Spring Fling 2013

         

Written by Bret K.

The Spring Fling is an annual get together for all Special Tree clients and alumni.  It is a time where clients get to meet, have conversations, and enjoy each others company. This year’s dinner dance was held this past Friday evening, April 19, 2013. Clients from all over southeast Michigan traveled to Roma’s Banquet Hall in Garden City for the event. We were all very excited to see old friends as well as make new ones.

          The dance began at 6:00pm with a hearty dinner. Everyone enjoyed pork chops, stuffed cabbage, mashed potatoes, mostaccioli, salad and dinner rolls. For clients requiring food consistency changes, there were stations set up with blenders, food processors, and food thickener. In my opinion, the food was astounding and I am looking forward to next years festivities already. Dessert came at the end of the night. It consisted of delicious cannolis for everyone to enjoy. Sugar free cookies and cakes were provided for any diabetic clients in attendance.

          After dinner the band was able to get down and get nearly everyone out on the dance floor for some amazing dance moves.  Remedy, the name of the band, was able to make their 3^rd appearance at a Special Tree function. All in attendance couldn’t have been more elated. They covered a variety of classic rock jams that everyone knew, including Aerosmith and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Clients and staff alike were able to get their groove on throughout the dance!

          Towards the end of the night, there was a slight break in the dancing to hand out some amazing prizes. Names of all clients present were placed into a medium sized pale and drawn by chance to win a variety of prizes. Approximately a dozen gifts were handed out to the clients that had their names drawn. Winners from both Oakland and Wayne counties were overjoyed upon hearing their name called for a prize.  I was one of the lucky winners and got to roll away with a brand new Detroit Tiger’s windbreaker jacket. This will come in handy for me, since I am going to be attending a Tiger’s home game this week.

          The Wayne Day Treatment Services staff was there as usual to take photos of each client that attended. Photos were taken in a “prom” style around a spring themed backdrop, consisting of beautiful flowers and twinkling lights. They were printed out and placed in a special card and given to the clients to take home as their souvenir from the event.  One staff from the Riverview house was able to take candid photos of everyone enjoying themselves as well. Hopefully we will be seeing these photos soon.

          All in all this party was pretty fun for all involved.  We all got to eat a wonderful dinner, dance to some classic music, win prizes, and take a photo home to remember the evening. Who wouldn’t have had a blast participating? I’m already looking forward to the Fall Bash in a few months to be able to see old and new friends again.

Something New!

   written by Bret K. 
    Prior to my auto accident I loved going on long bicycle rides with my friends and family. We would go to local parks with bicycle trails as well as ride around the neighborhood. We would have so much fun together, racing, taking in the nature, laughing, and just enjoying each other's company. After my brain injury riding a bicycle quickly became a distant dream.

    But that is all about to change. This week I was able to receive a custom made tricycle, and I am very excited to open this new chapter of my life. The tricycle was custom built with foot sized pedals that are able to be strapped to my feet prior to riding. The gear shifter was moved to the left side of the tricycle so that I can shift gears with the push of a button. The seat position was custom to fit my body proportions perfectly. The brakes of the bike are usable on both handle bars, however I will only be able to access the left one.

     I got the tricycle not only for personal gains, but for gains with family and friends as well. Although in the begining I only wanted a bike for personal pleasure reasons, I will be able to utilize multiple therapeutic outlets as well. Not only will I be able to get out and enjoy a past time that I loved so much I will be able to work on increasing my endurance level, range of motion, and build lower extremity strength. It will take me a few months in therapy to master my ride, but I am determined to be out on the trails by the end of this summer!

    I have big plans for when I am able to ride out in the community. I am planning on riding my bike at some State Parks. My favorite ones are Sterling State Park in southeast Michigan and Maumee Bay State Park in Ohio. I am very excited to carry out these big plans with my family and friends.

April is National Stress Awareness Month

     written by Bret K

           Did you know that April is National Stress Awareness Month?  I was unaware that such a holiday existed until recently.  In light of attempting to manage my own daily stressors, I am going to inform you of some possible ways to assist in relieving stress.

            Not all stress can affect you in a negative way. There are some great outcomes from stress when it is handled appropriately.  Stress can lead to personal creativity, learning, and is essential for survival. So how can something that is supposed to help you end up hurting you in the process? The negative effects of stress can be seen almost everywhere today. It can become harmful to the individual when it interrupts the healthy state of equilibrium of a normal healthy body.  When a person is overwhelmed, this is becoming increasingly common; they are unable to face any stressors and can become depressed or anxious. Upon becoming overwhelmed with daily stressors, the body is flooded with chemicals to prepare you for “fight or flight”.  This natural instinct can be very helpful in emergency situations; however it can wear down the body when it is constantly activated by daily stressors. 

            There are multiple techniques used for relaxation. However, lying on the couch or sleeping is not a proper way to relieve stress.  The relaxation response in the body is a mentally active process that leaves the body feeling relaxed, calm, and focused.  Some ways to reach this state of relaxation would be to utilize deep breathing techniques, visualization, meditation, yoga, or rhythmic exercises.  You should try to set aside 10-20 minutes a day for proper relaxation. These exercises can give you an energy boost and improve your mood. 

            There are some important ways to choosing a proper relaxation technique for yourself. Be sure to consider your specific needs, preferences, fitness level, and the way that you tend to react to stress.  Make sure that your relaxation technique fits your lifestyle and you are able to focus your mind.  Consider alternating or combining different techniques for the best personal outcome. This may lead to provide the best results and to keep you motivated.

            Well I sure hope that I was able to give you some helpful hints to managing daily stressors. Remember to stay calm, even in most impossible situations and all will eventually work itself out.  If you have any stress relieving tips or comments please leave them below. Thank you for your participation. Have a happy day

Relationships after TBI

          Forming and maintaining meaningful close relationships after a traumatic brain injury can be very difficult.  You may not be able to recall who important people are in your life, such as your parents, siblings, significant other, or even your children.  I remember after I woke up from my coma, my father asking me if I knew who he was.  All I could do was respond with a very slow thumbs up.  I cannot recall the exact look on his face, but I do remember him being overjoyed with me knowing who he was. 

            Despite having a wonderful family by my side through my recovery, I still have a desire to build meaningful relationships outside of that close knit circle.  My biggest difficulty thus far has been expressing my thoughts and feelings to others.  This can be very common in survivors often leading to feeling misunderstood or feeling isolated.  It is also sometimes difficult for me to understand what others are meaning when they say certain things.  This is a huge barrier, often affecting all relationships post injury.  When participating in open conversation, I sometimes think that others are saying insulting things; this causes me to “emotionally” shut down.  I have read that other survivors can become irritated and may say or do things that they later regret upon misunderstanding a conversation.  Friendships often crumble upon repeated misunderstandings, due to lack of communication.

            Another significant barrier to building new relationships after traumatic brain injury may include difficulties living within a long term rehabilitation facility.   Difficulties in getting from place to place can make it incredibly hard to visit friends or do the things that were once enjoyable.  It may be almost impossible to decide to up and go to the mall for the afternoon, due to staffing issues as well as transportation. Participating in a work or recreational program on top of daily therapies can further restrict your time to partake in solo activities to build relationships.  It can also be intimidating to go out in the community with a large group of housemates.  I often find myself sticking with the group as I should, but reluctant to associate with others outside of the group.  Time restrictions put in place by the facility may limit visits with friends.  This can be aggravating to be an adult and have a curfew so to speak.  I’m not trying to knock living in these facilities, because I do, I just know there are some issues that will always arise. 

            The largest barrier to building relationships, in my opinion, is meeting new people.  This is a must to create any type of relationships, whether it is an acquaintance, or a potential significant other, you will never know if you never meet them.  After injury survivors often stop working, and partaking in community based events; such as sports, church, or other social activities.  This limits the amount of people that the survivor can come in contact with to converse and build a relationship.  Over time, friends and coworkers may lose contact with you, due to their own busy lives. This happens a lot, and if there isn’t a way to replace these relationships, the survivor can end up feeling alone and may become depressed. 

            Now let’s overcome these difficulties!  When conversing back and forth, try to ask open ended questions, so the person is more likely to give a detailed response, allowing you to elaborate on what they are saying.  This is a huge conversational pointer!  Try not to push away the people that care about you, instead let family and friends know your positive and negative feelings to allow them to assist you better.  Attempt to take the initiative to make an acquaintance a friend.  This can be done by inviting someone over for a visit that you regularly see but may not speak to outside whatever you usually do.  Keep in mind that it is much easier to get to know someone if you are participating in an activity that is enjoyed by both parties.    

            Once a connection has been established, it must be maintained and cultivated.  This takes intention, attention, courage, creativity, and love from both parties.  These things take hard work, but the rewards are rich and friends can make the intolerable tolerable. So get out there and make a new friend or get to know a new partner.  Having a positive relationship can help you feel satisfied with your life and give you a sense of belonging and self worth. Something we all search for in life.

Job Opportunites after Traumatic Brain Injury

           There are many work programs offered here at Special Tree’s Day Treatment Services program for persons with a traumatic brain injury.  The DTS program began working with clients about two years ago to get them back to working in the community after acquiring a TBI. The name the work program was given is InPro, standing for Innovative and Productive.  Some of the work offered requires light lifting, janitorial, writing, painting, maintenance, and utilizing your creativity.  

            The work at DTS includes quality support services, laundry, housekeeping, and Chapp’s oil. Quality support services and housekeeping are very similar jobs focusing on light janitorial tasks. The only differences are where the work takes place.  Quality support services are located at the Wabash Center, where housekeeping is located at the NeuroCare Center. There job tasks include sweeping, mopping, dusting, and disinfecting the buildings.  A laundry job is located at the NeuroCare Center. Clients are now working a morning and afternoon shift along side a natural support for guidance in this department. The tasks delegated to someone working in laundry would be to collect soiled linens, sort linens from clothing, wash, dry, and fold all garments, deliver clean linens to appropriate place, and hang client clothing in correct room.  The employee is able to ask for assistance from the natural support when necessary, providing a place for growth of employability skills in a controlled environment.  Chapp’s oil is a seasonal job that provides grounds keeping work for clients.  In the warmer months, clients are able to paint parking lines, parking blocks, light fixtures, and keep the gas station/truck stop looking immaculate. Seeing the great work that they have done, employees are able to get a sense of satisfaction out of their jobs.

            InPro offers a few jobs that work on fine motor skills, detail orientation, and following directions.  These jobs include labeling medical supplies, working at Goodwill Industries, or working at Lumicon.  Each job has there differences but the main similarity is that the employee is counting, sorting, and packaging goods for future use. They are also able to work with a job coach or natural support for guidance, instruction, and answers to their questions.

            Some more positions that InPro offers to its employees are the opportunity to work in the Ceramic Studio or in the Furniture Restoration/Woodshop garage.  The woodshop job builds some strength in the upper body from stripping paint from old wooden objects and sanding them smooth. The pieces are then stained or varnished and topped with a layer of polyurethane before being taken to the store to be sold.  The Ceramic Studio makes various decorative pieces. They mold each piece from wet slip and let it dry then sand the hard edges before placing it in the kiln for firing.  After the first fire, each piece is painted either to order or random and fired again. The pieces are then sold throughout the company and at local festivals and events. Right now, they are working on an alternate location for a store front, but pieces are still available for purchase through the Wabash Center.

            There are a few more work opportunities that InPro offers to its employees. They are working on the DTS Blog, the job I’m doing right now, working in the Maintenance department, and traveling to a local elementary school to assist the students.  Working on this blog, is very interesting. I am able to come up with subjects to write about, research them, and compose a short storyline for you all to read.  I enjoy working on this and feeling that I am some how helping others that are in the same condition as myself. The maintenance department employees service the NeuroCare center and the surrounding buildings and offices.  They perform any tasks needed to maintain the integrity of the building.  Employees that attend the elementary school are given the chance to tutor students that present difficulty in class. They also assist in the art room to keep the children focused on their tasks.  Employees that are part of the school, find their job both rewarding and sometimes difficult, depending on the students that day.

            These jobs are all offered by Special Tree’s Day Treatment Service program through InPro.  If you have a brain injury and can do these things, which almost everyone can, I suggest you give it a try.  They will always attempt to work within your means, disability and insurance will most likely not be affected.  We are always looking for ways to improve these services and more people to assist in getting back to work. Please let me know what you think of this by leaving a comment here on this story or any of my other stories.

College after a Traumatic Brain Injury

         Returning to college after a traumatic brain injury can be overwhelming and difficult.  You have to start out slow with an easy class.  At first try taking just one class. After a semester or two you can add more classes to your schedule.  For example, after my accident when I was ready to return to school I took a composition class for the first semester. After I completed the class successfully with an “A”, I took a pre-algebra class. When I finished this class with an “A” as well, I decided to kick it up a notch.

          I am currently taking English 1. This class is a lot more challenging because it is not an introductory class.  I have to study harder and harder and I have to write a paper almost every other week.  I am also tested regularly on the reading material assigned to the class.

          The class I am currently taking meets only once a week and is three hours long.  Luckily, I do not have difficulty with staying focused for this length of time.  If you happen to have difficulty staying focused for this length of time, many colleges offer sessions that meet twice a week for only an hour and a half instead of three hours.  I would recommend this type of class if you have attention span difficulties or are just returning to classes after a traumatic brain injury.

          Despite any difficulties in returning to school after a traumatic brain injury, there is still a light at the end of the tunnel.  Many good things can come from a class.  You get the opportunity to meet new people and obviously learn new things. Confidence is a good quality that can be gained from attending classes.

          By attending a class I was able to defeat many odds that were stacked against me. I am currently planning to continue my education and get a degree, even with my injury.

How Do You Get Around?

            After you experience a life altering event, you might find yourself getting around in different ways.  For example, you could find yourself getting around in a wheelchair or using assistance like a cane, walker, or a person to help you walk.  As in anything, there are pros and cons to each of these.

            One way you might be getting around is in a wheelchair. This could be a manual or power wheelchair. There are positives and negatives to both of these.  If using a manual wheelchair, you are given the chance to build muscle tone in the legs and/or arms while self propelling about. You may be able to transfer to a vehicle and ride in a passenger seat without any concerns because your chair can fold up or break down for storage. However, persons who find themselves in a chair that cannot fold down may encounter difficulties with getting into vehicles. They may require a mechanical lift or ramp to get from one place to another.  Wheelchairs, power or manual, could be too wide to fit through narrow doorways. The great thing about power chairs is that they can provide a way to get around even when a person cannot move themselves in any way. There are specialized chairs that operate by suction. The person can either blow or suck and the chair will propel forward, backward, or turn. 

            Another way to get around would be with the assistance of a cane, walker, or person.  A person may be needed for assistance in walking to reassure balance or pace for you. They could direct you if a step was coming or if the ground becomes uneven in any way. You could also be using a walker for assistance to get around.

There are many types of walkers; we will talk about a few of them. There is the standard walker that may not have any wheels at all, a walker with two wheels in the front, or one with a wheel on each leg.  The standard walker may pose a difficulty if you put a lot of weight onto your arms while walking.  Most can be folded up for easy storage; however, there are some types that cannot be folded.  Most people who use a walker or cane need a railing to help them walk up the stairs. Some people who require standby assistance will need a rail to grab onto for balance as well. A person using a cane or walker would have minimal difficulty when boarding a train, plane, automobile, or most other types of transportation, although they may need some assistance from a helper.

            These are some ways that you may find yourself getting around if you have experienced a life changing event.  It might take you a while to build up the strength to “graduate” from a wheelchair to a walker, or maybe you won’t even need a walker.  It will be hard work and you need to be determined to accomplish your goals.  Don’t ever give up; good things come to those that are willing to work their butt off!