Brain Injury

My 21 year old cousin was a very talented painter and graphic artist. He had recently moved out west to pursue employment and enjoy his freedom. He quickly made friends, loved his work and enjoyed living within close range to the mountains.

Unfortunately, he was out mountain biking one day. He attempted a stunt which involved riding down a nearly vertical incline. He lost control of his bike and flew over the handlebars, smashing his head on a rock.

Although he was wearing a helmet, he still ended up in a coma for three months. When he finally woke up, he was a different person. He had suffered a moderate brain injury and would never be the same.

His personality changed drastically. He went from being a shy, sensitive and caring person, prior to the accident, to an obnoxious, angry and confrontational young man. His family was very supportive, but after several violent outbursts, his parents and sisters became afraid of him.

Today, thanks to medication, my cousin is no longer as given to these angry episodes. He has a modest apartment in a residence for disabled persons, not far from his family home. He works one hour a week in a local donut shop and has been reduced to a very limited functioning capacity. All due to his brain injury.

A couple of years after my cousin's accident, my own 23 year old sister was driving home from work. She was in her second year of teaching at a Montessori school - she had really found her calling. She was about five minutes from home, on the edge of town. An older man driving a one-ton truck, made a legal left turn just as she proceeded into an intersection on a green light. The vehicles collided and my sister was mashed inside of her crumpled car. Ambulance attendants had to use the Jaws of Life to get her out of the vehicle. She was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Along with a broken back, shattered arm and ankle, she also suffered a brain injury.

It's been two years since my sister's car accident. She will likely never be able to return to teaching. She spends most of her time in bed and is medicated to such an extreme degree that she's basically sleeping her life away.

Prior to the accident, my sister was a very kind, loving and compassionate person. We have noted extreme changes in her attitudes and behavior due to the brain injury. She has great difficulty being around children for any extended length of time. She becomes very anxious in social settings and has demonstrated self-destructive behavior on many occasions.

In addition, since the car accident, she has demonstrated strong signs of Bipolar Personality Disorder, triggered by the trauma and resulting brain injury. Her life will never be the same.

Both cases indicate the disastrous results of vehicle accidents and the ensuing tragedy of living with a brain injury. It's a sobering reminder to value our health and to never take for granted life as we know it.