Know a member; 20 things about Sandy B.

1. I am a single mom.
2. I work as bus aide for kids with special needs.
3. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends.
4. I am a member of the Daughters of the King which is a women's prayer and church group.
5. I am an usher at my church.
6. I work with the International Order of Rainbow Girls and Boy Scouts.
7. I enjoy helping others.
8. I have a very easy going and outgoing personality and attitude.
9. I enjoy doing arts and crafts.
10. I am the only member at the Denbigh House with the diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy.
11. My dad served in the Marine Corps for 24 years and was one of the Chosen Frozen, during the Korean war.
12. My mom was in the Army Nurse Corp for 4 years.
13. My son is in the 10th grade. My daughter is in the 11th grade.
14. I went into labor with my daughter at McDonalds while working as a cashier. I was taking a big breakfast order when my water broke.
15. I was in a lockdown at McDonalds because of a bank robbery.
16. I am very flexible in my time. work, and such.
17. I love to travel and see new things.
18. I have a dog named Buttercup.
19. When I was in 11th grade, I received a certificate from the math honor society and made citizen of the month award.
20. I enjoy learning new things.

Know a Member: 20 Interesting Facts about John B.

1. I graduated from North High School (GO! POLAR BEARS!!), IN Worcester Massachusetts in 1968.
2. I served in the United States Marine Corps from 1968-1970 as a "Grunt".
3. I attended Tidewater Community College from1971-1973.... I loved Biology!
4. I attended Old Dominion University from 1974-1978. Primarily majoring in Microbiology (never used it).
5. I was a member of Tau Kappa Alpha (TKE) fraternity, served as the House Manager.
6. I worked as a Psychiatric Nursing Assistant on the 9th floor of Norfolk General Hospital. People skills were a MUST!!
7. I worked in the field of "Radiation Protection" for nearly 28 years as a Health Physics Technician (RadCon Tech), Health Physics Technician Shift Supervisor and as a Health Physics Training Instructor.
8. I am NRRPT Qualified (National Registry of Radiation Protection Technologists).. this was required for my job in radiation protection.
9. I am a Licensed Glider Pilot, owned my own glider for years.... this is a truly missed part of my life.
10. I enjoy volunteer work. MORE than paid work.
11. I am a voting member of the Virginia Brain Injury Council. I find that during those quarterly meetings that ears open and mouth closed works best for me.
12. I am a Board Member of "Suffolk Meals on Wheels", and volunteer that delivers meals through that program. My function is fundraising (not a strong point for me).
13. I am the current Vice President of the Carrollton Ruritan Club, it appears that they will make me President later this month in spite of myself.
14. I volunteer for the Isle of Wight Christian Outreach Program. We make up bags of food for the needy in Isle of Wight County.
15. I volunteer for "Military Ministry", a Christian outreach program to serve men and women.
16. I am a decent carpenter and owner of a "fixer-up" home that I enjoy working on. I made $$ on my last house fixing it up, I will make $$ on this one.
17. I have been married for 32 years, longer than all my siblings' marriages together.
18. I enjoy reading non-fiction, historical in nature (mainly).
19. I would like to have many Grandchildren from my two married children.
20. My goal is to reside in Heaven for eternity.

Know a Member: 20 Interesting Facts about Stephen T.

1.      I like doing art drawings
2.      I like the Philadelphia Eagles.
3.      I like the movie Guardians of the Galaxy, it is good!
4.      I like the movie Frozen, it is good!
5.      I like tomatoes, they are good!
6.      I enjoy eating cheeseburgers and steak.
7.      I love chocolate!
8.      I like a good vacation!
9.      I like drinking Doctor Pepper "10" and cold water.
10.  I like amusement parks (entertainment) mostly.
11.  I like to travel to foreign countries.
12.  I like good warm weather to swim.
13.  I like good jokes to tell.
14.  I like my family and my brother.
15.  I like my cell phone.
16.  I like the color red.
17.  I like talking to people.
18.  I like being special to people.
19.  I like good fruit to eat.
20.  I like pancakes.

Best Experience I've Had Since My Brain Injury

by Matthew S.

I received my traumatic brain injury August 2006. Since then I lost the job I had at Kelly's Tavern as a cook and a job at T. J. Maxx as a shipping receiver. I started attending the Denbigh House in November 2012. I started applying for jobs over the internet and brushing up on my everyday living skills. It took a whole year after I put my application in to Manpower to get a job at Lipton/Unilever of Suffolk, Virginia.

My experience getting a job with Manpower at Unilever is probably the best thing I have done since my injury in2006. There were some challenges that I had to overcome. Being aware of the time is one of the challenges that I had to face. You have to be on time for your break so your co-workers can take their breaks. Another challenge knows the danger of machines that you are working on can cause. Another challenge is work is not a social place to talk and goof off all the time. There is a time and place for fun and games and work is not the place.

There are some pros to going back to work. One of the best things about going back to work is the money you make. No more asking to borrow money. Having your own job makes you independent. You no longer really have to count on someone else for your financial problems. One of the greatest positives that have come from me going back to work is having something to do with my time. "Idle hands do the devils work," they say which is so true.

In the future I hope to get hired by Lipton. As of right now I just work for a contractor who does work for Lipton. I hope to become a forklift driver for the company.

Know a Member: 20 Interesting Facts about Susan W.

1. I am a creative person.
2. I like cats.
3. I am a smoker.
4. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Architecture.
5. I drink caffeine free Diet Cokes A LOT!!!
6. I have a loving and close family.
7. I still "hang out" with High School friends.
8. I have epilepsy.
9. I enjoy Rock-N-Roll music from the 60's, 70's, and 80's.
10. I am a single, middle aged woman.
11. I watch Law & Order on TV a lot.
12. I also have a degree in Graphic Arts.
13. I enjoy black & white photography and when possible would like to get into a darkroom.
14. I like to swim and used to be a lifeguard.
15. My memory is bad, especially my short term memory.
16. I enjoy nice weather (i.e., 70's, not rainy or cloudy with a little bit of breeze).
17. I do believe that I am an easy person to talk to and get along with.
18. I like to play Backgammon.
19. I really like seafood, especially fish.
20. I also enjoy art and going to look at art.

Introducing Our New "Know a Member!" Blog Series...

by Richard Dodge
We are excited to introduce our new blog series called "Know a Member." The members will be given the task of submitting 20 things about themselves. Those things will be used to create a blog each week to help you get a better understanding of the membership at The Denbigh House. That way, all of you folks out there who might happen to read our blog, can get a better idea of the diversity of individuals who make up the membership here at TDH. Hope you enjoy!!

Joseph K.'s TBI Testimony

by Joe K.
My brain injury occurred 2 years ago May 12, 2012. I was stopped at a stoplight and a lady rear ended me approximately at 45mph. Even though I was wearing a seat belt, the crown of my head hit the steering wheel and I was in a daze. I had suffered concussions before playing football in HS and college football and playing ten seasons of Rugby. When the paramedics arrived, I told them I was OK ignoring their insistence on taking me to the hospital. I felt a little dazed but I felt I could drive to the dump where I was headed before I got hit.


I rested a bit and then continued to the dump to get rid of my load of branches in my truck. While I was on my way home, maybe a couple of hours since I'd been hit, I experienced tunnel vision where the eyes only see half, the half next to my nose. Experiencing dizziness and floaters I pulled over and took a rest. I later went to the Hospital, where I had an x-ray and MRI and I was getting sore. They wanted to keep me for observation but I wanted to get home. I had received a pinched sciatic nerve in my back where the pain extended on my right side to the ball of my foot. I was in constant pain for over a year. I have a case of neuropathy; I got from the accident where you experience pins and needles sensations all over which I still live with now.


I will conclude, after a year of therapy, I started going to meetings such as Brain Survivors and Cognitive Communication Groups at the Denbigh house and now attend regular day sessions. It was mind blowing to meet others with different brain injuries, but the same deficits such as short term memory loss, seizures, concentration and the ability to focus, speech problems and the social stigma that is typical with a brain injury. The Denbigh House staff identifies and addresses each person's malady with appropriate therapy while keeping the individual.......individual.

Job Assessment Experience

By Shasmin A.

For the past years, I have been searching for a job, but having difficulties. I talked to my vocational counselor and after working through the Denbigh House, I received a job coach.  Yesterday, May 21, 2014, my job assessments began.  I went to TJ Maxx in Newport News, Virginia and had my first job assessment with my new job coach. There, I was offered to work in three different areas: as a dressing room assistant, a stocker, or a truck unloader. I chose the dressing room assistant. During the two hours I was there, I was taught how to work the dressing rooms. First, I had to check the rooms to make sure there wasn’t any paper or clothing left inside. Next, I was taught that if I worked in that area, it was necessary to keep the dressing room area clean: pick up trash, dust areas, vacuum if needed, and wipe the dressing room benches and mirrors. Once the customers started to come to the dressing room to try on clothing, the process was to ask how many items they had to try on, count the items to make sure that it was correct, and then give them a card that had the number of item on it to put on their door. After the customer(s) finished, if he or she didn’t like the item, you take it from them and place them in different sections on a card to later be picked up by someone else in the store. When you go through the job assessments, you can choose to try out as many places as you find you would like to. Through my first assessment, TJ Maxx employees learned that I am very friendly and enjoy helping and working with people and I can catch onto the tasks easily.

What My Denbigh House Has Done For Me!

By Richard D.

Way back in 1977, I was in an automobile accident which came very close to ending my life. I had a traumatic brain injury and spent three and a half months in coma. After spending three months in physical, speech therapy and occupational therapy I was left to function on my own as best I could. My life consisted of nothing more than spending my days watching TV. All of my former friends seemed to have deserted me.

My father, an Episcopal priest, learned of a new facility for individuals with severe brain injuries known as The Denbigh House and somehow got me accepted as a new member. When he told me that I would now be spending three days a week there I was very upset because I saw it as more therapy, but he talked me into trying it, so I went there and got the shock of my life.

The Denbigh House was nothing near therapy, but six and half hours of meaningful activity doing volunteer work, such as delivering Meals on Wheels, and making new friends with the other members, who were in the same boat.

I became a member of the Denbigh House in 2008 after spending all of the years since February 1977 with no social life or any close friends. How-ever since I became a member, I have plenty of friends, with whom I have a lot of social contact and find myself involved in tasks that I find beneficial to psyche and wellbeing. I am doing activities with some significance at last! Although it is only minor volunteer work of no real significance to society, it means quite a bit to the people I serve. I know this because I have received thanks on several occasions.     

Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center

Guess where I am going?  I, Triena Baldwin,  have been accepted to the Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center in Fisherville, VA.  Their vision is to remain a community service of excellence in vocational and medical rehabilitation for people with disabilities.   Their mission is to provide people with disabilities comprehensive, individualized services to realize personal independence through employment.  The school is committed to professional standards, good stewardship of resources, full accountability and the well-being and dignity of others.     

I have been accepted to participate in the Computer/Business program and I will also be taking some driver rehabilitation classes to get back in the swing of driving.  I have no driven since my car accident three years ago!

I am really looking forward to starting my new adventures at this facility. I will be living in a dorm room and eating prearranged meals like a college student.  Please remember to keep me in your prayers as I will keep you all in mine..

New Member Interview: Greg D.

by Richard D.

Today the members of The Denbigh House had the pleasure of being introduced to our newest member, Gregory D. Prior to the bicycle accident that caused his brain injury; Greg was a high ranking supervisor for the city of Newport News.

Gregory has two children, a son 25 who is a police officer and is living with Greg and his wife. His other child is a 23 year old daughter, with a family of her own. She is pregnant and about to make Greg a proud grandfather.  

Greg’s most immediate ambition is to learn to play the guitar again, like he did before his accident and thinks that becoming a member of The Denbigh House will help him to improve himself to the point at which that would be a feasible ambition.