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THE VOICE OF BRAIN INJURY – Help, Hope and Healing
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Issue #55, Fall 2013
Newsletter
Developing a Meaningful Life After a Brain Injury ............. Page 1 President’s & Executive Director’s Message ........................ Page 2 Developing a Meaningful Life After a Brain Injury (cont’d).. Page 3 Overview of 30th Annual Charity Golf Tournament ............ Page 4 2nd Annual Heads Up Marathon ......................................… Page 5 Making a Difference in Small Town NH .............................. Page 6 27th Annual Walk by the Sea ................................................ Page 7 Brain Injury Community Support Program............................ Page 8 Meet the Artist - Laurie Deptula ........................................... Page 9
IN THIS ISSUE...
Spotlight on Krempels .......................................................... What Brain Injury Survivors Want You to Know.................. Let’s Go Camping ................................................................ Helping Children with Brain Injuries Succeed in School..... Legislative Section ............................................................... Support Groups ....................................................................
Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15
GOING GREEN? If you would like to receive the HEADWAY
Developing a Meaningful Life After a Brain Injury
Life is so often unpredictable. Many years ago, my dad shared with me an interesting thought. "If I had the opportunity to see the future in a crystal ball, I would most likely pass on the opportunity."
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A Survivor Story by David Grant
As time passed, it became clear that I was in for a marathon and not a sprint. My attitude shifted. No longer was I hoping to "beat" my brain injury. My goal changed to learning to "coexist" with my disability. That goal exists to this day.
I was younger and thought his comment to be pure folly. Today I see the wisdom of his words. Given the same opportunity, I can now say that I would pass on such an opportunity as well.
My first step in this process was to learn more about exactly how I was compromised. By getting a real feel for what was in need of repair, I could better move toward a new wellness. There are a few benefits to having to cover medical costs out of pocket. When it became time to find a competent neuropsychologist, I was able to do so based on input from other members of the TBI community. I was not relegated to finding an "in network" or insurance approved doctor. I had the freedom to choose based on proficiency alone.
On November 11, 2010, the course of my life was forever altered. Not a gradual changing of life's direction. No, fate had something a bit different in store.
It was on that fated day that I was struck by a teenage driver while I was cycling and catapulted into the new, strange and often unpredictable world of traumatic brain injury. No one asks for a brain injury. A brain injury is just about the last thing you think about, until it becomes the only thing you think about.
I was rushed by ambulance to the nearest trauma center, my wife Sarah following the speeding ambulance in her car. A local police officer appeared at the trauma center to take my statement in case it was my fate to succumb from my injuries.
Over the weeks that followed, the extent of my brain injury became clearer. My new normal included a speech challenges including aphasia and stuttering. Memory challenges became almost comical, and PTSD with its symphony of symptoms became my constant companion. We can add to that incessant tinnitus and a good case of vertigo that robbed me of the ability to walk straight.
to be that one in a million who came back from a brain injury as if I had never been hurt.
David Grant - Exploring the grounds of Gillette Castle in Connecticut (first summer after his brain injury)
The first year of my life as a traumatic brain injury survivor was the hardest year of my entire life.
At one year after my accident, I knew it was time to get as well as I could. Though everything I had read spoke to the fact that brain injury recovery was lifelong, I harbored a secret that perhaps I was going to be different. I was going
At the conclusion of my neuropsychological testing, my wife and I had a final meeting with a trusted doctor who "got it" regarding brain injury. So many of the sections of testing found me scoring at the bottom of the scale that the doctor let me know that I was permanently disabled. The insight that his testing offered was invaluable.
Looking back now with the benefit of a couple of years of hindsight, he was no doubt correct. At the time of my testing, one year after my brain injury, I was disabled. But that was just a snapshot of how I was at that time in my recovery, And as we know, recovery is indeed lifelong. Neural plasticity is an amazing thing.
I took my newfound information and started to formulate a recovery plan. One of my biggest decisions was to change Continued on page 3
BIANH Officers & Board of Directors
HEADWAY Newsletter
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE President Laura Flashman, Ph.D, Grantham Vice-President Amy Messer, Esq., Concord Treasurer David Jenkins, VP, CFO, Manchester Secretary Freddi Gale, CBIS, North Conway At Large Scott Dow, CBIST, Hampstead Robin Kenney, PhD, Peterborough Family Council Representative Diane Schreck, Nashua Survivor Representative Paul Van Blarigan, Hollis Professional Representative Jeremiah Donovan, MBA, CBIS, Hillsboro Immediate Past President Brant Elkind, MS, CBIST, Keene Executive Director Steven D. Wade, MBA, Concord
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Donna Beaudin, OTR/L, CBIST, NHA, Salem Rocco A. Chiappini, M.D., CBIS, Milford Catherine Costanzo, Esq., Henniker Laura Decoster, ATC, Manchester David Eby, Esq., Manchester Philip Girard, MS, Deerfield Jared Green, Esq., Manchester Rosalie Johnson, Dover Ellen Keith, MSW, Center Ossipee Elizabeth Kenney, Peterborough Ted King, M.D., Brentwood Jon Lanteigne, Bedford Jeannine Leclerc, Keene Art Maerlender, Ph.D, Wilmot Lisa Martel, LCSW, CBIS, Manchester Eldon Munson, Jr., MS, CBIST, Francestown Michael Palmieri, Concord Garry Sherry, MS, North Conway William Storo, M.D., Concord Joe Viana, MS, Madison Courtney Barlotta (Student Representative) Derrick Beaudin (Student Representative) EX OFFICIO John Capuco, Psy.D., Concord Newton Kershaw, Jr., Esq., Manchester John Richards, MS, MBA, Peterborough Publisher
Brain Injury Association of New Hampshire Editor Renee Fistere Design/Layout Cantin Design Inc. Printer Upper Valley Press
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Fall 2013 - Page 2
30 Years of Support Groups in New Hampshire By Laura Flashman, Ph.D., BIANH President
Did you know that the first brain injury support groups were organized the same year that the BIANH was established? Our support groups are a strength and backbone of the Brain Injury Association of New Hampshire. Therefore, as we continue to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the BIANH, I would like to remind you all about our regional Brain Injury Support Groups, by sharing some facts, highlighting the importance of the groups and the role they can play in helping individuals through their recovery. I want to offer my sincerest gratitude to the many volunteers that allow the BIANH to make the support groups possible.
What is a support group? A support group is a group of people who come together to offer each other emotional and practical support. In a caring setting, members of the group can provide each other with various types of help, usually non-professional and nonmaterial, for a particular shared characteristic. There are many different kinds of support groups with a variety of focuses and emphases. Members with the same issues can come together to share coping strategies, to feel more empowered, and to find a sense of community. The support given may take on the form of providing and evaluating relevant information, relate personal experiences, listen to and accept others' experiences, or by providing sympathetic understanding and establishing social networks. A support group may also work to inform the public or engage in advocacy about a certain issue. The support groups provided by the BIANH are facilitated by dedicated volunteers and these volunteers include survivors of brain injury, family members, and/or professionals with an interest in brain injury. A little historic note: Lil Charron and Helen Robinson were among the first support group facilitators. Both of them were parents of children who sustained brain injuries. Helen Robinson facilitated the Lakes Region Brain Injury Support Group for 30 years and has retired this year. We thank her for her long tenure working with us! Lil Charron initially facilitated the Seacoast Brain Injury support group with her husband, Russ. She then facilitated the group with Rosalie Johnson. I am very sad to say that Lil passed away this summer, but we thank her for her longtime contributions to our support groups.
Presently there are 14 monthly Brain Injury Support Groups offered throughout New Hampshire. Individuals with brain injuries, their family members, friends, and professionals are all welcome to attend. There is no fee to attend. Information on the specific locations, dates and times of each group is available by contacting the BIANH at 1-800-773-8400. Currently, support groups are offered in Atkinson-Derry, Claremont, Concord, Keene, Lebanon/Upper Valley, Littleton, Manchester, Nashua, Northeast Rehab, North Conway, Seacoast (Hampton), Peterborough, Rochester, and Greater Salem-Derry. What are the support groups like? They can vary greatly in terms of monthly attendance, with as few as 5 individuals and as many as 25. But the groups are not about the numbers. The groups’ purposes are many:
1. The group provides an opportunity for individuals to share, care, exchange information and become educated on topics related to brain injury.
2. It provides an opportunity to listen to a guest speaker on a topic of interest related to brain injury. These topics are often generated by members of the support group, and appropriate speakers are identified by the facilitators, in conjunction with staff at the BIANH.
3. For some people with brain injury, it is one of the few times they are able to go out into the community.
4. For others, it is an opportunity for them to learn or ask questions as they try to navigate the system after their injury and seek out resources. Individuals and their families can benefit greatly from networking with others who are or already have successfully navigated the various medical, governmental, and societal systems. 5. It is a social opportunity with the majority of the support groups holding an annual summer picnic and/or a holiday party each year. These are open not only to individuals who currently attend the support group but also to those who have attended the group in the past. 6. It is there when it is needed.
7. The support group is there offering backup, resources, and reassurance -- even at times when individuals do not feel they need to attend. 8. It is a valuable resource for individuals, caregivers, family members, and friends in the acute, post-acute, and long-term recovery phases after TBI.
On behalf of all who attend support groups and who have benefited from this resource, I thank the many volunteers for their time, commitment, and dedication.
Each year a retreat/workshop planned by Ellen Edgerly and Erin Hall is offered for the support group facilitators. This is an opportunity for the facilitators to get together, share what they have learned, and get ideas to help with future facilitation. This year’s topics included celebrating success, discussing difficulties and challenges that have come up during groups, brainstorming solutions to these challenges, and identifying and sharing the successful elements of a strong group. Facilitators were brought up to date on key resources and programs available within the BIANH so they have the most up-to-date information to share with their groups. The fall retreat was held on September 13 and was a huge success. Even facilitators benefit from group support!
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE SUMMER CAMP CAN CHANGE A LIFE! by Steven D. Wade BIANH Executive Director
The Brain Injury Association of New Hampshire is in the early planning stages of organizing a summer camp for brain injury survivors beginning in the summer of 2014. The need for a camp has been discussed for several years now as families cope with changes in their lives following a brain injury.
Other states are also seeing the same need for their families and survivors. For instance, the Brain Injury Association of Missouri has sponsored a very successful summer camp for many years. They had determined that there is a strong need “for survivors to rebuild their self-confidence to begin to learn how to overcome new obstacles and create a new life for themselves….for the caregiver, a need for respite from daily responsibilities and care for their loved ones.” Our plan is for a 3-4 day summer camp experience with opportunities for independence, recreation, and socialization for adults (age 16 years old and
up), living with brain injury, while their caregivers enjoy 3-4 days of respite.
We would like to introduce to you Camp Allen located in Bedford, New Hampshire. We have had a very positive meeting with the staff at Camp Allen; this camp is uniquely equipped to work with adults with disabilities. They welcome over 600 campers each year with cognitive and/or physical disabilities. Their staff is positive and enthusiastic about the possibility of working with people with brain injury.
More details and photos about Camp Allen are contained inside this newsletter issue. Please complete the survey/questions if you are interested in participating or please contact me directly to share your interest, thoughts, and suggestions about our summer camp opportunity. Thank you!
Submission & Editorial Policy: HEADWAY is published by the Brain Injury Association of New Hampshire. The Editor invites and encourages contributions in the form of articles, special reports and artwork. BIA of NH reserves the right to edit or refuse articles submitted for consideration. The Association does not endorse, support, or recommend any specific method, facility, treatment or program mentioned in this newsletter. Please submit items to: Editor, Brain Injury Association of NH, 109 North State St., Suite #2, Concord, NH 03301. For advertising rates please call 603-225-8400.
HEADWAY Newsletter
Continued from page 1- Developing a Meaningful Life After a Brain Injury
my attitude. Never will you hear me say that I "suffered a brain injury." Never will I have the attitude that I was the "victim" of a cycling accident. Words like "suffering" and "victim" are mental and emotional barriers to moving forward in life. They restrict my forward movement.
The reality is this: if you have a heartbeat, you've had unpleasant events come to pass in your life. Children get sick, parents age, jobs are lost, and cyclists occasionally get struck. Part of the human condition is that life unfolds for all of us. I am not exempt, nor are you. The bigger question was this: what was I going to do to make the most of the rest of my life?
My mind was quickly made up. Though I might never get back to 100%, I became a bit driven to get back as close to that as possible.
everywhere. Being a bit of a tech guy who happens to have pathetic handwriting, I opted for a 21st century approach by using digital sticky notes on my PC. Some models have flaws and so did this one.
Sticky notes are only good if you read them. One day, a full month after I decided to use the sticky note methodology, something on my PC caught my eye. Looking closely, I saw that I had not even looked at my notes for weeks. Sitting right in front of me were scheduled tasks, all uncompleted, gathering digital dust. So much for digital sticky notes!
As memory problems remain challenging, I needed to find a new method for moving as much of my memory outside of my brain as possible. As a long-time user of Google's calendar feature, when I saw that I could sync my Android phone to my calendar, it was close to the end-game for many of my memory challenges. It became second nature for me to add life events to my calendar. Unlike my hidden PC sticky notes, every time I turn my phone on, my reminders are in my hand and are now rarely forgotten. Of course, if Google goes out of business, I am in deep trouble, but it's doubtful that will ever happen. Symptom by symptom, solutions began to present. None of these eliminated my deficiencies. Rather, they became compensatory strategies allowing me to coexist with my new shortcomings.
While many of these strategies are unseen by most, there are a couple of cases where others benefit from my new strategic approach to life.
Fall 2013 - Page 3 summer crickets at night—blotting out the constant tinnitus.
As PTSD has made our world smaller, the last couple of years have found my wife Sarah and I spending more time at home. Since my accident, new grape trellises adorn our landscape, flowers of all varieties blanket our yard. And a new love, aquascapes, has allowed me to bring “ear conditioning” to our yard. By our back patio sits a fishpond with a waterfall, the soft gurgle of our backyard stream a welcome distraction. I installed that one the first year after my brain injury. I've come to find that water gardens and their accompanying relief are like chips: you can’t have just one.
Year two found me adding a small reflecting pool, spitting frog and all. Yes, a bit more auditory bliss from that one. And just this past summer, I got “the itch” again and added a nice fountain to our back deck. You no doubt see where I am going with this.
Those who don’t know my condition (as I look quite normal) see it as a wondrous landscape. But me? It’s a coping strategy helping me to live a meaningful life with a brain injury. The fact that I happen to create wonderful waterscapes is... well... just the icing on the cake.
In the three years since my accident, life is slowly taking on new form. Over time, acceptance replaces fear. Finding compensatory strategies that work build confidence. And life, though vastly different than life before my brain injury, becomes again worthwhile.
Virtually every day since November 11, 2010, accident-induced tinnitus has robbed me of any real silence. But I have a life to live, said the voice in my head that so often sounds like the narrator in a Winnie the Pooh tale. I am a believer that we all must be the biggest advocates of our own health care.
Climbing to more heights at the Rochester Fair (2 years after his brain injury)
Now that the memory challenges were at least becoming more manageable, it was time to find a work-around to offset the ever present ear ringing that was robbing me of any peace. In the summer, we stay cool with air conditioning. David Grant in the studio of NH Public Radio – Portsmouth, 2013
Like snowflakes, every brain injury is different. There is no "one size fits all" treatment protocol. Rather than looking at my brain injury as a single challenge, I opted to look at my injury as a series of individual symptoms. In essence, I broke it down to a much simpler form.
I was not just someone who had sustained a brain injury. I was a person who was trying to find an effective methodology to live with tinnitus, a person who was trying to find a way to live with a memory that so often failed me. I was a person who was trying to relearn to speak with a speech impediment. While learning to live under the enormous weight of a brain injury may seem overwhelming, learning to find compensatory skills for individual challenges was much easier.
I made the decision to take smaller bites out of the apple. And it's been a game-changer. In fact, there are times there is almost an element of fun to it all. That is a far cry from where I was a few months out, thinking that life as I knew it was over.
In my book, Metamorphosis, Surviving Brain Injury, I chronicle the trial and error in developing new compensatory strategies. For example, my initial solution to my memory challenges was to try to use those yellow sticky notes seen
Underwater adventure at New Castle, NH (second year after brain injury)
Moving from one cool oasis to another, we find respite for discomfort. Akin to air conditioning, I have developed a compensatory strategy that I fondly call “Ear Conditioning.” My office is “ear conditioned” with a fish tank on my desk and a robust aerator pushing bubbles that my desk-bound fish frolic in. It drowns out the constant ringing. Our bedroom is “ear conditioned” as well with a white noise machine on my dresser. While I have choices like waves, rain forest sound and more, I opt for the soft chirp of
So much of my life these days involves advocating for those whose life has been impacted by a brain injury. While nothing can take away the challenges that come with trying to rebuild a life after brain injury, knowing that others have been helped by the experiences I've had makes this new life a life of real and meaningful purpose. And for that, I am grateful.
About the Author David A. Grant is a freelance writer based in New Hampshire and the author of Metamorphosis, Surviving Brain Injury. David is a survivor of a harrowing cycling accident in 2010. David openly shares his experience and hope as a brain injury survivor though advocacy work including a weekly brain injury blog. He is also the founder of TBI Hope and Inspiration, a Facebook community with over 5,000 members including survivors, family members, caregivers as well as members of the medical and professional community.
HEADWAY Newsletter
Fall 2013 - Page 4
OVERVIEW OF THE 30TH ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT The Brain Injury Association of New Hampshire held its 30th Annual Golf Tournament under sunny skies on Wednesday, August 14th, at the scenic Pheasant Ridge Golf Club in Gilford, New Hampshire. This event was again hosted by long-time partner, Robin Hill Farm of Hillsboro, New Hampshire.
We had 60 golfers participating in this year’s event along with several volunteers helping us throughout the day. Following the beautiful day of golfing participants enjoyed a luncheon prepared by Contigiani’s Catering Service. Team prizes were awarded by Jim Swarthout, Director of Golf at Pheasant Ridge. Steve Wade, BIANH Executive Director, thanked all participants for supporting the day’s event. Steve also honored those who have been involved with the golf tournament for the past 30 years - golfers Doug Mahoney and Peg Crowley, and sponsors Robin Hill Farm, Nancy Donovan & Claire Kearney, and North Country Independent Living. THE WINNERS! 1st Place – Team Lakeview (Ken Koswitz, Nickolas Cloe, and AJ Howard) 2nd Place – Team Robin Hill Farm #2 3rd Place – Team Knapton, Reade, & Woods (Steve Livingston, Dick Edmunds, Nat Harris, and DJ Knapton) Men’s Longest Drive – Mitch Wilkins Women’s Longest Drive – Mary Clairmont Men’s Closest to the Pin – Steve Livingston Women’s Closest to the Pin – Mary Patricks
THANK YOU! There are several people and local businesses to thank for their generous support of the event, without you we could not make this happen. We want to thank our many sponsors, monetary donations, volunteers, and raffle prize donors. The Bead Store Bernier Insurance BIANH Staff Canterbury Woods & Pembroke Pines Jim Collins Crotched Mountain Foundation Peg Crowley Davis & Towle Insurance Dixon Golf Bud Elkind Five Star Club Rentals Formax Funspot Paul & Charlotte Hamilton
Hart’s Turkey Farm Holy Rosary Credit Union Hudson Kiwanis Club Rosalie Johnson Brooks Kennedy Lakeview NeuroRehabilitation Center Lakes Region Community Services with Amie Harvey & Bryan McMillan Livingston Arctic Cat Lisa Martel Moore Center Services New Hampshire Motor Speedway
New Hampshire Print & Mail Services North Country Independent Living Patrick’s Pub & Eatery Planet Fitness Ray’s Novelties Robin Hill Farm Diane Schreck Lauren Sherry St. Mary’s Bank Jim Swarthout - Pheasant Ridge Golf Club Tall Timbers Lodge Tanger Outlets
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all of our participants. We do appreciate your support. We hope you can join us for next year’s 31st Annual Golf Tournament to be held in August 2014.
Quality of Life… for adults with a brain injury ■ ■ ■ ■
Supported Residential Programs Residential Rehabilitation Programs Supported Apartment Programs 24 Hour Staffing for All Programs
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www.robinhillfarm.com 55 Donovan Road, P.O. Box 1067, Hillsborough, NH 03244 Tel: 603-464-3841 Fax: 603-464-3851 e-mail:
[email protected]
2ND ANNUAL HEADS UP HALF MARATHON
HEADWAY Newsletter
On Sunday, September 8, 2013, with perfect weather on hand, the 2nd annual Heads Up Half Marathon took place in Concord, New Hampshire. The race began at White Park and meandered through the streets of Concord.
Justin Montgomery of Claremont, New Hampshire, crossed the finish line first in a time of 1:16:32; Eric Williams of Concord and Tyler Brannen of Nashua, New Hampshire, rounded out the top places for the men. Aryn Marsh of Concord, New Hampshire, was the top female finisher in a time of 1:45:26; closely followed by Sandra Hooper of Intervale, New Hampshire, and Gwen Logan of Henniker, New Hampshire.
The Heads Up Half Marathon was produced by the Brain Injury Association of NH (BIANH). “Heads Up” is a national program regarding youth sport concussion and the BIANH will be using the proceeds from the race to assist in their programs involving youth concussion. Currently, the BIANH is sponsoring ten New Hampshire high schools with the IMPACT testing (a computerized cognitive test) and more importantly the follow up neuro-psychological evaluation for concussed athletes.
Fall 2013 - Page 5
The BIANH would like to thank its many sponsors: Northeast Delta Dental, HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital, North Country Independent Living, Aavid Thermalloy Co., Orr & Reno Attorneys at Law, and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center - Concord. We would also like to thank Ride-Away Equipment Corporation, Stonyfield Yogurt, Runner’s Alley, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Lakes Region Coca-Cola for all their support.
Also, the BIANH would like to thank its many volunteers, especially Concord High School Women’s Cross-Country team, Kohl’s Cares volunteers, Pembroke’s Junior Girl Scout Troop 11032, Boy Scout Troops 80 & 93, Julie Cosgrove and so many others. Co-Race Director Ron Snow stated, “We are so excited to produce Concord’s only Half Marathon. The race went extremely well and we want to thank all the runners for coming out for the race. The City of Concord was great to work with and we are looking forward to seeing everyone again next year.” For a complete listing of the finishers, please go to http://www.millenniumrunning.com/results-heads-up-half-marathon-2013/9171#1.
HEADWAY Newsletter
Fall 2013 - Page 6
MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN SMALL TOWN NEW HAMPSHIRE By Julia Freeman-Woolpert, Disabilities Rights Center
“All politics is local” – Tip O’Neill
Linda Wadensten, member of the school board in Newport, is making a difference at the local level. With a doctorate in education and a ten year old son, Maximus, who has a traumatic brain injury, she is very knowledgeable and involved in special education in Newport, where she and Maximus live.
Linda had a thriving career as a chef before Max was injured. She owned three restaurants, had her own television show, and was touring nationally to promote her book. After his injury, she scaled back and focused her energies on being a mom and on Max’s rehabilitation. Max, a bright, fun-loving kid, is doing great and has exceeded expectations for recovery. He loves to read and make story books, and he loves going to school, where he is fully included.
In an SAU with over 15% of students identified as having a disability, Linda felt it was imperative that special education be a priority. There needed to be more of a voice for students with disabilities. When an opportunity to run for the school board presented itself, she took it.
On the school board, Linda was able to advocate from the inside. “You always hear about special education being cut,” she said. “A lot of people on school boards don’t understand how important special education is.” Linda is there to educate them, and that makes a big difference at the fiscal and policy levels.
It takes a village of involved people to make change, Linda notes. “As a school board member, I can’t do something by myself. Other people need to stand up and voice their opinions.” She knows it’s hard to speak out, especially in a small town, but, she says, “Nothing happens unless you voice your opinions.”
Linda is helping and supporting the development of a special education advocacy group within the school district, made up of parents, teachers, and administrators. Linda is the school board representative on the group and brings their concerns to the board. With her connections to the Institute on Disability and the Parent Information Center, Linda has been able to bring these resources into the District for consultations and trainings. She has worked to support full inclusion and to bring PBIS into the schools. In 2012, Linda graduated from the NH Leadership Series offered through the UNH Institute on Disability, an experience she highly recommends. She was able to participate with a scholarship from the Brain Injury Association of New Hampshire. Leadership gave her tools and perspectives, which have helped her become a more effective advocate.
Running for, and serving on, the school board takes some effort, but Linda recommends it. “People think they don’t have time, but everyone has busy lives. It’s worth the sacrifice,” she says.
There are many ways you too can make a difference. Attend school board and city council meetings, and speak up. Call your elected officials. Run for local office. How will you get involved? Elections Coming Up
Municipal elections are more important than you think! Elections will be held around the state on November 5. This is your chance to vote for mayors, selectmen, city councilors, commissioners, and more. In a few towns, there will be special elections for state representatives. You can find out who’s running from your town hall – get in touch with the candidates and find out where they stand on Linda Wadensten and her children issues important to you. Then, in the famous words of disability rights activist Justin Dart, “Vote as if your life depended on it – because it does!”
Update on NH Voter ID
The Voter ID law, requiring voters to present photo identification before voting, was slightly amended in 2013. The changes include the kinds of student ID cards acceptable as voter identification at the polls (only NH student IDs). Some of the effective dates for some of the Voter ID provisions have been pushed back. You may still vote this year even if you do not have an approved ID, after you execute a “qualified voter affidavit.” For the full 2013 Voter ID requirements, see the Secretary of State’s website here: http://sos.nh.gov/VoterID.aspx
The Disabilities Rights Center is New Hampshire’s protection and advocacy system for persons with disabilities, including those with traumatic brain injury. If you would like to speak with an advocate, call the Disabilities Rights Center at 1-800-834-1721 or email us at
[email protected]
27TH ANNUAL WALK BY THE SEA
HEADWAY Newsletter
Neither wind, nor rain, nor chilly weather will prevent many of our walk participants from showing up in support of the Brain Injury Association of New Hampshire’s annual Walk by the Sea. This year’s walk held on Sunday, October 6, was no exception. In spite of the weather at least 400 showed up to complete the 3.1 mile walk. Dr. Laura Flashman, President of the Association, was there to welcome all who attended. Wearing raincoats, ponchos and parkas, they came together with a common purpose, to celebrate their accomplishments and educate the community about brain injury. Upon their return to the pavilion they were treated to lunch and music provided by Richard Blye.
Each year teams compete for prizes and bragging rights in the categories of most original name, greatest number of walkers, and most pledge dollars turned in on the day of the walk. This year the most original name went to Medulla Oblongata, Northeast’s Rehab Rebels had the largest number of walkers, and team Moving Ahead turned in the most money -- raising $6012.
A very hearty ‘thank you!’ goes to all of our team captains, team members, and individuals who work so hard each year to help us raise pledge dollars and awareness about brain injury.
The Brain Injury Association of New Hampshire would also like to extend appreciation to all of the individuals, organizations and businesses that contributed to this year’s Walk. We could not have done it without you! We send special thanks to Lakeview NeuroRehabilitation Center, Seacoast Coca-Cola, Robin Hill Farm, Residential Resources, North Country Independent
Fall 2013 - Page 7
Living, the Munson Family, Dunkin Donuts, McDonalds, Jim Murphy/The Beach Hut, 1st Impressions Imprinted Sportswear, State of New Hampshire Division of Parks & Recreation, and Hampton Beach State Park employees. And the Winners are…………. Top 3 Individual Fundraisers Turned in by Event Day Linda Bartlett $1440 Bob Holmes $1425 Connie & Michael Lynch $1020
Top Team Fundraisers (who raised over $1000) Turned in by Event Day Moving Ahead NighTBIrds Tom Tarallo (Buzzard) Lucky 13 Chuck’s Team Lakeview Speeders Forever Adam Galipeau Family Sara’s Strutters Noggin Walkers AD Team
$6012 $2710 $2555 $2521 $2485 $1790 $1595 $1465 $1155 $1140
HEADWAY Newsletter
Fall 2013 - Page 8
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HEADWAY Newsletter
Fall 2013 - Page 9
MEET THE ARTIST - Laurie Deptula Fabric Artist By Rosalie Johnson
Crochet: needlework done on a hooked needle for drawing the thread or yarn through intertwined loops.*
Laurie practically grew up crocheting as her mother and grandmother were crocheters. Not only does crocheting produce beautiful blankets and clothing, it is a very social craft as well. Many times we will see a person pull out a brightly colored bag containing yarn and a hook, then proceed to work on a project while visiting or enjoying a cup of tea with friends.
Laurie began to crochet when she was around seven or eight years of age. Being taught by her mother at such a young age, was not necessarily a fun project. It was not until her mother’s friend demonstrated a different way to hold the yarn did the technique click. At the start of a school year, Laurie’s Nana from New Hampshire sent her a vest that she had crafted. Laurie loved the vest and thus began her life-long love of yarns, threads, and crocheting. Along with crocheting, she also enjoyed working on many other types of arts and crafts. Laurie moved from Wisconsin to New Hampshire when she was ten. “I graduated in 1981 and had a full career, discovering that I really love outside sales.”
In 2004, Laurie was hospitalized with two blood clots in her brain along with an A/V fistula. On the verge of a brain bleed, she underwent multiple brain surgeries. She was never expected to survive. She spent two months in the hospital followed by a return visit due to complications requiring more surgery. Her recovery and inner strength to survive were nothing short of a miracle. During her time spent recovering, Laurie would wake up, get dressed, then sit and wait for the day to pass. This made for many very long days. At one point, she began to spend her days on Facebook. When first returning to the keyboard, she realized that she was having difficulty typing. After much practice, she noticed that her fingers on the keys “felt like they use to.”
She again tried working with yarn in 2009. Difficulties in retaining instructions made her frustrated and angry, even more so than her inability to fully execute a pattern. She would put the crocheting aside to retry at another time. Her “AHA, I did it!” moment came about a year later when she was able to complete a baby blanket for her cousin. That got things rolling. Now Laurie still struggles with reading and execution but “Crocheting feels good to do and I know I will be able to complete the project. It takes effort and I may become confused but I keep at it. I wish I could read and follow patterns effortlessly but it wouldn’t be true. It is still challenging when I am tired.”
With any questions about her work, Laurie can be contacted at:
[email protected]
* Webster Universal College Dictionary.
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HEADWAY Newsletter
SPOTLIGHT ON KREMPELS
WRITE ON! Krempels Center Members Explore Creative Writing in Workshop Program, by Ruth Morin
Sharing Life Experiences and Observations in Poetry and Prose
Writing is my way of talking without being interrupted.” That was a comment from a Krempels Center member who attended the 13-week program called ‘Write On!’ Another member said, “Writing is an experience of comfort and self-discovery.” And, at the concluding session devoted to a Poetry Slam, a member proudly remarked, “It’s awesome! I never thought I could write poetry.” One of the most popular programs in the schedule, ‘Write On!’ is a workshop devoted to helping people with brain injuries express their thoughts, emotions and experiences through creative writing assignments. Facilitated by UNH occupational therapy and speech interns, the program helps members relearn the complex skills of reading and writing. They also deal with issues relating to memory, planning and language processing. Most importantly, for people coping with brain injury, writing provides a much-needed outlet for self-expression and an opportunity to share their experiences with others. Participants explore various types of writing including poetry, memoir and essays. With an emphasis on poetry, the hour-long session often begins with an audio or video clip of poets reading their work, including such notables as Billy Collins, Robert Frost, William Carlos Williams and Richard Blanco. After discussing the poem, members write their own poems or prose. Volunteers are called on to read their work for group discussion and critique. Everyone volunteers!
Fall 2013 - Page 10
“and there was a new voice which you slowly recognized as your own, that kept you company as you strode deeper and deeper into the world.” After discussing this poem, members wrote about their own journeys living with brain injury. A member wrote, “Sadness doesn’t disappear, but rather shares life with so much unnoticed goodness. Imagine: pain co-existing with joy. Neither reigns – respectful harmony.”
During the semester, they studied different styles and forms of poetry. Particularly popular was Japanese Haiku, a three-line poem that expresses an emotion, a scene or a thought. Writing their own Haiku, some members were serious: “Home is connections, a living environment, with love and choices.” Others humorous: “In this world there are two things worth living for: love and happiness. Okay, maybe three things if you include chocolate.” In a therapeutic writing session, members discovered tools to express feelings and emotions about personal events as well as current events, such as the Boston Marathon bombings. The all-time favorite topic was to write about animals and pets. Members responded deeply to this subject, with poems about family pets, as well as squirrels and even cardinals.
At the conclusion of the semester, one member summed up the experience: “Writing makes me feel vibrant because I can express myself to others.” Write On!
A poem that particularly resonated with everyone was “The Journey” by Mary Oliver:
MORE THAN A SPEED BUMP,
Life Before and After Traumatic Brain Injury, Author, Jim Scott
On July 4, 2006, Jim Scott was 23 years old, out partying with friends in New Hampshire and decided to drive home. “I wasn’t a habitual drunk driver, but that doesn’t matter because I know now that one time is all it takes,” he wrote in his book, More Than a Speed Bump.
Two years later, Jim began to write his inspiring book that was recently published by Piscataqua Press, the publishing arm of RiverRun Bookstore in Portsmouth.
“I wish I didn’t have this story to tell,” Jim said. “But since I do, I thought that maybe some good would come of it.” He describes writing the book as a cathartic experience for himself as he coped with the aftermath of his traumatic injury.
“It is a cautionary tale for others, particularly for young drivers like me,” he said. “It is also an inspirational story to tell people with life-changing injuries that they can get better. Maybe not perfect, but better!” A member of Krempels Center for the past six years, Jim has been a participant in the ‘Write On!’ program and has addressed the group about his experience writing his book. “The process of organizing the book has been good for cognition,” he said. “I couldn’t even read before. Now — not only can I read —I can actually write a book.”
— Written by Ruth Maron
NEURORESTORATIVE OPENS A NEW LOCATION
HEADWAY Newsletter
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NeuroRestorative New Hampshire is pleased to announce the opening of a new facility in Deerfield, New Hampshire. Nestled on a beautiful 2-acre lot close to Pleasant Lake and Bear Brook State Park, this newly remodeled 6-bedroom/2-bath facility offers 24/7 fully staffed, supported living programs for adults with brain injury and other neurological challenges. They offer roll-in showers, open living concept, and a fullyaccessible deck where residents can relax and view the peaceful surroundings of wildlife and foliage on Pleasant Lake. The NeuroRestorative facility is currently seeking licensure and should be available for residents the end of October 2013. Please contact the Clinical Evaluator, Janet Keith at 857-265-4709 for further information.
What Brain Injury Survivors Want You to Know
Reprinted with permission by Lash & Associates, Webster, B. (2011). Lost & Found: A Survivor’s Guide for Reconstructing Life after a Brain Injury. Youngsville, NC: Lash & Associates Publishing/Training. http://www.lapublishing.com/survivor-cognitive-strategies/
I need a lot more rest than I used to. I’m not being lazy. I get physical fatigue as well as a “brain fatigue”. It is very difficult and tiring for my brain to think, process and organize. Fatigue makes it even harder to think.
My stamina fluctuates, even though I may look good or “all better” on the outside. Cognition is a fragile function for a brain injury survivor. Some days are better than others. Pushing too hard usually leads to setbacks, sometimes to illness.
Brain injury rehabilitation takes a very long time; it is usually measured in years. It continues long after formal rehabilitation has ended. Please resist expecting me to be who I was, even though I look better.
I am not being difficult if I resist social situations. Crowds, confusion and loud sounds quickly overload my brain, it doesn't filter sounds as well as it used to. Limiting my exposure is a coping strategy, not a behavioral problem.
If there is more than one person talking, I may seem uninterested in the conversation - but that is because I have trouble following all the different "lines" of discussion and it is exhausting to keep trying to piece it all together. I'm not dumb or rude; my brain is getting overloaded!
If we are talking and I tell you that I need to stop, I need to stop NOW! and it is not because I'm avoiding the subject, it's just that I need time to process our discussion and "take a break" from all the thinking. Later I will be able to rejoin the conversation and really be present for the subject and for you.
Try to notice the circumstances if a behavior problem arises. “Behavior problems” are often an indication of my inability to cope with a specific situation and not a mental health issue. I may be frustrated, in pain, overtired or there may be too much confusion or noise for my brain to filter.
Patience is the best gift you can give me, allowing me to work deliberately and at my own pace, allowing me to rebuild pathways in my brain. Rushing and multi-tasking inhibit cognition.
Please listen to me with patience as well, trying not to interrupt, allowing me to find my words and follow my thoughts. It will help me rebuild my language skills.
Please have patience with my memory and know that not remembering does not mean that I don’t care.
Please don’t be condescending or talk to me like I am a child. I’m not stupid, my brain is injured and it doesn’t work as well as it used to. Try to think of me as if my brain were in a cast.
If I seem “rigid”, needing to do tasks the same way all the time; it is because I am retraining my brain. It’s like learning main roads before you can learn the shortcuts. Repeating tasks in the same sequence is a rehabilitation strategy.
If I seem “stuck”, my brain may be stuck in the processing of information. Coaching me, suggesting other options or asking what you can do to help may help me figure it out. Taking over and doing it for me will not be constructive and it will make me feel inadequate. ( It may also be an indication that I need to take a break.)
You may not be able to help me do something if helping requires me to frequently interrupt what I am doing to give you directives. I work best on my own, one step at a time and at my own pace.
If I repeat actions, like checking to see if the doors are locked or the stove is turned off, it may seem like I have OCD, obsessive-compulsive disorder but I may not. It may be that I am having trouble registering what I am doing in my brain. Repetitions enhance memory. (It can also be a cue that I need to stop and rest.)
If I seem sensitive, it could be emotional lability as a result of the injury or it may be a reflection of the extraordinary effort it takes to do things now. Tasks that used to feel “automatic” and take minimal effort, now take much longer, require the implementation of numerous strategies and are huge accomplishments for me.
We need cheerleaders now, as we start over, just like children do when they are growing up. Please help me and encourage all efforts. Please don’t be negative or critical. I am doing the best I can.
Don’t confuse Hope for Denial. We are learning more and more about the amazing brain and there are remarkable stories about healing in the news every day. No one can know for certain what our potential is. We need Hope to be able to employ the many, many coping mechanisms, accommodations and strategies needed to navigate our new lives. Everything single thing in our lives is extraordinarily difficult for us now. It would be easy to give up without Hope. Created with the help of the ‘Amazing’ Brain Injury Survivor Support Group of Framingham, MA
HEADWAY Newsletter
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North Country Independent Living Giving Back in our Communities!
North Country Independent Living believes in giving back to the communities in which we live, work, and play. Most recently NCIL staff and individuals once again participated in the annual “Jen’s Friends Climb Against Cancer” www.jensfriends.org at Cranmore Mountain in North Conway. This climb has become another NCIL annual event for a worthy cause to help those locally who need varying types of assistance while being affected with this disease. NCIL climbs in memory of former staff, individuals, and loved ones. Valley Pride Day is another annual event in which NCIL individuals, along with our community members, pick up roadside trash and enjoy a community barbeque afterward. You would be surprised as to what we find!
The Gibson Center Meals on Wheels www.gibsoncenter.org/meals-on-wheels program has our individuals participating at the Senior Center and also delivering meals for those who may be homebound and may only have this meal as their hot meal of the day. The weeks before Thanksgiving you will find NCIL collecting food items for the annual WMWV-Mt. Washington Radio sponsored Food Drive for Vaughan Community Services www.firstchurchnc.com/Vaughan which shares with seven area food pantries. It is quite impressive to see the lineup of NCIL vehicles waiting to drop off bags and boxes of food items! Relative to meals, on Monday evenings there is a community meal at the Conway Dinner Bell www.thebrownchurch.org which a few of our guys volunteer setting up and cleaning up.
NCIL staff spends many hours of their personal time volunteering for Special Olympics, www.sonh.org whether it be swimming, basketball, skiing, track, soccer or any sport that individuals enjoy.
Winter time around the holidays is a very special time for many of the NCIL individuals who volunteer as “Elves” for the Polar Express www.polarexpress.org ……the joy that our individuals receive in watching the children take the train for a visit to the North Pole is priceless! A young man who has carpentry/ building skills is volunteering with Habitat for Humanity www.wmv-habitat.org building a home for a needy family.
the dogs or spending time socializing with the cats.
Not to forget our four legged friends, we have a great relationship with the Conway Area Humane Society www.conwayshelter.org for many of our individuals who enjoy walking
The community gardens both in North Conway and Rochester are evidence of the gardening skills that have been honed by individuals and staff alike.
So, not to forget the Walk by the Sea sponsored by the Brain Injury Association of New Hampshire……….NCIL is keeping VERY busy all year long!
HEADWAY Newsletter
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HELPING CHILDREN WITH BRAIN INJURIES SUCCEED IN SCHOOL Reprinted with permission from Janet Tyler, Ph.D., CBIST - Brain Injury Educational Consultant/Trainer
While children and adolescents with traumatic brain injury are often faced with many cognitive, academic, and behavioral challenges after their injury, parents can employ many strategies to help ensure that their child has the best possible chance of succeeding in school. First and foremost, following a brain injury a child should be referred to the school system for a comprehensive evaluation for special education services. Parents should make the request for an initial evaluation in writing to their child’s school principal or special education director. If identified, a child with brain injury can receive an array of supports to address individual needs through either an Individual Education Plan (IEP) under The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA) or a 504 Plan under the Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Services offered under IDEA include, but are not limited to, specially designed instruction, occupational therapy, speech-language therapy, physical therapy, recreation therapy, psychological services, counseling services, and social work services. A 504 Plan generally includes accommodations such as extended time to complete assignments and tests, provision of notes for class lectures, preferential seating in the classroom, and special materials such as large print books.
Develop a Relationship with Teachers Research has shown that a critical factor influencing school success for children with brain injury is the degree of collaboration between the child’s parents and educators. Once a child is back in school, parents will want to develop and maintain a non-adversarial working relationship with their child’s teachers. Parents may find it helpful to research tips for being a proactive advocate for their child and to practice effective communication skills when working with their child’s school team, such as using “I” statements. At the beginning of each school year parents should seek to establish a system of ongoing communication with their child’s teachers, one that will keep both parties abreast of day-to-day happenings and alert all to any minor problems before they become major crises. Parents and teachers should decide together on the easiest form of communication for all parties, whether it is checklists, notes, emails, phone calls, or brief meetings, and agree to a schedule for the interactions.
Learn About Brain injury to Inform Teachers It is also essential for parents to gain as much knowledge as they can about the effects of brain injury in children, and for them to understand that their child’s teacher may or may not have had training or experience working with such students, as many teachers do not. Since parents of students with brain injury hold a wealth of information about their child’s unique needs, it is extremely helpful for the parents to meet with teachers at the beginning of the school year and provide them with a short overview of their child’s injury, course of recovery, current needs, and behavior and learning strategies that have proven helpful in the past. The parent could have the child start with a minor role in the presentation and then each year take on a greater role in the presentation. This is a great way for students to learn to identify their needs and practice self-advocacy skills, while conveying the necessary information to the teachers.
Good Parenting Skills Help at Home Additionally, parents can help their child succeed in school by carrying out good
parenting skills at home. Setting clear boundaries and expectations, and being consistent in enforcing rules and offering praise has been shown to help children with brain injury have better adaptive functioning and social competence. Practices such as having a written set of rules for expected behaviors and a list of chores are beneficial for children as well as adolescents. Designated homework times help with organization, and set schedules for bed times are necessary to deal with fatigue and sleep issues following TBI.
Tutoring Can Help Lastly, students with brain injury may benefit greatly from having someone tutor them after school and during the summer. Children and adolescents generally need extra time and practice to master much of their academic work. A tutor can help the child with specific homework or practice needed skills such as reading and math. Parents have so many additional roles after their child receives a brain injury, this could be one place where they could let someone else take responsibility. Often, a child responds better to someone other than the parent when being asked to do a non-preferred activity, and having a tutor gives the parent a little time off. Options for tutors are not just limited to paid tutors—say, teachers or college students--but could include after-school tutoring programs offered by school districts, or non-paid tutors like high school or college students in volunteer programs, friends, or relatives.
Parents wanting to learn more about TBI in school-aged children are encourage to visit the following websites: http://www.lapublishing.com/blog/
http://www.brainline.org/landing_pages/features/blkids.html http://www.cbirt.org/tbi-education/ References
DePompei, R., Blosser, J., Savage, R., & Lash, M. (2011). Special educational IEP checklist for a student with a brain injury. Wake Forest, NC: Lash & Associates Publishing/Training Inc.
Glang, A., Ettel, D., Tyler, J.S., & Todis, B. (2013). Educational issues and school reentry for students with traumatic brain injury. In N.D. Zasler, D.I. Katz, & R.D. Zafonte (Eds.), Brain Injury Medicine: Principles and Practice (2nd ed.) (pp. 602-620). New York: Demos.
Tyler, J., & Wilkerson, L. (2007). Section 504 plan checklist for a student with a brain injury. Wake Forest, NC: Lash & Associates Publishing/Training Inc. ##
As a special educator, Dr. Janet Tyler has not only worked directly with students with TBI, but she also trained educators to serve those students. For 23 years, she directed an innovative statewide program in Kansas that provided training and consultation to educators serving students with TBI and their families. She is now in private practice providing educational consultation and training services to school districts, lawyers, medical personnel, and parents of children with TBI. Dr. Tyler can be reached at
[email protected].
HEADWAY Newsletter
Fall 2013 - Page 14
A Look Back At The 2013 Legislative Session
While the Brain Injury Association followed a number of bills during the course of the 2013 legislative session, our main focus of attention this year - as it always is in odd-numbered years – was the state budget. This budget year got off to an excellent start with the Governor’s unveiling of a proposed state budget for the 2014-2015 biennium that fully funded the ABD and DD wait lists. As the budget worked its way through the legislative process, however, there was a brief four-day period where it looked like the ABD funds might be in trouble. On Friday, March 15, Division III of the House Finance Committee (the subcommittee of House Finance that is responsible for DHHS matters) voted to amend the budget to reduce funding for the ABD waitlist by 50%. This would have had the result of cutting the numbers of people covered by the new wait list funds down to 7 in FY 14 and 15 in FY 15 (as opposed to the 15 and 30 people provided for respectively in the Governor’s proposed budget). This vote clearly was based just on a misunderstanding by the committee concerning the way that the wait list works. Unlike the DD wait list, of course, it is not possible to know with any certainty all of the people who will be requiring ABD services in the future.
As soon as the Division III vote took place, the BIANH began a concerted effort to obtain a reconsideration of the vote. Through a great team effort both inside and outside of the State House and Legislative Office Building, including contacts made by the network of BIA
advocates, BIA was able to work with DHHS and the members of Division III to ensure that the vote was unanimously reconsidered and reversed at the very next meeting of Division III on Tuesday, March 19th. Once Division III voted to restore the ABD money, that funding remained in the budget through the remainder of the budget process, and it was in the budget that was signed into law by the Governor in June.
The quick response on the part of many members of the Brain Injury Association was critical to this win. We owe a special debt of gratitude to Representative Lisa DiMartino, who played a key role in these advocacy efforts.
Among the other bills that the BIANH followed this year, the two most notable were HB 180 (dealing with student athlete head injuries) and HB 242 (enhancing child passenger restraint protections). Under prior law, the requirement of policies concerning head injuries incurred by student athletes applied only to students in grades 9-12. HB 180 expanded coverage of those mandated policies so that the requirements now will apply to students in grades 4-12, and apply not just to students in interscholastic programs but also to participants in intramural sports that take place outside of normal school hours. HB 180 was signed into law on May 16th and it took effect on July 16.
HEADWAY Newsletter
SUPPORT GROUPS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE
(Times and places may change without notice – please call in advance) Revised April 17, 2013
BRAIN INJURY: Atkinson: Greater Salem/Derry Brain Injury Support Group for Survivors, Families and Caregivers, 1st Tuesday of the month, 6:30pm-8:00pm, Community Crossroads, 8 Commerce Drive, Atkinson, NH Phone: (603) 225-8400 Contact: BIANH
Claremont: 4th Tuesday of the month, 6:00pm, Valley Regional Hospital, 243 Elm Street, Claremont, NH Contact: BIANH Phone: (603) 225-8400 Concord: 3rd Tuesday of the month, 6:30pm-8:00pm, Granite State Independent Living, 21 Chenell Drive, Concord, NH Contact: BIANH Phone: (603) 225-8400
Conway: 1st Wednesday of the month, 6:00pm-7:30pm, Northern Human Services, Center Conway, NH Contact: BIANH Phone: (603) 225-8400 Keene: Monadnock Pacers 4th Tuesday of the month, 6:00pm-7:30pm – DHMC, 580 Court St., Keene, NH Contact: BIANH Phone: (603) 225-8400 Littleton: 2nd Tuesday of the month, 6:00pm-7:30pm, Ammonoosuc Community Health Services, 25 Mount Eustis Road, Littleton, NH Contact: BIANH Phone: (603) 225-8400
Manchester: Greater Manchester Brain Injury and Stroke Support Group; 2nd Tuesday of the month, 6:00pm-7:30pm, Catholic Medical Center, Rehab Medicine Unit F200, 100 McGregor Street, Manchester, NH Contact: BIANH Phone: (603) 225-8400 Nashua: 1st Wednesday of the month, 6:00pm, St. Joseph Hospital (4th floor), Nashua, NH Contact: BIANH Phone: (603) 225-8400 Peterborough: 1st Tuesday of the month, 6:00pm-8:00pm, Monadnock Community Hospital, 452 Old Street Road, Peterborough, NH Contact: BIANH Phone: (603) 225-8400
Rochester: 4th Thursday of the month, 6:30pm-8:00pm, Carroll Conf Room, Frisbie Conference Center, Rochester, NH Contact: BIANH Phone: (603) 225-8400 Salem: 1st Wednesday of the month, 5:00pm-6:00pm, Northeast Rehab Hospital, Administrative Conf. Room, Salem, NH Contact: BIANH Phone: (603) 225-8400
Seacoast: 1st Tuesday of the month, 7:00pm, North Hampton United Church of Christ, North Hampton, NH Contact: BIANH Phone: (603) 225-8400
Upper Valley: 2nd Wednesday of the month, 6:30pm, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Fuller Board Room, Lebanon, NH Contact: BIANH Phone: (603) 225-8400
MILD BRAIN INJURY SUPPORT GROUP: Salem: 2nd Wednesday of the month, 5:00pm-6:00pm, Northeast Rehab Hospital, Reception will direct you to the room, Salem, NH Contact: BIANH Phone: (603) 225-8400
STROKE AND BRAIN INJURY: Nashua: 2nd Wednesday of the month, 5:30pm-7:00pm, 4 South Dining Room, St. Joseph Hospital, 172 Kinsley Street, Nashua, NH Contact: Kathy Schuler Phone: (603) 882-3000 x68034
Portsmouth: First meeting January 14, 2013; 2nd Monday of the month, 5:00pm6:00pm, Northeast Rehab Hospital in Portsmouth, Reception will direct to room, Portsmouth, NH Contact: Katherine Burke Phone: (603) 501-5552
BRAIN TUMOR: Derry: 2nd Monday of the month, 5:30pm-7:00pm, Derry Public Library, Paul Collette Conf Room A, Derry, NH Contact: Urszula Mansur Phone: (603) 818-9376
STROKE: Concord: Community Stroke Support Group, 3rd Tuesday of the month, 4pm, HealthSouth, 254 Pleasant Street, Concord, NH Contact: JessaLynn Geerdes-Lakowicz (603) 226-9812 Phone: (603) 226-8843
Fall 2013 - Page 15
Lebanon: 1st Wednesday of the month, 10:00am-11:30am, Aging Resource Center, 46 Centerra Parkway, 2nd Floor, Lebanon, NH Contact: Rebecca Woods Phone: (603) 650-5149 Contact: Linda Wilkinson Phone (802) 295-3037
Nashua: 2nd Wednesday of the month, 6:00pm-7:30pm, 4 South dinning room, St. Joseph Hospital, 172 Kinsley Street, Nashua, NH Phone: (603) 882-3000 x 66550 Contact: Kathy Schuler
Salem: 1st Wednesday of the month, Northeast Rehab Hospital, Family Conf. Room, 70 Butler Street, Salem, NH Contact: Jessica Anderson Phone: (603) 893-2900 x3218
CAREGIVERS Portsmouth: Call for more information, Krempels Center, 100 Campus Drive, Portsmouth, NH Contact: Tess Schneier Phone: (603) 570-2026
Salem: Every other Monday, 6pm-8pm, Kelly Library, 234 Main Street, Salem, NH Contact: Val Pierce Phone: (603) 401-5544
HEADWAY Newsletter
DONORS AND MEMBERS Abraham Burtman Charity Trust Richard & Catherine Alden David & Sue Andrews Diane Aubrey Barbara Badger BAE Systems Matching Gifts Kathryn Black John & Pamela Blackford Paul Blackford Laurie Boyce John Bristol John Burnside Cantin Design, Inc. Gregory Carroll Mark Chilton David Clark Richard & Alison Cohen Cooperative Middle School Grace Cunningham & Timothy Heath Laura Decoster Robert & Louise Dimario Gary & Lisa DiMartino Easter Seals New Hampshire Deborah Fauver, Esq. FairPoint Communications John & Gayle Feick Frederick & Cynthia Feiker Jacquelyn Felix Ann Fitzgerald Denise Galvin Rosemary Garretson Scott & Jackie Gessis Catherine Graham Mr. & Mrs. Edward Grevatt Raymond & Barbara Howard Larrie Ingalls Cindy Janik David Jenkins Newton Kershaw, Jr. Ted & Margie King Knights of Columbus Council 6850 Renee Lasher Judith Layton Matthew LeFrancois Liberty Mutual Lawrence Martin Paul & Linda Matthews Marguerite MacDonald JoAnn McCalister Kristine McCarthy Ruth Merritt Carol Moore Eric Moore NH Charitable Foundation Nixon, Vogelman, Barry, Slawsky & Simoneau Northern Human Services Catherine Panniello Ashish Pant William & Mary Ann Paraskevas Pepsico Foundation Ralph Porfido Todd Pratte Jonathan Riley Jean Sanders Denise Schepis John & Diane Seabury Bart Shultz Michael Szelog John Terninko Maurice & Carol Thibaudeau Travelers Community Connections John & Zoe Veasey Mary Wiglusz Thomas Woitalewicz & Kim Maynard Theresa & Donna Zeludancz Stanley Zube
LARRY LAP DONORS Anonymous Donors Batement Concepts International, Inc. Beaudette & Sons Plumbin & Heating, LLC Bruce & Carol Berlinger Ann Blackburn Butler Performance Machining
Fall 2013 - Page 16
2013 MEMBERS AND DONORS
Thank you to all our members and donors! (This list reflects donations received from December 2012 through September 30, 2013)
Chicken Hawk Racing, Inc. Michael & Doreen Curry Joshua Coombs Mary Dufresne Eggshell Restaurant, LLC. Garden Island Laundromat Guinard Motor Sports Seth Hahn Robert Lethbridge Daniel & Barbara Martin Deborah Matyi Motorcross Engineers, Inc. NH Restaurant Equipment Sales, LLC. Stephen & Lisa Nogueira Kevin Noterman Paul’s Executive Car Care, Inc. Penguin Racing School, Inc. Matthew Pierce Plaistow Powersports Rising Sun Cycles, LLC. Souhegan Valley Motorsports Stoughton Smead Theodore Temple Steve & Patti Wade Karen Weaver Mary Wiglusz Woodcraft Technologies, Inc. Theresa Zeludancz Daniel Zimmer Roofing & Construction
IN MEMORY OF RAYMOND BEAULIEU Patricia Beaulieu IN MEMORY OF BILL BONIN Sandy Bonin
IN MEMORY OF DIANNE BURELLE Gilbert Burelle Arthur & Linda Matson, III
IN MEMORY OF MARILYN B. COOK Nancy Ballantyne Craig & Mary Riker
IN MEMORY OF MICHAEL SEAN CUNNINGHAM Dale Cunningham IN MEMORY OF CHARLES DUHAIME Bette Duhaime IN MEMORY OF PAUL DUPONT Annette Santa Maria
IN MEMORY OF GEORGE FOOTE Anna P. Foote IN MEMORY OF EARL FRIOT Sara DeCarlo
IN MEMORY OF ROBERT GADSBY Joseph & Ann McCallion IN MEMORY OF LISA GRAVES Freddi Gale
IN MEMORY OF FRANK HUDON Brenda Glynn
IN MEMORY OF HELENE KRAMER Dr. & Mrs. Michael Kramer
IN MEMORY OF McAVAY & DiMARIO Robert & Louise DiMario
IN MEMORY OF KEVIN MCGUIRE Pamela Blotcky
IN MEMORY OF KEVIN O’CONNOR Frank Kelly family IN MEMORY OF SAM & B RHODES Teresa Rosenberger IN MEMORY OF LEE SHEPPARD Richard & Lynn Ruggles
IN MEMORY OF WILLIAM VIRGIN Raymond & Barbara Howard IN HONOR OF ALISHA Barbara Olson Janet Shokal
IN HONOR OF BIANH BINGO VOLUNTEERS Paul & Charlotte Hamilton
N HONOR OF ALL BRAIN INJURY SURVIVORS Richard & Margaret Bedore IN HONOR OF GILBERT BURELLE Priscilla Brown Cheryl Miner
IN HONOR OF ROBERT BOUTIN & DAVID KREMPELS The Eyeglass Shop, PLLC IN HONOR OF K.C. Pamela Nation
IN HONOR OF RICHARD CARTER Robert Sipple William Carter
IN HONOR OF MATTHEW COLLINS Robin Darling IN HONOR OF EMMA CONVEY Harry & Deborah Bernheim
Sherry Bollhorst Michael & Michelle Convey Dick, Karen & Allie Nault Brigitte Tuller
IN HONOR OF SARA EDGERLY George Montansese IN HONOR OF ADAM FERTIG Elaine Sokoloff IN HONOR OF KERRI HATCH Audrey Hatch
IN HONOR OF RUSS MOORE Carol Moore
IN HONOR OF BUTCH MOWERS Vicky Mowers
IN HONOR OF CAROL RICHARDS Tom Badgley Rhonda Barkley
IN HONOR OF NANCY RICHARDS John & Carol Richards
IN HONOR OF ERIC JOHNSON Paul & Lynn Allen
IN HONOR OF RYAN Stanley Araszkiewicz Laurie Branchaud
IN HONOR OF GREGORY MAJOR Sally Major
IN HONOR OF BRANDON SMITH Sarah Vincent
IN HONOR OF ELIZABETH KENNEY Billie Rosoff
IN HONOR OF BRYAN MCMILLEN Amie Harvey IN HONOR OF ROBERT MERRILL Donald & Lisa Merrill IN HONOR OF HARRY MOORE St. Marks Lodge No. 44
IN HONOR OF GREGORY RZASA Thomas & Jacqueline Rzasa
IN HONOR OF REBECCA WILSON Melissa Herman IN HONOR OF KRISTA WHITE John White IN HONOR OF NH VETERANS Leslie Pasternack
