December 11, 2007

In thirteen days I will have survived a semi wreck for 10 years and when I look back on everything that has taken place during these past 10 years I want to scream!  Ok, I know you're wondering why I say that since you've most likely just read everything from my wreck of 12/24/97 to the current update, and you're suddenly confused why I would say this?

I guess it might sound a bit strange since I'm a high functioning BI'er and I seem to have worked very hard to recover as much of my life as possible. What you most likely can't quite grasp is the "quality of life" that I've lost during these 10 years.  This is something that you really can't grasp even as a BI'er because you've only heard about it or read about it, you haven't had a chance to LIVE it!  I now can actually say that I've only touched the surface....there's a lot more to come!

The Long Term problems of a BI'er are only referred to in most law suits and when you're in the early stages of BI you really don't think that will pertain to you unless you've ended up with a more severe injury, in a coma or have lost limbs and such and possible problems can be physically seen.  

For those of us who are injured internally only, you will begin to see that the quality of life is much different than what has been spoken about by most doctors, attorneys or therapists.  Since we aren't "educated" about our injuries and are just learning ourselves, anything that talks about "long term" or "quality of life" just doesn't make sense to us....we just don't know the facts yet, that's why.

If I could have gotten a glimpse into the future and seen my struggles in life after having a BI, I would have made sure that some provisions were allotted for and that certain facilities were left open for therapy also if I needed more.  These are just a few of the things that "I" would have done given a chance to view some of the problems years before they began.  Since you can't "see them" at the time, they are pushed aside and forgotten.

When we're newly injured we can only see the NOW and looking into the future may seem bleak (I had trouble seeing past a week), but our minds tell us that things will get better 'cuz we're not able to see far enough down the road to know the difference and we surely can't tell how long it will take to get to that point of recovery.  

There really should be some sort of accomodations added at that point in our settlement and not pushed off to our insurance or state facilities which most are left to.  The financial settlement in each case should cover these losses and not expect each state or insurance company to cover it.  The loss wasn't caused by the sate or insurance company, so it shouldn't be forced to pay for damages that will need long term care/therapy.

I still believe that some sort of "mediation" for the BI'er needs to be put into play for each case when trying to settle and it should be mandatory by each state.  This means that they will have the statistics for different cases and know what the quality of life is and what the "top end" of that life will be/can be, etc.  If we're going to lose 6 to 8 years off the top of our lifespan (according to the statistics), then something needs to be done about it up front, and definitely something needs to be accommodated for so those long term costs can be covered and not left for Medicare/Medicaid or the state to cover at a later date.  Maybe this is a good place to insert a "trust" for that survivor in their court case?

It's hard to see the forest for the trees, so someone with experience needs to be able to step in for us.  Someone that KNOWS the statistics and is aware of the complications that can arise as we age with a damaged brain, and someone that's not afraid to tackle the system.  This should be mandatory information that is given to every lawyer, doctor and insurance company in the United States (and any other country).

I think that every BI case should have a high functioning BI'er to aid them in their search/fight, and hopefully some day I'll be able to see this in action and would be more than happy to participate!  That BI'er knows how things FEEL and has already gone through the trauma of having a brain injury and can relate "up close" to the problems that will face the person going through the system.  

I guess you could call us an "expert witness" because we've already been there, done that!  Compensation could be a set amount which would give those of us who aren't able to return to work a chance to make some extra money which would only help make our quality of life a bit better. Our deficits could be used to help others including ourselves which would be a win/win situation for everyone involved.

I don't know what kind of laws need to be changed, added or accommodated for, but something needs to be done with our system, and it needs to be done NOW!

Many things in my life have changed the past 10 years.  Not all of them have been "fun" I have to add, but I have learned how to get along as best as I can.  I hibernate to try to gain strength, and try to do what I can do to feel like I'm still human.  I try to continue to learn and pass on information as often as possible and I will continue to keep this website up as long as I can afford to do so.  

I hope you can continue to learn and pass on this much needed information because there are many who aren't high functioning enough to do so for themselves.  Since we are already aware of the struggles, it should be US that help others.

I hope some of the words you've read in my website have helped you educate yourself and expand your knowledge about brain injury....but mostly I hope you PASS IT ON!

~ barbara jean ~

September 2009