Severe TBI: Listening to the TBI Survivor about His Brain Injury

Severe TBI: Mike Part Twelve

Mike, with his severe TBI, sat through my entire interview of his wife, at times reminding her not to use his real name, other times shaking in agreement –  occasionally correcting his wife and doing so accurately.  On the conclusion of my interview with her, I interviewed him:

“I didn’t know it was Saint Vincent’s, I didn’t know why I was there or what.”

What Mike Remembers from His Severe TBI Accident

What’s the closest to the time of the accident, that caused your severe TBI,  date that you remember, the day before, a week before?

That’d be the day of the accident.

What do you remember about the date of the accident?

I remember going down to the corner bar, going in there and having a couple of beers.

Do you remember the week before the accident that caused your severe TBI?  Was that the only thing you remember?

That’s all I remember.

Do you remember going to work the day of the accident?

I kind of remember it.  Some days were pretty much the same.

That’s the thing about routine, if it doesn’t stand out, you’re not necessarily going to know that’s a specific day.

Right.

What day of the week did you get hurt?

I believe it was a Saturday.

Was it Labor Day weekend?

Yeap.

Now, you’re in the hospital in Green Bay for almost ’til the end of October because of your severe TBI – your wife tells us 51 days.  Do you remember being in Saint Vincent’s in Green Bay?

I really don’t.

What is the first thing that you do remember in terms of your treatment?

I wanted to leave there.

Saint Vincent’s?

Yeap. I wanted to leave there.

Do you remember why you wanted to leave there?

Because I was tired of sitting there. I didn’t know it was Saint Vincent’s, I didn’t know why I was there or what.

You’ve been here for five, six months now, is that right?

Yeah.

Do you remember what you did last month?

Last month?

You and I met two months ago.  Do you remember meeting me before?

Yes.

Do you remember going home for Thanksgiving?

Yeah, vaguely I remember going home for Thanksgiving.

Do you remember Christmas?

Yes. I remember going home.  My wife took me home for Christmas. Christmas, yeah, then I came back here right after Christmas.

What do you remember about Christmas?

I remember going home, we had the kids over Christmas day, my grandsons, my son little boy that he raises.

Get any special Christmas presents?

My son bought me a nice hat. It was a nice wool hat that I liked very much.

Next in Part Thirteen – Rehab Progress at Clearview Brain Injury Treatment Center

By Attorney Gordon Johnson