Joe

JOE


In August of 2001, Joe crashed while riding his bicycle and incurred a mild traumatic brain injury. He was wearing a helmet which lessened the damage. At age 40, he enrolled at UNH to pursue a degree in Recreational Management. He loves the campus environment but is investing significant energy into learning to successfully complete his courses. Although he physically looks the same, there are dramatic differences in the way his brain works now and how he approaches his academic and personal life. Still an avid biker, Joe hopes to lead bike trips in America and Europe after he graduates.

Read All of Joe's Story
or click below for individual sections

The Challenges of a Head Injury

Returning to School with a Head Injury

Choosing a Career Path

Strategies

The Benefits of Asking for Help

Being Emotionally Alive

Future Goals

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THE BENEFITS OF ASKING FOR HELP
I used to do everything all myself.  Independence.  I didn’t need anybody else’s help. Now my lesson is learning how to work with other people to get a good end result.  A challenge is to realize I can’t figure this out, I am stuck and I need some help.  I am learning it is okay to ask for help and the amazing thing is that I never get turned down. The response that comes back is workable, doable, a way for the results to be achieved.

Interacting with other people, you realize that everyone has a unique story. It fosters more courage within me to reach out a little more, to interact to a greater degree. Other people are struggling too. I’m not the only one finding this experience to be hard.  It makes a difference when we share our short-comings and find news ways to achieve success. The end result of asking for help is that it helps everybody.