Head Injury - a Family Nightmare
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About this ebook
Estelle Flynn
I have a son, age 52, who suffered a traumatic brain injury in a motorcycle accident 34 years ago. I have retained copies of his medical history since the date of the accident. I had to fight for all of his medical services during a time when there was little known about brain injury, and almost no technology available for testing or treatment. In an effort to get medical help for my son I went through every available resource in the State of Pennsylvania. I contacted every elected official and every state agency in Pennsylvania in order to get my son approved for Social Security disability insurance, and was finally successful after 21 years. In 1977 I started the first support group for families of brain injured patients in Pennsylvania, Head-On, which allowed families to share experiences, both positive and negative, in the search for information about brain injuries. I've spoken at hospitals and rehabilitation centers throughout Pennsylvania and helped set up regional support groups across the State. I was appointed to the Board of Directors of the PA Head Injury Foundation, and served for 9 years. I was recognized by then-Governor Richard Thornburg for my work on behalf of the head injured and their families. My husband and I have been married for 54 years and live in Levittown, PA. We have 4 grown children and 4 grandchildren. I am an organist at my church, and enjoy reading, writing, swimming, and playing piano, organ, and harp. I've been active in my church and community, serving on the Cultural Arts Committee, Board of Elections, Girl Scouts, Meals on Wheels, and various other service organizations.
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Head Injury - a Family Nightmare - Estelle Flynn
THAT AWFUL DAY
THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED ON MOTHER’S DAY, MAY 8, 1977. I HAD MADE A TURKEY DINNER AND WE WERE WAITING FOR DANNY AND HIS FRIEND, NANCY, TO COME HOME FROM CHURCH. THEY DIDN’T WANT TO STAY FOR DINNER BECAUSE THEY WERE IN A HURRY. THEY WERE TO MEET THEIR FRIENDS AT THE SCHOOL LOT FOR A BASEBALL GAME AND WERE ALREADY LATE. DANNY, AT THE TIME, WAS WORKING AT A LOCAL SEAFOOD RESTURANT AND WAS TO START AT 5:00 PM . BUT HE SAID MOTHER’S DAY WAS ALWAYS ONE OF THEIR BUSIEST DAYS OF THE YEAR SO HE WANTED TO GO IN AN HOUR EARLY TO GIVE THE OTHER WORKERS A HAND. BUT HE WANTED TO GET SOME BASEBALL IN BEFORE HE HAD TO LEAVE FOR WORK.
ONE OF HIS YOUNG FRIENDS HAD JUST PURCHASED MOTORCYCLE THAT WEEK AND HAD IT AT THE FIELD. HE KNEW EVERYONE WOULD WANT TO SEE IT, AND MAYBE EVEN TAKE IT FOR A RIDE. DANNY NEVER WANTED A MOTORCYCLE, HE LOVED HIS FANCY BLUE ROAD RUNNER CAR.
ABOUT 3:30 PM SEVERAL OF DANNY’S FRIENDS CAME RUNNING IN OUR DOOR TO TELL US THAT DANNY AND NANCY HAD A BAD ACCIDENT AND WE SHOULD HURRY TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM OF OUR LOCAL HOSPITAL. THE SIGHT OF HIS INJURIES, ESPECIALLY HIS FACE, OVERWHELMED US. NANCY HAD BEEN TAKEN TO ANOTHER HOSPITAL WHERE TWO WEEKS LATER SHE SUCCUMBED TO HER INJURIES. THEIR FRIENDS TOLD US THAT NANCY WANTED DANNY TO TAKE HER FOR A RIDE AROUND THE BLOCK BEFORE HE HAD TO LEAVE FOR WORK. I DON’T SUPPOSE ANY EIGHTEEN YEAR OLD YOUNG MAN WANTS TO ADMIT HE DOESN’T KNOW MUCH ABOUT DRIVING A MOTORCYCLE, SO THEY PUT ON THEIR HELMETS, DROVE ONE HALF BLOCK, HIT THE GRAVEL AT THE INTERSECTION, AND LANDED UNDER A TRUCK PARKED ON THE CORNER. ONE OF THE YOUNG MEN GAVE HIM CPR WHILE THEY WAITED FOR THE AMBULANCE. OTHERS BROUGHT THE HELMETS FOR MY HUSBAND AND I TO SEE. THEY WERE PRETTY BANGED UP, BUT ON EXAMINING THEM I SUSPECT THE HELMETS WERE NOT BUCKLED. BY THE TIME WE ARRIVED AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE, THE AMBULANCE HAD BEEN THERE AND ON THE WAY TO THE HOSPITAL.
THE NEURO-SURGEON ON DUTY THAT DAY WAS A DOCTOR FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY WHO WE COULD NOT UNDERSTAND. THIS MADE US EVEN MORE CONFUSED AND ANXIOUS. SEVERAL OF THE NURSES SUGGESTED ANOTHER NEURO-SURGEON AFFLIATED WITH THE HOSPITAL WHO THEY FELT WE WOULD BE MORE COMFORTABLE WITH. AND SO WE REQUESTERED THE LATE DR. WILLIAM SAGAN, WHO WE APPROVED OF TAKING CARE OF OUR SON. AFTER DANNY’S MEDICAL CONDITION IMPROVED TO WHERE HE COULD BE MOVED, DR. SAGAN ARRANGED TO HAVE A CAT SCAN DONE AT TEMPLE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL IN PHILADELPHIA. THE TEST HAD TO BE DONE THERE BECAUSE THEY DIDN’T HAVE THE EQUIPMENT AT OUR LOCAL