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 Stephanie
At age 30, Stephanie is relearning much of what came naturally before she contracted viral encephalitis and spent three months in coma. Her smile is infectious and her determination is inspirational, as she takes two buses each day to get from her family’s home in Santa Rosa to the Larkspur Center of the Marin Brain Injury Network.
“It’s great to be with people who understand what I’m going through,” said Stephanie about the staff and fellow survivors she works with each day. “It is comforting to spend time with people who have also lost a lot.”
Prior to her illness, Stephanie graduated from college and was a successful sales representative living on her own. Now, she lives with her dad, stepmother, brother and sister; a constant threat of seizures makes it unsafe for Stephanie to live alone.
“All of my old friends are getting married, having children, and buying homes. While it’s hard to be starting over again at my age, I’m grateful to be learning new skills and forming great friendships. I’m a pretty happy person,” said Stephanie, “and lucky to have so much support.”
 Peter
After his motorcycle accident, Peter Fecskes remained unconscious and hospitalized for 2 and-a-half months. “I was zipping along, without a helmet, and the truck driver never saw me,” said Peter, without a trace of resentment.
Though Peter struggles with short-term memory loss, he’s discovering a range of new interests and skills at MBIN’s Larkspur Center.
“I love being here,” Peter mused, “because so many doors are open to me. I’m writing poetry, am learning to garden, and have met some wonderful people. We have discussions about what’s hard for us, like knowing when to tell people that we’ve had a brain injury. Everyone has trouble finding the right words sometimes; it’s hard to know when to explain what I’ve been through.”
Peter says that he never gets bored and is eternally grateful for all the help he’s receiving. “Once I’m able to improve my vocabulary and response time,” Peter shared, “I’d like to speak at high schools about my experience and the importance of wearing a helmet.”
 Gladiola
Five years ago, at the age of 18, Gladiola Gerber developed meningitis and, as a result, suffered five separate strokes. Her dream of becoming a dental hygienist is still very much alive and she’s planning to get started soon on the pre-requisite classes.
“When I first came out of my coma,” said Gladiola, “everything was brand new for me. Imagine being totally alone and not having anyone understand you.”
Everything changed for Gladiola when a neuro-psychologist recommended Marin Brain Injury Network. She now spends two days each week at the Larkspur Center, playing memory games, doing artwork, and most importantly talking to people who truly care and understand.
“You have no idea how frustrated I can get,” Gladiola admitted. “I come here and let all my problems out. The staff give me alternatives to my ‘methods of madness’ and I’m learning new and better ways to cope.”
At home, Gladiola enjoys spending time with her three-year old niece and playing with her two new Chihuahua puppies.
Marin Brain Injury Network mbin.org
Media Coverage
March 2008 - NBC Nightly News - segment of "Mind Matters"
A story about one of the authors' brain injury therapy.
March 2007 - Benita Zahn's Health Report - (WNYT/NBC - Albany, NY) - news story about author group (story no longer available online).
Survivor Trying to Make a Difference
Where do we go from here?
by Gloria Malmoe
O.K.; Now time has passed and Rick (my spouse whom I'm legally separated from) is out of jail, out of Geiger, Now I come to you again. The Municipal court section :Mental Health Court; has had to deal with my presence in their court room from May 2007 to date, each Month I appear, not just on behalf of Rick, but on behalf of all the TBI's I have seen go through their court room, people labeled Mentally ill, when I could see the sign's so clearly, classic cases of TBI's, standing before Judge Derr. TBI's signing paper's they do not understand, agreeing to what they are asked & told, but they do not understand or comprehend, what is happening, and to many times , what is going on or why everything has become so over whelming to them. I sit & listen, sadness and at times tears well up in my eyes, why...why can't the court understand about the way TBI's work? their mind's, what a brain injuries is... I took tool kit's to the mental health Team, they are in court daily, I asked them if I could before I did, I asked them if they understood, or if they where ever versed on people with TBI. I was told they were not, and they do not deal with 'Brain Injuries' jus mental health issues......
After dealing to date with the court, that to date does zero to help TBI's, they just make them appear monthly, and tell the court that they are doing #1 #2 #3, and they are told they are doing well, see you next month, some are released after months of coming in.
I sat and watched as my own husband ; was told to say certain thing's to please the judge, thing's Rick never did, but was court ordered to do. Rick had zero idea how to go about doing what he was ordered, and half the time , had no intention on doing any of it, because he felt he did nothing wrong....
You have no idea how frustrating it was for me to hear this & view it every month, clearly knowing Rick would never be held accountable, and as time went by, his TBI enabled him to forget, and in his own view; think he had said he was guilty of his crime, spent a week in jail , then two week's in Geiger, so all was well...why couldn't everyone get on with life.
There was a restraining order between Rick & myself, and our home and the kid's. I had advocated for my husband for 12 years, each time becoming weaker and weaker in my own mind, as well as my own heart & my Health, now when I needed the court's to really act on not just my children's behalf, but on the behalf of Rick, getting him into a treatment program designed to help TBI's, deal with the rage they have, teach them how to be appropriate, give them skills, and what ever else they need to obtain a better quality of life, not just for their self, but for the children they have, and families, and the wives that worked so hard to make it work. facing obsticles at every turn,Facing ignorance in the system, ignorance in the court's, mean while, who pay's??? I'm not talking about money, I'm refering to emotion's,personal deep feeeling of loose, beating your selves up, because your the spouse, you promised through sickness and through health richer or poor..ect ect... But daily your faced with the odd's, and after each event of a TBI's 'bad time' you sink further and further into depresssion, guilt..feeling you must of missed something,or maybe you just didn't do enough, or right or.....my message to my fellow caregivers is...'DO NOT BEAT YOURSELF UP' it is not your fault.
It has taken myself way to many hours in a day, and way to many police visit;s to our home, to many court dates with no action taken that would help..feeling obligated to stay where you where no longer wanted, treated as if you where the bad person....the pain the guilt......what happened? why? And now how do 'I' go on...
I'm not hear to tell you how..because I do not have that answer...I'm still seeking this answer for myself, and my own family....
When does enough become enough....how do I grieve the loss I feel inside? How do I pull the strength I have left to carry on? Where do I start, and how do I do this alone.
I tell TBI survivors of TBI support group I Facilitate, 'you are not alone'. I never thought enough about what I as a caregiver/ wife should also hear. My hope today is to create an awareness for us 'the family caregiver's' we also need to know we are not alone in our good & bad day's. we need to know we can only do so much, we have to learn how to take care of ourselves, and how to be O.K. with what ever choice we make as caregiver's and spouses. Not everyone is capable of being in a relationship with a TBI.
Today I hope together, we can agree there is much we need to learn, alot we need to share, and processes of grieving we need to learn. And a understanding that 'life will never be the same ' so where do we go from here?
I thank you for your time, and I sincerely thank you for taking the time to read this and help me in my goal to reach out to our Caregivers, and let them know 'You do not have to do this alone'
"A MIRACLE FOR KIMMIE"
Book Summary
I Know you Won't Forget is a story about a young boy whose mother suffers a traumatic brain injury (TBI). After being embarrassed by and ridiculed for his mom's inability to act according to their community's idea of "normal" behavior, the boy helps his mom with coping strategies, showing how a TBI affects everyone in a family and how issues can be resolved. Suitable for readers ages 8 and up.
The book was written by a group of TBI survivors participating in a structured day program through Living Resources in Albany, NY. Conceived as part of a group therapy project, the book has given the clients a sense of pride and accomplishment which many mundane activities do not provide. The book's illustrator is also a TBI survivor, professional artist Carol Jordan.
Book preview (PDF)
Spokane's The Spokesman Review featured Pastor Craig Sicilia and his account of living with a brain injury.
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Motivational Speaker
Journey with him, as he shares the tools he has learned to enable anyone to live the life they desire.
Anthony offers high energy keynote speeches and workshops based on the lessons he learned about determination, hope and perseverance- after suffering multiple life threatening injuries sustained during a horrific motorcycle accident.
Brain Injury Survivor
On September 23, 1997, Anthony Aquan-Assee sustained a Traumatic Brain Injury. He was in a coma for two weeks and he was not expected to live. At the scene of the accident, Anthony did not have any vital signs and he did not respond to any stimulation. This Traumatic Brain Injury has caused a tremendous change in Anthony's life.
Click here to read about Anthony's recovery.
Author
NEW! My second book "Starting Over - A Survivor's Guide" is now available. I wrote this book to share what I have learned in my journey through brain trauma and to help other survivor's cope with their own particular challenges.
My first book, "Second Life, Second Chance: A Teacher's Chronicle of Despair, Recovery and Triumph" describes my recovery from a severe Traumatic Brain Injury with an emphasis on my time in the Trauma Hospital.
These books were both written with the hope that they will educate, motivate and encourage others to find the strength within themselves to climb the ladder in their own lives. Click here to learn more ...
Volunteer Work
Read more about Anthony's community service at St. Michael's Hospital in the Neuro-Trauma Intensive Care Unit.
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A Novel by Timothy Laskowski
Tim Laskowski’s first novel provides a unique insider’s look into
the world of a brain-injured man. Fourteen years before the novel
opens, Montanan Robert Nyquist suffered traumatic injury in a
rock-climbing accident near Missoula. His once-bright future
irrevocably lost, he writes this account of his present life in a group
home as he starts Transitions, a new rehab program that promises
to teach him the skills necessary to live more independently. His
volunteer writing coach encourages him to articulate his feelings
and helps him to make his work intelligible. In the process of
telling his story, Robert explores the nature of his relationships—
with Lorna, another resident who is dying of multiple sclerosis and
with whom he has established a sexual and emotional bond; with
his parents, who still struggle to accept their son’s disabilities; with
his own son John, whose very existence fills him with uncertainty;
and with his caregivers. Robert is desperate to achieve coherence
and "appropriateness" in the midst of a swirling, confusing reality.
http://www.tamu.edu/upress/BOOKS/2003/laskowski.htm
pastor craig sicilia productions Copyright © 2008
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