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.

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.