3 Years-Missing my little girl today

Three years ago today, I found my daughter Brenna unresponsive, 24 hours after a simple eye repair surgery. This thrust us into the middle of a world of unfamiliar medical terminology, the "let her die" attitude of professionals, and being given no hope of recovery.

Brenna fought 16 months to recover, walking up to 1000 feet in the LiteGait, and learning to speak a few words. Sadly, due to a culmination of many medical "mistakes", she suffered a sudden cardiac arrest 16 months later, and I was allowed to bring her home to die.

In Brenna's honor, I will be speaking Tuesday morning at Idaho's first TBI Summit, featuring Senator Mike Crapo and a panel of professionals, and people who have been touched by brain injuries. The time is 9:30-11 AM at ISU's Stephens Performing Arts Center in Pocatello, ID.

I will be speaking as a parent whose daughter first suffered a concussion (TBI), followed 13 months later by her 4th surgery to correct her vision and her anoxic brain injury. I will speak of what happens in the system when a person has no health care due to a pre-existing condition and suffers a brain injury. For this, I will be given 3 minutes.

I miss her more and more each day. In her honor, I can do no more than to bring to the world, her story, what happened to her at the hands of professionals without a heart.

Pam
Brenna's Proud Mother

Idaho TBI Summit - Senator Crapo Press Release

 

IDAHO BRAIN INJURY SUMMIT REACHES OUT TO

VETERANS, PARENTS 

 

Crapo is opening speaker at the Pocatello event on Tuesday

Pocatello – Many Idahoans may be suffering from undiagnosed traumatic brain injuries resulting from battlefield conflicts, high school sports injuries, automobile accidents and even incidents where seniors have fallen down. Given the growing magnitude of these injuries, Idaho Senator Mike Crapo is joining with the Idaho Doctors Hospital, the Aegis Research Institute at Bingham Memorial Hospital, the Institute of Rural Health at Idaho State University and many Idaho physicians to launch the Idaho Traumatic Brain Injury Summit. The Summit will be held Tuesday, May 28, 2013, on the campus of Idaho State University.

According to physicians at the Idaho Doctors Hospital in Blackfoot, statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that traumatic brain injury (TBI) is at near-epidemic proportions in the United States. Despite the prevalence of TBI, there remains a critical need for improved diagnosis and treatment in order to increase survival rates and improve quality of life for TBI patients. The CDC reports that TBI is a contributing factor in nearly one-third of all injury-related deaths in the U.S.

This is Idaho’s first major forum on TBI injuries and treatment. In November 2012, the Aegis Research Institute at Bingham Memorial Hospital announced it has been selected to participate in the National Brain Injury Rescue and Rehabilitation Study. The study, conducted by the International Hyperbaric Medical Association, is focused on the use of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in treating TBI. Other interested Idahoans will also be in attendance, representing the diversity of those impacted by TBI. Twin Falls Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Wiley Dobbs, is expected to attend, as is Ms. Pamela Dowd. Ms. Dowd’s daughter, Brenna, lost her life following her TBI, prompting Ms. Dowd to travel through 21 states to raise awareness about the severity of such injuries.

News Conference to open Idaho Traumatic Brain Injury Summit:

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

9:30 AM Mountain Time

Rotunda, Stephens Performing Arts Center

Idaho State University

1002 Sam Nixon

Pocatello

Among the other local experts speaking at the Traumatic Brain Injury Summit:

· Mary Himmler, MD, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Specialist at Fort Hood, will present information on TBI among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and the typical recovery and treatment process. Previously, she treated soldiers with TBI at Walter Reed Medical Center.

· Lt. Col. Mary Kelly, Transition Assistance Advisor at the Joint Forces Personnel Readiness Center in Boise, will discuss the transition from military to civilian life for TBI survivors.

· Judge Rick Carnaroli, Idaho’s Presiding Justice over the Veterans' Treatment Court from the 6^th District, will discuss TBI issues relating to Idaho’s criminal justice system.

· Russ Spearman, Director of the ISU Institute of Rural Health's Traumatic Brain Injury Network, will address Idaho-based needs and potential solutions available through public health and health policy systems.

· Dr. Wiley Dobbs, Superintendent of Twin Falls School District, will present information on TBI as it relates to middle and high school sports injuries.

· Dr. Bernadette Howlett, Director of the Aegis Research Institute, will present an overview of TBI and its epidemiology.

· Jim Jones, a Vietnam veteran and study volunteer, will discuss treatment and recovery options related to TBI and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

· Barb Fox, who received a TBI in a car accident, will discuss her treatment and recovery from both TBI and PTSD as a civilian.

· Pamela Dowd will focus on family involvement and health insurance issues related to TBI, from her personal experience through the death of her daughter, Brenna, from complications of a TBI She is the author of "Condemned to Die-- Ask Me How, Tell Me Why", and the founder of both the Brenna’s Hope Foundation and the website, LuvURBrain.org.

· Jeff Hampsten, owner of Idaho Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine, will speak about research on the efficacy of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy as a treatment for TBI.

To directly link to this news release, please use the following address:

http://crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/release_full.cfm?id=342878

At last!

As readers will remember, last fall on my journey I stopped to visit Senator Michael Crapo (ID) in Washington, D. C. It was a great 15 minutes of sharing my concerns with him about people with brain injuries and the limited recovery opportunities they have, especially if the patient has no health insurance.

Last week I told you I would have something special to announce. Now I can share.

Senator Crapo will be in Pocatello, Idaho on May 28th, to speak at and moderate Idaho's first Traumatic Brain Injury Summit at the Stephens Performing Arts Center at ISU.  I am proud that he is going to be there. This is a giant first step for the people in Idaho who have a traumatic brain injury.

Please let Senator Crapo know how much you appreciate his interest in brain injuries.

Please share the flyer with all you know.

Brenna's problems with her brain began with a concussion in 2009. We did not know how critical a concussion is. I know now that there is no such thing as a "simple" concussion. All should be taken seriously and monitored carefully.  Thirteen months later, after her 4th eye repair surgery, Brenna suffered her anoxic brain injury. From there, she entered into a world where anoxics too often are ignored for treatment. From her seat in Heaven, I know she would be smiling if she could see this day.

In Brenna's honor, I will be on the panel to bring insight into what families face when they have no health care and tragedy happens. Brenna was one of those who could not obtain health insurance because of a pre-existing condition. She was one of the unfortunates. Her mother could not buy her the treatment she needed.

If you can be in Pocatello, please come and support someone you know who has a brain injury.

The Taskmaster

Last fall, before I began my long journey across the country to visit families and brain injury facilities, a gentleman I dubbed "The Taskmaster" helped me get everything in order for the trip. He created questions for me and had me not only write the answers, but practice giving them. He has been well versed in the political arena for over 40 years and ensured that I not only took the right steps to set up an appointment to speak with my senator but had my concerns consolidated in an orderly manner. Since I came back to Idaho in Dec, he has been working on another project to be announced early next week.

Last week the Taskmaster was hospitalized with congestive heart failure. For a few days, things were touch and go. Today his color is much better, although he still tires easily. His doctors hope to  release from the hospital by the end of the week.

Many people have prayed for his healing. He is appreciative of those prayers. For those who have prayed for him, he is grateful. God hears. God answers.

Please continue to keep the Taskmaster in your prayers.