TBI from Car Accident

by John Edward Teters Jr.
(Winchester, KS. USA)

On November 6th 2011, I was a passenger in an Acura car. We had just left a party and everyone thought my driver was sober.

He got in the turning lane and ran the red light. I was the only passenger in the car wearing a seat belt, sitting behind our driver.


It trapped me in the impact zone when we were hit on the driver's side by a Tahoe, SUV.

I was flown to Kansas University Medical Hospital by Life Flight. I was x-rayed and I broke 4 vertebres, 3 ribs, my right clavical, and my left ankle. 80% of my brain was bleeding TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury), I punctured my liver, and spleen, and my right lung collapsed.

I don't remember being in the hospital at all, I was there for 68 days. My Mom and Uncle told me that: when they first arrived at the Hospital, my Uncle asked the main Doctor what my percentage of survival was. They said He looked down at the floor shaking his head and said: "His injuries are unsurviveable."

By the time they got into the ICU curtained room they said at first glance I looked fine, I had a minor cut on my head and a real severe black eye. But they were telling my mom for the first week and a half to 2 weeks that I wouldn't survive.

I was in a drug induced coma the whole time I was in ICU (Intensive Care Unit), about 17 days. I don't remember much since I got out of the hospital but I'll try to point some details out.

The date of today is: 2/22/13. almost a year and a half I've been out of KU Medical Hospital, I still don't remember the day before or earlier that day if it's evening.

My Traumatic Brain Injury has been a real struggle for me, my family, and friends. I have had 1 seizure since My Accident. I was told that any drugs, alcohol, or even tobacco could cause my brain to have seizures, and my brain would not recover from one, I would ether be paralyzed or die.

I was put on seizure meds, with a Mood Stabilizer in it. Before the Medication I'm on now I would get upset and explode. I would start talking about doing stupid stuff and sometimes suicide.

I'm still good at Math, and Reading, and other long-term memory things. Out of the short term around about 2-4 years I can't really remember very much, but I get lucky every now and again and remember a main detail about what we did the day before.

I am very grateful for My Family. they have been the only reason I am still alive. Especially My Mom. She has put me before the world, and I could never repay her.

Doug's Reply. John, thanks for sharing the story of your TBI. Every time I hear about a brain injury, I'm reminded how small my own problems really are. I can't imagine how difficult this has been for you. Thank goodness for the support of your family!

Just curious, have you had cognitive rehab? Do you use memory tools like writing in a journal or taking photos, as Gweneviere does?

Visitors to this page who have TBI experience or who know someone with TBI: Please leave words of support and encouragement for John below.

Best regards,
Douglas
Memory-Improvement-Tips.com
This is information only. It is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.