Last week we had a chance to visit a post-acute care facility that is home for individuals that have suffered from a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). The visit was filled with great interactional experiences with the residents. We took a tour of the facility lead by one of the residents, asked a lot of questions for the staff, did some activities with a few residents and really just experienced a glimpse into the daily life of individuals that have experienced TBI’s. During the tour we were encouraged to step inside one of the residents rooms while he was sleeping calmly. Hesitant, I stepped just inside the door. The first thing I saw were military posters and a young man laying underneath with a trach extended from his neck. I immediately thought…oh man this young guy is a veteran. Our instructor encouraged me to step in closer and look at his personal pictures on the walls of the life he lead before the accident. The first picture I saw was a gorgeous man on his wedding day staring into the eyes of his bride. My heart immediately sank, my stomach jumped up to my throat and my eyes welled up with tears. My heart broke for him…for his wife…for his family …for all the people who know and love him. I wasn’t able to compose myself to look at more of his beautiful wall of pictures and had to leave the room. The rest of the visit I my head was stirring with questions, doubts, and a whole lot of emotions. Even to this day it is very hard to articulate some of the feelings without feeling overwhelmed with emotion and anxiety. I’ve always been in touch with my emotions and am usually the first in a group of people to get moist around the eyes when I feel moved by something, but I don’t think I’ve felt this prolonged intense and troubling sadness for an individual that I have never met before.
Our professor said something powerful in class right before we went on the site visit and it has stuck with me ever since. “Physicians save lives, we make the life worth living.” Wow. Just powerful! Simplifying our responsibility as OTA’s…we make life worth it for our patients. What a great way to look at a devastating tragedy. If we can somehow make a life that has been turned upside down and broken to pieces…into a life that is filled with hope and a life worth living, that is one of the greatest gifts to a person.
For the next 10 weeks, I will be working with similar patients that have suffered a TBI at different levels of functioning for my Fieldwork. I anticipate to be drained emotionally, but also to be filled with knowledge and great experience I can take with me on this journey. I pray that I am able to play even a small part in making someone’s life there worth living.
I leave you with a few TBI success stories....just click on the title "A Life Worth Living"
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