Name: Dave E.

City: Mechanicsburg

Brain Injury: I had a traumatic brain injury (contra-coup) with skull fractured, and hematoma.  I was about 2 ft off the ground on a ladder.  Snow and ice collected on my boots.  My feet moved through the ladder rungs, I lost all control.  The Olfactory Nerve was damaged leaving partial smell and taste.  Years later, a CAT scan showed damage to both left and right frontal lobes.  A day and a half later I woke up in the hospital and then released on the 4^th day.  Apparenlty I looked okay.. The dates were January 25-29, 1994.

Sixteen years later, I realized I wasn’t handling the stress will, having to work full and part time jobs and do anything required of a normal guy the rest of the day as well.  No one said anything even if they knew it, and ignored whatever I said about it.  I took another year till my questions, information collecting from the hospital, and was recommended to have my first baseline evaluation.  That proved I didn’t just bump my head.  Aging and deficits in executive functioning were increasing.

Explanation of mask: The amount of black on my mask depicts the depth of loneliness in my life no matter who I was around or what I’d say.  I recently inquired of others, to speak to me about how I am perceived by others.  Some have said I am very strong, those people who truly know me.  As a part time employee, a number of people have asked a supervisor, “Is the CONDITION I HAVE, something I AM using as an excuse to be LAZY?”  It has been said and proven that I am a hard worker.  The same tasks do take me longer much of the time.  People are nice but the silence can be deafening at times. 

While all of this has been the Living Hell it appears, I know something else.  I can see the Hand of God using all of this experience and knowledge to start coming along side others in ways that are unseen to many around them.  There is now light coming to replace the deep darkness that was so predominate.  The brightening days, Sunshine, and a Path represent His path and showing me new ways to go.  I have to function differently.  My cognitive stamina will allow me to be part of a team coming to the aid of another.  This is the start of a new chapter in discovering the New Me.