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Tom
Pre-Injury Lifestyle Tom was a very passionate cyclist before his accident, using his bike both for transportation and recreation. He enjoyed the physical exercise and feeling of freedom that riding brought to his life. Tom was employed by a lawn service and, in his free time, enjoyed collecting and running his “G” scale trains. Injury Report In December of 2012, Tom left his home for a quick trip to the convenience store – accidentally forgetting the helmet he wore regularly. He was struck by a speeding car while crossing the street and subsequently lost consciousness. Tom spent the next 48 hours in a coma and, soon after waking, was diagnosed with a severe traumatic brain injury. Post-injury/Pre-Life Skills Village After his accident, Tom found himself struggling with balance problems. He was forced to utilize a walker or cane to remain ambulatory. In addition, the accident left Tom with cognitive, executive function and motor skills deficits. Adding to these difficulties, attempting to return to his daily routine was causing Tom irritability and anger issues. Post-Injury/Post-Life Skills Village Like all of our clients, Tom wants to regain his independence. With hard work from Tom and help from our team, he is actively engaged in rehab, building relationships and learning to work with others as part of a team. Employed both at the Life Skills Sheltered Workshop and through our Work Re-Entry Program. To maintain the skills he's learned and practiced in The Village, Tom stays positive and utilizes his coping strategies. Knowing he was lucky to survive, Tom has made it his mission to spread the message of bicycle safety to the community. The Life Skills Village team helped him create a presentation that he has so far delivered at local libraries, Mothers Against Drunk Driving and Brownstown Farmers Market. |
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