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DOA
David On Arrival
My name is David R. I'm 37 yrs. old. My DOA was on 6-29-94. While I was working as a surveyor I was hit by a car. I was in a coma for three and a half weeks in a Rhode Island hospital. I came out of the coma in a daze. This is when I was reborn.
I attended all sorts of therapies: speech, O.T. and many others, I just can’t remember them all.
Society can’t see what I have been through. Today I live on my own, it’s hard, but I have a big family that I can always count on. I volunteer here and there, but I’m not physically disabled but different mentally than before. Society can’t see these changes, I’m suffering but it’s mainly inside. No one can see my pain or feel my severe headaches. I have no time for relationships, just taking care of number one is hard enough.
Friends are hard to find. A woman with a hidden injury like mine told me that easy things are hard to do and hard things seem so easy, I can relate to that. I drive if I feel it is safe. But society can’t see that, all they see is a person trying to do everything as close to perfect as s/he thinks it should be. I read somewhere that a brain cannot be cured, it can only be treated. Each day that goes by poses a new challenge, but society can’t see that.
I had to learn how to walk, talk, swallow and some other things. To this day I don't remember. I'll just say what I've been told, Okay?
After I came out of a coma, I was transferred to a hospital in my state, New England Rehab, in Woburn. I had all these different kinds of therapies. Then I was sent home with a wheel chair. This was to my girlfriend's house at the time (now my ex.) My attitude towards life changed big time and towards my ex. So after about living together for about 6 months, I decided to move on my own. We were still going out at the time. Then after a year of living on my own we decided to split up. Of course she'll say it was her who left me? No, I believe we both made up our minds. It was for the better. Time for me to start doing everything on my own.
Today 2-20-03 I'm here living life, to the best I know how. I've written my own inspired true stories, and my sister made my site. http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Spa/7713/
Everyone’s different. I think that people just don’t want to see (some don’t even try to understand) or believe if they can’t feel it or been through it themselves or loved ones. I don’t blame society though. It’s just a question. I, myself, was blind to this brain injury state. Now I can say this injury is tough and recovery seems so slow, an eternity.
Today I'm partially blind to this injury. I know some (a lot) of the feelings of being brain injured, of course, everyone's different. But I don't know much about all the drugs that are out there to help the brain injured. I'll let the doctors take care of that part (some words are too big, hard to say or spell). I say that friends are hard to find because it's hard for me to trust anyone. There's always all these questions going through my mind. I myself have heard some horror stories. One I recall of some people knowing that someone has a brain injury and that person has been mislead (taken advantage of). Some find out (some not at all) who their true friends are when it's too late.
I have to write some more, it's just like I'm living in the dark ages. Where the 19 hundreds gone? I just want to say hang in there people, it's a long road but you won't regret it. Believe!! Try learning everything you can, in the easiest way you can. Only you know who you are. Just be careful not to over do it. I have gotten hurt lots of times, not knowing when to slow down.
Work, it’s such a strong word, but we all do it, one way or another. Workman's comp just wants me to work, what they don’t know is that every day tasks are work for me. To work is what I do every day, taking care of myself.
For an example, a mother has a job outside the home, but when her job ends she goes home to a different job (taking care of her family). Okay, so my job is easier because I’m taking care of number one, but for me this is a lot of work. A lot of people tell me I look fine even some family members, this hurts, if they only knew what’s going through my head at times. That’s it I just LOOK fine, maybe that’s part of my injury in life, looking fine, is that a crime, looking fine? They can’t feel my pains, headaches, backaches. Work, my endurance is weighed down, my strength is getting stronger, I still have trouble remembering things, I have to think a lot for answers, this is what I call brainstorming with a Brain Injury.
Brainstorming all of the things I have to do that day and writing this is a lot of work for me. People think that one is fine, okay, just because of the way he/she looks. But I’m here always trying to look my best and I don’t have time or want the time to prove people wrong. Like the saying goes, looks are misleading and for me that is true.
Today I still live on my own, I take care of myself and I drive almost every where. I have all these stick on notes hanging around my house, for reminders. It's weird my house is a mess yet my car is spotless. I'll make some time and determination to pick things up. I have to get to bed now. This has been a big job for me. Later, Take Care.......David R.
"STILL SURVIVING 2 D EXTREME OF LIFE"
