Steve
I had to go to a brain specialty hospital because a small portion of my brain died, and the neuropaths got disconnected when I suffered a bad brain injury in a boxing training session back in March of 2023. In my first training session for the boxing competition, I took an uppercut punch, and between that and the way I fell to the floor, my brain took enough damage that my whole life has changed. My left lung collapsed for some reason and my brain was bleeding badly, so I received intensive care at the hospital right away. The doctor had to enter my head and drain the excess blood, and I stayed at the hospital for twenty days. My wife was told by more than one doctor that my chances of survival were very low. One of the nurses told her there was an excellent brain injury hospital located in Nebraska, called Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital (Madonna for short). The nurse recommended that I go there as soon as possible for proper care because they specialized in brain injuries. Once I got there, I stayed in their inpatient side for around one month, and then I recovered enough that I moved to their outpatient section for physical therapy which I had to do for three months.
My right leg and hip were too weak and incapable of performing something as basic as walking normally, or stepping up or down stairs without using a stair rail or a wall to be balanced enough so I wouldn’t fall. Because the left side of my brain was damaged, I had some physical problems with the right side of my body. My memory and my ability to speak normally changed dramatically, also. My injury was severe and serious enough that even though I somehow recovered quite quickly, I had to retire from fire fighting because I wasn’t capable of performing the physical tasks, and my brain wasn’t all together. I was told by one of the physical therapists I spent time with at Madonna, I need to reteach my body to act in a way that will remind it of what habits and routines I had. Because I have to deal with a brain connectivity problem, it can take a longer amount of time and several repetitions for something habitual to successfully come back. One doctor at Madonna Rehab Hospital said I would need between three and four years to fully recover, and to develop what I consider normal behavior again.
The doctor said it will take me at least that long to develop what my normal activity was and to feel natural doing it. When I was released from Madonna, I did more physical therapy in Topeka. I went to one place that’s known for forming a good relationship with the people who used their services, and I have been there before but I don’t remember it because that was so long ago. I may never make it to the same level of physicality I was at before this injury, and there might be something physically different about me forever. Habits and routines can be strong enough to last for a lifetime, and thanks to what happened to me, I’m grateful that I have several of them. However, my body doesn’t seem to want that many habits or routines back for my right side. I really have to be aware of how I used to perform something so I can get back to what’s normal for me. I am not moving as easily or fluidly as I used to, so things I use my right leg for can feel wrong now. To step forwards or backwards, it feels like I’m lifting my right leg too high and when I set it back down it goes down so firmly it almost sounds like I’m stomping my foot. I don’t remember anything about Madonna as an inpatient for the first three weeks except for one or two small things, and I was told about a few things that I’m glad I can’t remember.
One thing is I would very quickly and repeatedly strike my head or the side of my face with either my left fist or my left palm frequently. My wife had to inform my nurses so they could spend more time with me so I couldn’t do it anymore. Striking myself in my head or the side of my face was something that I continued to do when I stayed in another building after I was moved to the outpatient side, and I did that a few months after we returned home, too. When I was an outpatient, I worked on something that’s called an Armeo Power Machine so I could regain some control over how my right arm moved, and so it could purposely accomplish something. I had to work with a speech therapist and read out loud from something, and then try to explain it in a different way to them. They tried to help my speech and memory by having me read something out loud on an electronic device, and then marking the correct spot when I was asked a question about what I read. They also had me draw simple things on it to regain control over how my arm moved.
I practiced throwing and catching a ball with a therapist, or I could kick a soccer ball to them to work on how my leg moved. Kicking a ball to them was very challenging for me, and I either couldn’t make my leg work, or I kicked it too aggressively. I had to learn how to speak again so I could be understandable, and I also had to practice swallowing food so I wouldn’t choke on it. I went to an indoor pool so I could go to the deeper end to practice walking without a walker or a cane, because that gave me a chance to walk without using anyone or anything for help. The deeper end only came up to just below my shoulders so I could walk from one side to the other safely, and I was given a small styrofoam floater so I could use it for help walking around the pool if I needed. I started liking that activity after I grew comfortable with it. I didn’t like it at first, but I went to a room with a harness hanging from the ceiling that moved in a circular pattern, and I used it for help to walk around the room. While I was in the room, I needed to walk up five wooden stairs with a handrail to a porch with a screen door. At the top, I turned to my left and opened the screen door, then stepped through it and closed the door. After I stepped back out and went down the stairs, I took a few steps and I was done.
It was difficult for me, and I don’t like to turn to my left. My right leg can’t move correctly like I need it to anymore, so I turn to my right almost every time because I can use my left leg for control and balance. I also can’t balance myself for more than one or two seconds on my right leg, and it’s difficult to lift my right leg over something more than two or three inches high when I have to bend my leg to lift it. I felt capable of doing whatever the physical therapists had me do, but some things were very difficult for me and I needed to work on them more than I wanted. I still looked forward to each new day, and I saw a new day as my opportunity to improve and show everyone I wasn’t a waste of their time and effort. I also felt lucky to make it through certain days. While it does depend on the injury and the type of person who got injured, I feel that anyone can overcome incredible obstacles if they want to. They just need to have patience, and use some effort to push themselves a little. They won’t desire to remain the same forever, and neither will anyone who loves them.
I still have further to go, but I recovered rather quickly from what happened to me and I owe much of my thanks to Madonna. I can say that I liked my time at Madonna, because it helped me find a little confidence in my abilities and it helped me understand life wasn’t something to give up on.