better person having experienced the many challenges of my TBI.

Its good to be back and I plan to write far more often, so that I can provide the hope and answers that you are searching.

Notes from the past

While I am waiting for Berk to put the finishing touches on his completed story of the accident, I have decided to fill the recent void in activity with excerpts from the journals my friends and family wrote.

My mom (Tracy) after her and my dad arrived at the hospital -

Sunday June 4th,
9:30 am - "We arrived at Spectrum (the hospital), first time we saw Matt.  His left eye was purple and swollen shut.  Tubes are connected to everything...Matt was unconscious.  His left arm was tied down.  His right arm doesn't move.  He kicks when nurses or doctors try to do something.  Mark (Dad) squeezed his hand, Matt squeezed back.  We are not sure if it was purposeful, but it happened three times.  He also looked as if he tried to open his right eye a tiny, wee bit.  I would say, "I can see you trying to open your eye," and he would do it again.  We feel strongly he knew we were with him."

I have no recollection of the above events, but I believe that I could hear and feel them.

Monday June 5th,
1:55 am - "Nurse called while at the hospitality house.  They needed permission to put in a heart catheter to monitor heart, swelling and pressure were rising (intracranial)."
4:40 am - "Received a phone call wanting us to come Matt right away.  They were taking him for a CAT scan before putting him in a drug-induced coma."
7:00 am - "About when EEG was hooked up.  Pentabarbital and coma began.  Matt's head is very swollen, especially on the right now. PRAY PRAY PRAY."

I feel that it would be wrong of me to divulge the emotional and physical details of my ordeal without first tell you where I am now in my life, ten years later.  This way, you can see how bad it was for me and my family and  how far one can go from there.
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Present day:

I am 27 years old and live in North Carolina.  When I was 23, I graduated from college with a bachelors degree in Marketing with an emphasis in Sales.  A few months after graduation, I got my first job as a Pharmaceutical Sales Representative and am still in that position.  I have been married for two and a half years to the most wonderful woman (More on that in later posts).  Five months ago we had our first child, Noah Matthew, who has given me a renewed passion for life. 

I want those who visits with blog to know about the present, because you need to know that no matter how bad it gets, miracles do happen.

Please feel free to comment with any questions you have for me, my friends, or my family.

Below is a recent picture of my son.

God Bless!

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