Keep marching: Life with a traumatic brain injury

With more than 460,000 Service members diagnosed with a first-time traumatic brain injury (TBI) since 2000[1], it’s no wonder why the Military Health System[2] considers TBI to be “one of the signature wounds of war in the 21st century.”

“We really want to acknowledge and recognize all those living with brain injury and their caregivers,” said Laura Klug, TBI/Polytrauma Program Manager and Certified Brain Injury Specialist. “We focus on the types of brain injuries that happen from trauma. For our Veterans, it can be blast injuries or gunshot wounds.”

Traumatic brain injuries present a variety of complex challenges that can impact several bodily functions, like vision and balance. Because of this, individuals with TBIs face daily obstacles that seemed simple before incurring a brain injury, but now require great thought and energy to overcome.

“We have [physical therapy, occupational therapy] speech [therapy], [neuropsychology], audiology, social work case management, [vocational] rehab,” Klug said of the interdisciplinary approach to care available at the Cincinnati VAMC. “We really have the gambit of outpatient services to offer, and the VA nationwide has an entire integrated polytrauma system of care that has various tiers of care to help all of our Veterans living and struggling with traumatic brain injury.”

Retired U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. James Woods knows all-too-well the difficulties that come with TBI. When he and his wife retired in Cincinnati in 2015, Woods said he felt very isolated, to the extent that he wouldn’t engage in conversation with other people.

“When we came here in ’15, I was very isolated. If I saw you, I would say hello, but that would probably be the extent of it. Things I thought I wanted to do when I retired… I was no where ready for that,” Woods said. “I think in order to learn to live with TBI we have to humble ourselves or else you're just you're gonna drive yourself insane… I had to learn that the hard way. It probably took me five years to really come to grips… I wasn't the same person.”

Despite his injuries, Woods thrives today with help from his military training and services rendered at the Cincinnati VAMC.

“The only thing I know how to do is pick up my rucksack and keep marching and that's what I'm doing. I may not march as fast, I may not go as far but that's all I know how to do, so living life with a TBI, living life with PTSD, all these other issues, they're just obstacles and all I know how to do is either find a way around that obstacle as I was taught in the military or you breach that obstacle and move it out of your way,” Woods explained.

Woods asserts that no matter how severe the TBI, improvement is possible with a lot of work and patience – his life now is proof.

“Today, I teach classes, I work out as a volunteer in the community… I’m on the Patient Family Advisory Council [at the Cincinnati VAMC],” Woods said. “There's nothing that we can’t achieve. It takes time and patience.

“I feel blessed to have been here,” he continued. “The level of dedication that I’ve seen since I've been here at every department to help us, to be here for us, is a blessing.”

If you or a Veteran you know believes they incurred a TBI, make an appointment with your primary care provider to discuss your concerns or call 513-475-6894 to speak with the TBI/Polytrauma Clinic team.

For more information about TBI, visit Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury - Polytrauma/TBI System of Care (va.gov). To learn more about VA’s Polytrauma System of Care, visit VA Polytrauma System of Care - Polytrauma/TBI System of Care.

 

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[1] Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence, DOD TBI Worldwide Numbers. (2022): https://health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Centers-of-Excellence/Traumat…

[2] Military Health System, Be a Brain Warrior: Protect. Treat. Optimize. (2023): https://health.mil/News/In-the-Spotlight/Be-a-Brain-Warrior