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 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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CHOOSING A
CAREER PATH
Six months after my head injury, I went to Vocational Rehabilitation in Portsmouth. They gave me many tests which gave me ideas of what jobs I would be good at and interested in. The jobs were all people related: Teaching, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Recreational Therapy. I love recreation. I went to talk with someone who was doing Recreational Therapy. I visited UNH and they teach it here. The pieces started to come together. It made sense to me. Then I went on vacation in Canada with a friend. He knew I was looking at my options. One night he looked in my eyes and said, “You need to make decision, a commitment, and you need to do it now”. He was right. The next morning I said, “I am going to become a Recreational Therapist”. Had I done nothing, nothing would have happened.