WELCOME BACK!

We would like to welcome back Joe K!  Joe was out from the clubhouse due to medical reasons.  At the end of July, Joe had open heart surgery, where doctors went in to replace a torn valve.  He says,” they basically gave me an oil change”.

Joe had to be hospitalized for about 3 weeks.  He stated that he  remembers feeling his heart flutter, but he thought it was from eating, but what was happening at that time was an aneurysm.  An aneurysm occurs when part of a blood vessel, or artery, or cardiac chamber swells and the blood vessel is either damaged or weakened in the wall of the blood vessel.

Joe remembers the pain that followed the surgery, but feels like the surgery was, “life-saving” and he feels “lucky”!   He was recommended by his doctor to attend cardiac rehab three times per week.

We are glad to have Joe back and we wish him well in his recovery.

                                                               By:  Kelvin 

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.     

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.