A 65-year-old man who suffered a traumatic brain injury in 1964 says that the fact that nurses reading get-well cards from friends and family as well as his paper-route customers during his three-week coma provided motivation for him to recover. He also says that his later career as a noted technology leader was due to his work of coping with the effects of TBI. In fact, he calls his injury a “gift,” saying that he never would have achieved the success he has enjoyed in his life without it.
Mark Palmer of Roseville was 15 when he was hit by a Detroit City bus as he rode in a friend’s car. He does not remember the accident or his subsequent coma, beyond the nurses reading the get-well cards to him. “If you think people in a coma never hear anything, that’s a myth,” he says.
Palmer was discharged with little rehabilitative care. In those days, there was not a great deal of technology available and little effort was made to increase the abilities of those who had suffered TBIs. Palmer says he had so little idea that he was handicapped, however, that it took him failing several classes in high school and ultimately dropping out of college to realize that his life had changed forever. He went on to pursue a career in technology and ultimately become a “turnaround” expert for failing companies, using the same principle he had learned about during his recovery period: tenacity and a good attitude can change the outcome of any problem.
Today, Palmer manages Realistichope.com, a website to help people with TBIs deal with the effects of their injuries.
How Damaging is TBI
While Palmer’s story is inspiring to victims of TBI, the statistics on this type of injury are very sobering. TBIs can be one of the worst types of injuries possible because of the potential for long-term life effects.
The Centers for Disease Control describe Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) as being caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head which disrupts the normal function of the brain. TBI is most notably found in individuals who play in contact sports; however, a serious car accident can also result in TBI.
The CDC reports that in 2010 there were 2.5 million TBIs. Although not all blows to the head result in a TBI, there are a substantial number that result in death and permanent disability. As more knowledge becomes available about TBIs, doctors and researchers are learning how to better manage this growing serious health problem.
The brain is an extremely delicate organ, and doctors are unsure of how hard a person must be hit in order to suffer a TBI. What is certain is that the effects from a brain injury can be devastating and life-altering.
If you or someone you love has suffered a brain injury as a result of an accident or the carelessness of another person, it is important to protect your rights. Contact the lawyers at the Ashley Injury Lawyers in Roseville today. Our attorneys will fight aggressively for you and your case.
