Narrative Essay On Traumatic Brain Injury

Over the past four years, I have seen more doctors than the average person would see in their lifetime, from endocrinologists to neurosurgeons, searching for answers to overcome my traumatic brain injury. Up until a few months ago, I had just about lost hope of ever getting better. Every Doctor I had been to was extremely limited in what they could do for me. This was a result of three concussions in a three month time frame when I was 14. Two months later I received another head injury, one that would leave debilitating symptoms for the next four years. Prior to these injuries, I wasn't sure of what I wanted to do with my life, or what my future would entail. This drastically changed in the course of the last four years, dealing with my head

injuries and other life changing experiences; a major change in thought and outlook I had on life took place in some of my most traumatic experiences. In the first stages of my brain injury, I was very optimistic about getting better, and had full trust and hope in the doctors. This hope and trust began to fade after seeing doctor after doctor. Pretty soon a year went by, then two years, and I was essentially at the same recovery level.

After going to my twentieth doctor and being offered little to no help, I began to lose the last bit of hope I still had, and fell into depression. During this time in my life I began to feel very lost and disheartened. I wanted to give up, but one night when I was in the fetal position just about ready to give up on life something overcame me (a desire, a drive, a vision, a goal). I reminisced to myself that night, “I am going to find a way to get better, I am going to find an answer.” I began a detailed internet search, looking for information- anything that started with concussion or TBI, searching through page after page. Through this process, I became more passionate and interested about concussions and the brain. At the same time, I realized I needed to do something with all this information I was finding and share it with other people that were going through similar experiences. At this point, I began building a website, and after working for a year I published livingwithaconcussion.com. The website served as an outlet for me, and as information for others. My research has allowed me to help others through educating, providing information, and sharing personal

experiences. Through my investigations, I eventually came across Cerebrum Health Centers in Dallas that specializes in concussion and TBI treatment and soon became a patient there. I was very blessed to have a great team of Doctors that went above and beyond their normal duties in my treatment. They did not treat me as a another patient, they treated me as a human being. Until then, I did not look very highly on the doctors I had seen in the past. I was disappointed in the lack of effort Doctors were giving; however, my experience at Cerebrum changed my outlook and restored my faith in Doctors.

Through this journey I realized that I was the exception in an opportunity to seek treatment outside of my small and limited medical network. The majority of family and community members, if faced with similar health issues, would have never had the chance to seek out treatment like I did due to socioeconomics. Through my experiences in the past four years, I have seen first hand the major shortages of medical specialties in New Mexico, especially in rural communities like mine. If others are plagued with similar health problems, I do not want them to be at the same disadvantage due to lack of resources, and financial limitations. All of this has led to my goal of establishing neurological clinic in New Mexico. I appreciate the culturally diverse and rural community where I have grown up, but I also have experienced the limitations. Through my experience with TBI my goals of serving my community have been strengthened. . I am very blessed to have had these experiences in my life, although the may seem traumatic, they have helped me and lead me to my vocation in life.