WeAreTBI.org - The Social Support Network for People Living with Traumatic Brain Injury

My son Judah had a go-cart wreck August 7th,2004. He wasn't expected to live by "all" the doctors conclusions...It was the end of the summer break; 1 week before school. Judah was excited about starting a "new" school in 7th grade. The year before he was "mainstreamed" in a regular school  setting with his interpreter's assistance. He made so many friends and fit in like a glove. He finished that school year with A's. Judah was having a good summer. He went on a trip to Branson with his Uncle & family. August the 7th he was at his Uncle's house for family get-together;I had to work so instead of picking him up the day before I let him go have fun. My husband went that day to pick up Judah's school uniforms. While at work; I get a call from him informing me I needed to leave work & meet him at home to take him to the emergency room,his teeth was chattering and he was freezing and had a high feaver. So; I take him to the Emergency room in Ruston. When we walked in the door a lady told us to turn off our cell phone. My husband had embedded kidney stones and had to go immediently to surgery. The doctor told me he'd probably lose his kidney. I walked outside to call his Mother and she asked me if I talked to my brother?! Judah was in an accident. Then she said "you go take care of you baby; I'll take care of mine". When I hang up the phone it beeped...17 messages! I started shaking & falling apart. Greg(my brother) didn't give me any details; all he said was"Tina, all the family is called in and you'll probably be too late..." My heart stopped. Then he went on to say the dr. wanted to airlift him to Shreveport L.S.U.Hospital; but, couldn't without parental consent. I told him to do what the hell he had to do to get my son the help he needed! I jumped in my buick and drove as fast as it would go to Minden where I met my brother; then to Shreveport. The helicopter was landing when we got there. They took him immediently to surgery. Judah had a fractured skull(overlapped into his brain), broke nose,broke facial bones. He was in the hospital in I.C.U. from Aug.7th through 27th experiencing high temps. up to 107*,seizures,no response to any stimuli, in a deep coma. Aug. 27th he was transferred off the I.C.U. to Town & Country Nursing Home(the drs. had no hope for him coming out of coma...they expected him to die,stay in a coma or be a vegetable). Judah had a trach & feed tube(the nite nurse took him off the vent the nite before we left hospital). He was on so much medicine and breathing treatments. The end of September he opened his beautiful blue eyes for the first time. He signed to me "MOM" then finger spelled MOM and TINA to let me know he was ok and remembered me. "What a moment"! Oct. 5th 2 aides were going to take him for a whirlpool bath...they were discussing plans for the weekend; not paying attention to what they were doing and dropped him from a lift over 5 ft. in the air. He fell head first hitting his head on the lift leg & floor(same side his fracture was on). His dr. was called; but, they wouldn't take him to the hospital. It caused him to go back into a deep coma,have a stroke, & knocked his eyes outta allignment. I brought him home Oct. 13th(day before his birthday) and became his caregiver ever since....It has been an uphill battle dealing with the effects of his T.B.I. everchanging. He's been through so many stages of recovery.As soon as we think we've overcome one obstacle another bigger one is thrown in our path. We've learnt to roll with the punches and do our best. He is a "SURVIVOR" and I don't know where he got all his strength; but, he's amazing. My inspiration!!(:

I'm married, to a good ol' country boy; Jamie and I have 7 youngun's between us. My youngest son kinda changed all of our lives when he had his accident in 2004.So much has changed and will continue to change as time goes by. I didn't go back to work after that day in August. I now take care of my 18 year old son. It's a fulltime job! He's made so many improvements; but, we gotta long way to go. Step by step....life goes on. "GOD is in control even when we're not"!!

Fulltime Homemaker, Wife, & Caregiver

While You were Sleeping. Nottin' Hill, Something to Talk About, Bed of Roses, (mushy stuff my hubby hates!) Love cartoons...Aurthur and the Invisables, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Grinch etc...Stephen King's horror (don't like unnecessary blood & guts)

Depends on my mood....just no "classical"!!

"SPICY"...GUMBO & Homemade vegetable Soup(yummy) Love me some potatoes!!((~:I like food; I can't lie

Don't have much time to read....usually its on T.B.I., or cooking.

It was the end of summer; August 7th 2004, Judah was at a family get~together at our Uncle's house. I was working that day and my husband was picking up JuD's school uniforms(school was suppose to resume in the next week); anyway...Basically; Judah was riding a gocart and a friend got on with him, they went off into the pasture and GOD only knows what exactly happened! From what the other boy remembered~The boy was thrown off the gocart(we figured JuD must have hung his head out to check on the boy and maybe hit a feeding trough. All the boy remembered was~The gocart was on it's side still running; JuD stood up pouring with blood and walked a few steps then passed out. The boy jumped on the gocart and went for help. My Uncle finally found him and supported him with his own body;JuD was choking on his own blood,Tony worked frantically pulling out clots to try to clear JuD's passageway. The other boy's Dad got there and started praying over JuD then finally Judah started vomitting up blood(which continued). Pafford took over and when they accessed him JuD stomach was also hot and pertruded(that really concerned them!!) Mom rode with Pafford and she said it was straight outta the movies how frantically they sped through traffic lights and the whole time Dennis(in the back w/JuD) prayed for GOD 's help! Judah was given a 10% chance of survival at first;he had to have alot of blood transfussions and was in a coma ~then "all" the family was called in.... We(Jamie & I) couldn't be reached because at the same time all this was unraveling; I was called from Shreveport from Jamie; he was going into shock from embedded kidney stones, so I met him in Arcadia and rushed him to the Hospital there! When we entered the hospital a lady told us to "turn off our phones"!! The surgeon came in and told me Jamie had to be rushed in to emergency surgery and would probably lose his kidney. I walked out to call his mom and all she said was"have you talked to your brother~Judah has been in an accident; you take care of your son and I'll take care of mine". I closed the phone and it beeped with 17 messages! My heart stopped and a hasn't started beating right since that day! When I called my brother he told me;"you will probably not make it in time"! I did make it in time though"on angels wings"! So much happened in the minutes,hours,days,months and years to follow....Judah is ALIVE and he blesses me in so many ways.

We now know there is so much more severe brain damage than was 1st suspected. After 5 years we finally got an MRI and in the Neurologist own words; "Judah should not be here~he should be DEAD"!!! And this is why he can't see....well; he can see! Thank GOD in heaven. Specialist don't have the answers~that's for a GREATER POWER!( : Life is extremely emotional and pure out heart~wrenching;but,we take it all 1 obstacle at a time. We enjoy the smiles & hugs because who knows when the next flag is flying and black~eye's coming!!!

ALOT of medicines!!!

Alot of those!!