Dia Manley
English 367
Lohre
Essay Two
Josh Rhodes
Brain Injury Survivor
Columbus, Ohio
“Of the 1.4 million who sustain a traumatic brain injury each year in the United States: 50,000 die, 235,000 are hospitalized and 1.1 million are treated and released from an emergency department and 20% are motor vehicle crashes”, according to Brain Injury Association of America. Also, “Males are about 1.5 times as likely as females to sustain a traumatic brain injury”, according to Brain Injury Association of America .
Josh Rhodes is part of those statistics for brain injuries. This whole incident was a life changing experience. Not just physically but mentally as well. But when most people think of a car accident, they think of something horrible happening but in Josh case it was a life changing experience for the better.
I first met Josh over a year ago when he first started working at Marshall’s with me. Over time we became real close friends and I was amazed with some of the things he has gone through over the past few years. This is why I chose him for my interview because he has went through so much but he is still happy and satisfied with his life. I met with Josh one Tuesday evening at his home that he shares with his older sister, one year old niece, two dogs and two cats in Victorian Village. Here is Josh Rhodes story.
It all started on, January 18th 2003, about ten miles west of Plain city. I went to a friends house after work and slept over, the next morning I went home, got ready for work, helped my dad take care of my pets and left. Three miles away from home and I don’t know why I ran off the road, I hit a telephone pole. Going about sixty miles and hour, on the driver side door. With evidence, the weather was fine and the roads were fine. There were no dead animals at the scene, no people involved, no drugs, no alcohol. Within a couple of minutes after it happen, four people stopped and one was a nurse and they had a cell phone and called my dad. I was conscience then. The ambulance came, the cops came and then life flight came. As soon as the life flight came, I went into a coma. I needed reconstruction surgery done to my face, three. Wired my jaw shut, needing a breathing tube, a trachea and a feeding tube. For about ten in half weeks or so, I was in the ICU, then got transferred to the hospital rehabilitation for a week and I was in a coma for two in a half weeks after the accident. I do remember a couple things, towards the end of the coma. Like, hear a little bit here and there. Like, a sister coming in and friends coming in.
While I was at the hospital rehabilitation, they had to tie me down a couple of times, for my own safety because I was kicking and throwing my arms around. They were scared that, I was possibly going to take out my trach or my breathing tube or feeding tube. I remember when I first saw my arms, my wrist and my ankles were tied down, I started screaming and shaking.
Also, at the hospital rehabilitation I did some therapy. It was speech, occupational and physical. In physical therapy they only wanted to see what I could and couldn’t do. For example, working on my balance range; they had me walking up and down stairs. Between the physical therapy, I would say it lasted for about six or seven weeks. I was in occupational and speech therapy, but it was more for up here (pointing towards his head) and if I could do stuff around the house. And seeing my brain capacity.
After the accident, I was on seizure watch because of my head injury. I lost about thirty degrees in each eye; the peripheral vision in each eye, that’s permanently gone. I also, have double vision in my left eye and I don’t see as clearly out my left eye. I got some metal in my face, around my eyes, beneath my nose and my right jaw. Plus, they wired my mouth shut for five weeks. I can’t open up my mouth as big as before and some foods I have to smoosh down a little bit, to help me eat it. I can’t really have some things in my mouth for a long period of time or I’ll start choking or gagging. The surgeries in my face cost thirty thousand dollars alone.
Some other things, I have problems with at times is, I’m a little bit lazy. Before the accident I was very neat. Like in my bedroom. Now I’m really not. I’m a procrastinator. I will say, “I’ll clean my room later” and “I’ll do my laundry later”. Later comes and I’ll say, “I will clean my room later”. I always put it off, a lot of times I do stuff at the last minute.
In general my memory is pretty good but my short term memory is a little off. So I’m taking medication for that. The other medications that I’m taking are a mood stabilizer, sleeping medication, medication for energy, acne and anti-depressants but I was taking them before the accident. My medication is about a thousand dollars amount but I have insurance that pays for them.
It wasn’t an easy transition to normal life after the accident. He had a psychologist, which he asked for, he also had family and friends to help him out and several support groups that he attended as well. After this injury. Um, with me I kind of had to restart my life, with some problems. But, I have, had my family and my friends and I know I can talk to whoever about my problems. Even if me spilling my guts and them listening, that’s it. You know? It really helped. And, um, also over time when, I was getting better. With the psychologist, I just needed at least say something, to somebody, a professional. The psychologist also, helped me deal with the changes after the accident. With the support groups, um I did go to two different support groups. I’m going to one now. But um it really helps. Um, one is through the Brain Injury Association of Ohio at the Grandview Library and then the other one is at OSU, um at Doan Hall. It really helped, talking and dealing with people that went through the same thing. In some cases, I felt bad for some people because in some cases, they lost everything, they ended losing their husbands/wives, children, their jobs, their houses, all their money, everything. And even though a lot of us, might received injuries different ways, or whatever. It was nice knowing, all those people.
With all that in mind, you would wonder how is Josh Rhodes now. Well, Josh is happier than ever. He is currently working at Marshall’s department store and a year after is accident he started working with MRDD(Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities).Um, I’m happy what I done with my life so far. You know? I have traveled throughout the country. For example, California, Las Vegas, New Mexico, Chicago, a lot of places. Different places in New York, Vermont and down to Florida and to France. And um, just between school, meeting people at work, my job, or whatever I met all different types of people all over the world. You know? literally. Different backgrounds and different cultures. I have learned that life, is very important and there are more important things than money. You know? Yes, I need it. But there are more important thing like, family. I rather have a lot of friends, living on a crappier side of town, then on the rich side of town in a big house with a lot of money. Who doesn’t want to be rich. But, you know? I’m happy, I’ve learned that family is important, friendship is important.
For an extent I grew up a little. Even though, I still have issues or growing up to do. Um, you have to play the cards what you got, you know, what you’re dealt with. Yes, I want more money, yes I want this and that. Each person have difficulties and problems. You know? But, I know, I kind of realize that, I’m satisfied with my life. When I die someday. I mean I don’t want to die. But I’m prepared. Just, if I die tomorrow, I feel in many ways my life is complete. To have friends, I have family. I done a lot stuff. You know? Is there a lot of stuff I want to do still, yes. Yeah, I want more. Someday I want to finish school. Things like that. But, if I die tomorrow, I’m prepared, I’m ready. You know? I’m prepared.
English 367
Lohre
Essay Two
Josh Rhodes
Brain Injury Survivor
Columbus, Ohio
“Of the 1.4 million who sustain a traumatic brain injury each year in the United States: 50,000 die, 235,000 are hospitalized and 1.1 million are treated and released from an emergency department and 20% are motor vehicle crashes”, according to Brain Injury Association of America. Also, “Males are about 1.5 times as likely as females to sustain a traumatic brain injury”, according to Brain Injury Association of America .
Josh Rhodes is part of those statistics for brain injuries. This whole incident was a life changing experience. Not just physically but mentally as well. But when most people think of a car accident, they think of something horrible happening but in Josh case it was a life changing experience for the better.
I first met Josh over a year ago when he first started working at Marshall’s with me. Over time we became real close friends and I was amazed with some of the things he has gone through over the past few years. This is why I chose him for my interview because he has went through so much but he is still happy and satisfied with his life. I met with Josh one Tuesday evening at his home that he shares with his older sister, one year old niece, two dogs and two cats in Victorian Village. Here is Josh Rhodes story.
It all started on, January 18th 2003, about ten miles west of Plain city. I went to a friends house after work and slept over, the next morning I went home, got ready for work, helped my dad take care of my pets and left. Three miles away from home and I don’t know why I ran off the road, I hit a telephone pole. Going about sixty miles and hour, on the driver side door. With evidence, the weather was fine and the roads were fine. There were no dead animals at the scene, no people involved, no drugs, no alcohol. Within a couple of minutes after it happen, four people stopped and one was a nurse and they had a cell phone and called my dad. I was conscience then. The ambulance came, the cops came and then life flight came. As soon as the life flight came, I went into a coma. I needed reconstruction surgery done to my face, three. Wired my jaw shut, needing a breathing tube, a trachea and a feeding tube. For about ten in half weeks or so, I was in the ICU, then got transferred to the hospital rehabilitation for a week and I was in a coma for two in a half weeks after the accident. I do remember a couple things, towards the end of the coma. Like, hear a little bit here and there. Like, a sister coming in and friends coming in.
While I was at the hospital rehabilitation, they had to tie me down a couple of times, for my own safety because I was kicking and throwing my arms around. They were scared that, I was possibly going to take out my trach or my breathing tube or feeding tube. I remember when I first saw my arms, my wrist and my ankles were tied down, I started screaming and shaking.
Also, at the hospital rehabilitation I did some therapy. It was speech, occupational and physical. In physical therapy they only wanted to see what I could and couldn’t do. For example, working on my balance range; they had me walking up and down stairs. Between the physical therapy, I would say it lasted for about six or seven weeks. I was in occupational and speech therapy, but it was more for up here (pointing towards his head) and if I could do stuff around the house. And seeing my brain capacity.
After the accident, I was on seizure watch because of my head injury. I lost about thirty degrees in each eye; the peripheral vision in each eye, that’s permanently gone. I also, have double vision in my left eye and I don’t see as clearly out my left eye. I got some metal in my face, around my eyes, beneath my nose and my right jaw. Plus, they wired my mouth shut for five weeks. I can’t open up my mouth as big as before and some foods I have to smoosh down a little bit, to help me eat it. I can’t really have some things in my mouth for a long period of time or I’ll start choking or gagging. The surgeries in my face cost thirty thousand dollars alone.
Some other things, I have problems with at times is, I’m a little bit lazy. Before the accident I was very neat. Like in my bedroom. Now I’m really not. I’m a procrastinator. I will say, “I’ll clean my room later” and “I’ll do my laundry later”. Later comes and I’ll say, “I will clean my room later”. I always put it off, a lot of times I do stuff at the last minute.
In general my memory is pretty good but my short term memory is a little off. So I’m taking medication for that. The other medications that I’m taking are a mood stabilizer, sleeping medication, medication for energy, acne and anti-depressants but I was taking them before the accident. My medication is about a thousand dollars amount but I have insurance that pays for them.
It wasn’t an easy transition to normal life after the accident. He had a psychologist, which he asked for, he also had family and friends to help him out and several support groups that he attended as well. After this injury. Um, with me I kind of had to restart my life, with some problems. But, I have, had my family and my friends and I know I can talk to whoever about my problems. Even if me spilling my guts and them listening, that’s it. You know? It really helped. And, um, also over time when, I was getting better. With the psychologist, I just needed at least say something, to somebody, a professional. The psychologist also, helped me deal with the changes after the accident. With the support groups, um I did go to two different support groups. I’m going to one now. But um it really helps. Um, one is through the Brain Injury Association of Ohio at the Grandview Library and then the other one is at OSU, um at Doan Hall. It really helped, talking and dealing with people that went through the same thing. In some cases, I felt bad for some people because in some cases, they lost everything, they ended losing their husbands/wives, children, their jobs, their houses, all their money, everything. And even though a lot of us, might received injuries different ways, or whatever. It was nice knowing, all those people.
With all that in mind, you would wonder how is Josh Rhodes now. Well, Josh is happier than ever. He is currently working at Marshall’s department store and a year after is accident he started working with MRDD(Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities).Um, I’m happy what I done with my life so far. You know? I have traveled throughout the country. For example, California, Las Vegas, New Mexico, Chicago, a lot of places. Different places in New York, Vermont and down to Florida and to France. And um, just between school, meeting people at work, my job, or whatever I met all different types of people all over the world. You know? literally. Different backgrounds and different cultures. I have learned that life, is very important and there are more important things than money. You know? Yes, I need it. But there are more important thing like, family. I rather have a lot of friends, living on a crappier side of town, then on the rich side of town in a big house with a lot of money. Who doesn’t want to be rich. But, you know? I’m happy, I’ve learned that family is important, friendship is important.
For an extent I grew up a little. Even though, I still have issues or growing up to do. Um, you have to play the cards what you got, you know, what you’re dealt with. Yes, I want more money, yes I want this and that. Each person have difficulties and problems. You know? But, I know, I kind of realize that, I’m satisfied with my life. When I die someday. I mean I don’t want to die. But I’m prepared. Just, if I die tomorrow, I feel in many ways my life is complete. To have friends, I have family. I done a lot stuff. You know? Is there a lot of stuff I want to do still, yes. Yeah, I want more. Someday I want to finish school. Things like that. But, if I die tomorrow, I’m prepared, I’m ready. You know? I’m prepared.
Wow this is amazing
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