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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STRATEGIES
Before the semester even starts, I approach my teachers and introduce myself and explain my situation. I am laying the groundwork for my success. I feel really good about that because I start the process: start early, tell the truth, and ask for help if necessary. I have taken three classes successfully during a semester, that’s a full load to me. What I can’t anticipate is the amount of effort for a particular class until I’m in it.
A couple of times I have gotten in over my head. I have faced my short comings and taken corrective action. Last fall semester, I almost hit the wall in my Anatomy and Physiology class. I’m glad I dropped it and took it over the summer as a stand alone course. Last spring, I was in a computer class that met twice a week for an hour and a half. The exact same class was taught on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for an hour. So I negotiated with the teacher to take the hour class and then go right into the computer lab so I could start applying what I learned right away. I needed to do that in order to be successful.
One of the dramatic differences for me is the way I used to run my life. Everything was always scheduled out each hour of the day. Now with my brain injury, I can’t do that. If I schedule too many things for one day: overload. I write in my calendar the important things that are due and it details all the important things I must do. I carry it with me and I look at it everyday. If I don’t look at it multiple times during the day, I miss things. Once is not enough. It doesn’t register.